Tag Archives: RPGs

Finally we reach the last chapter in our Dungeons & Dragons Fourth Edition Player’s Handbook readthrough with rituals.

Rituals is a new thing for 4e.  Because the old spellcasting system has been retired and what are called “spells” now are really just powers like any other class’ powers, a lot of old effects didn’t really fit in the powers system.  These range from the more-utility-than-utility like Arcane Lock to the old favorite Raise Dead, to magic item crafting.

Rituals are found in books or scrolls, like spells in older editions.  But you don’t have to be a spellcaster per se to use them, you just need the Ritual Caster feat (and that’s only to do them from books; anyone can cast one from a scroll).  In general they take a while to cast and use up some kind of expensive component.  Rituals are lightly skill linked – some use a skill check to gain a better result, but many don’t really use or require the listed skill.  They have a minimum level needed to perform them.

I think rituals are pretty neat; they have the potential to make memorable effects (like Raise Dead) more memorable.

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We’re closing in on the end of our chapter by chapter dissection of the Dungeons & Dragons Fourth Edition Player’s Handbook. This time – combat!

Much of this chapter is familiar to players of any edition of D&D; I’ll stress the differences (being an intro to D&D for noobs is beyond the scope of this readthrough). Most of it is familiar, only different in the fine implementation details. As we get started, everything sounds familiar:

• Six second rounds.
• Roll init once per combat. It’s d10 + 1/2 level + Dex mod.
• Surprise round starts us off, and those surprised grant combat advantage.
• Use miniatures! Especially D&D Minis!

Much of the meat here is in the definitions. 4e isn’t’ quite as “definition based” as Spycraft 2.0, which went from a good game to an exercise in tedium in one version, but it makes a stab at it – your old Magic: The Gathering playing skills will serve you well in terms of strict interpretation.

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In this installment of our read through of the Dungeons & Dragons Fourth Edition Player’s Handbook, we take a look at equipment. Every class starts with 100 gold to equip themselves, a welcome reduction in complexity from the class-based random roll that still persisted in 3e.

Armor has the first big changes. It’s divided into light or heavy. With light armor, you add your Int or Dex modifier, whichever’s higher, to your AC. With heavy armor, you don’t.

Even mages are proficient with cloth armor, which though it doesn’t give an armor bonus, can be made of special materials or gain enchantments that do. That’s pretty elegant.

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