A Problem of Compatibility

darkmaster · Post by **darkmaster** » Thu May 26, 2011 11:38 am

So, I just joined a D&D game where the DM has taken an “anything goes” attitude with the caveat that things have to be balanced, and even that’s kind of a lax stance. Now, I realize that separate additions aren’t going to fit well together, I can’t really figure out which additions the character sheets are from, because the sheets are enormous piles of dog shit, but I know at least one character is from 4e. Now I’m not too worried about earlier additions, but I’m playing a 3e character, because I felt like playing actual D&D. So what I want to know is if everyone else is playing 4e characters will mine be playable, or the suck? I don’t really know enough about the math of 4e (I could never get past the alignment system and cosmology, and Demons, Gnolls, and Shauagin sharing abyssal as a language what’s that). But I do know that characters generally become more powerful in later additions. So I thought I’d ask somewhere where I know someone would know.

Jilocasin · Post by **Jilocasin** » Thu May 26, 2011 11:51 am

Are you serious? Is this a thing that is actually happening in somewhere?

darkmaster · Post by **darkmaster** » Thu May 26, 2011 11:59 am

Yes, yes it is. It's on teh interwebs if you'd like the link.

RobbyPants · Post by **RobbyPants** » Thu May 26, 2011 12:39 pm

darkmaster wrote:... additions ...

It's editions. It took me a second to figure out what you were saying.

So, to get this straight, you mean people are playing some hybrid mix-matched system of D&D using multiple editions? I can't even see the point in playing a game like that. How will he adjudicate rules when the same ruling is handled differently in different systems.

If you go with this, just play a 3E spellcaster. Use 3.0 Haste while you're at it.

darkmaster · Post by **darkmaster** » Thu May 26, 2011 12:47 pm

Yes, edditions, of course, I thought there was something funny with my post when I read through it.

Anyway it seems to be working so far, the game's been running for more than 800 posts so he must be doing something right. But what I really want to know is if there's going to be much of a disparity between character power. That seems like it would be the biggest problem to me.

Fuchs · Post by **Fuchs** » Thu May 26, 2011 12:51 pm

What level is it?

darkmaster · Post by **darkmaster** » Thu May 26, 2011 12:57 pm

4th, but the game is pretty well gaurenteed to run into mid to high levels.

hogarth · Post by **hogarth** » Thu May 26, 2011 3:15 pm

darkmaster wrote:4th, but the game is pretty well gaurenteed to run into mid to high levels.

Actually, without knowing a single thing about the game other than what you posted above, I'm willing to guarantee the opposite -- that it'll fall apart fairly rapidly.

darkmaster · Post by **darkmaster** » Thu May 26, 2011 3:37 pm

That bad huh? Well, the players seem fairly determined. So, assuming it does get far enough for characters powers to diverge, are there going to be problems with character ballance?

CapnTthePirateG · Post by **CapnTthePirateG** » Thu May 26, 2011 4:02 pm

Oh hell yeah

I have no idea how the hell damage is being handled, but the 4e guys will be putting out a lot less if you're using RAW. As a 2e/3e caster, you'll have spells which actually kill people, they at best might stun for a round.

Also if you're playing a 3.5 caster with 3.0 haste, don't forget to grab the 2e illusions that actually killed people who believed them.

Could you post the link? I'd like to see this.

darkmaster · Post by **darkmaster** » Thu May 26, 2011 4:07 pm

There's the game, and a thread where you can find him saying "you know, whatever," much easier.

Ravengm · Post by **Ravengm** » Thu May 26, 2011 4:25 pm

If everyone else is going the 4e route, the biggest negative will probably be the HP bloat of everyone else.

The biggest positive, of course, is that you'll actually kill people. Playing rocket launcher tag when you're the only one with rockets would get ugly.

TheFlatline · Post by **TheFlatline** » Thu May 26, 2011 7:13 pm

I humbly suggest playing 3rd edition pun-pun.

Post by **fbmf** » Thu May 26, 2011 7:16 pm

TheFlatline wrote:I humbly suggest playing 3rd edition pun-pun.

Or a 3.0 Artjer Cleric. I mean, you know, no need to get crazy.

Game On,
fbmf

DSMatticus · Post by **DSMatticus** » Thu May 26, 2011 7:47 pm

This is quite possibly the stupidest thing I've ever heard of. I can't even begin to know what this guy is planning.

Red_Rob · Post by **Red_Rob** » Thu May 26, 2011 8:01 pm

I was wondering how on earth this rules clusterfuck would work, then I read the threads. Here's a few select quotes from the GM

"My opinion is that there are no rules, only guidelines. Even when I'm a player I believe that whatever the DM says is the rule, -is- the rule, and that it may change from one event to the next"

"I'll allow the berserker kit since he's CG, but remember, although you get to decide when to 'power up', when you do, you lose control (meaning I take over). Youu can still post OOC if you're trying to calm down, and you can post IC what he's thinking, but his actions are out of your control"

"I'll do the rolling, its just easier that way"

So basically its Mother May I. Which isn't entirely bad if the GM is on your wavelength and you go with it, however I find this system only works with close friends who have a similar mindset. The chance of randomly finding someone with the same view on rule-of-cool, world setup and character power level on some gaming forum I would think is not good, but then again the game has been running for 5 months.

I suppose its easy to forget that for a long time only the DM knowing the rules and making shit up on the fly was roleplaying, so there's no reason it can't make a fun game if the DM is cool.

Soda · Post by **Soda** » Thu May 26, 2011 8:24 pm

Be a 4E character. If you try anything else, you'll be nerfed into what is essentially a 4E character with no powers and less HP.

Or just play freeform because this is the dumbest thing I've ever heard.

fectin · Post by **fectin** » Thu May 26, 2011 9:02 pm

3.x spellcasters will bend this game over and summon dick-demons to rape its ears. Even if you don't optimize.
If you're feeling petulant, play a cleric.

Username17 · Post by **Username17** » Thu May 26, 2011 9:06 pm

Seriously, just play a 3.5 Rogue. They have a better attack matrix and do more damage than any 4e class. Also their skill totals are a lot higher. In a game that's mostly MTP, none of your "powers" really mean much, but having raw higher numbers is kind of a big deal.

Except: none of this speculation actually matters because the game is not "mostly" MTP, it is 100% MTP and the only person allowed to improv is the douchebag DM. I would be severely offended and get up and walk immediately if some DM tried to pull that kind of horse shit on me. If you're going to play freeform, play freeform. Don't pretend that you're going to play D&D and then disregard all the rules.

-Username17

fectin · Post by **fectin** » Thu May 26, 2011 9:15 pm

Heh. Bring a Mage character to the table.

PoliteNewb · Post by **PoliteNewb** » Fri May 27, 2011 5:57 am

Red_Rob wrote:I was wondering how on earth this rules clusterfuck would work, then I read the threads. Here's a few select quotes from the GM

"My opinion is that there are no rules, only guidelines. Even when I'm a player I believe that whatever the DM says is the rule, -is- the rule, and that it may change from one event to the next"

"I'll allow the berserker kit since he's CG, but remember, although you get to decide when to 'power up', when you do, you lose control (meaning I take over). Youu can still post OOC if you're trying to calm down, and you can post IC what he's thinking, but his actions are out of your control"

"I'll do the rolling, its just easier that way"

So basically its Mother May I. Which isn't entirely bad if the GM is on your wavelength and you go with it, however I find this system only works with close friends who have a similar mindset. The chance of randomly finding someone with the same view on rule-of-cool, world setup and character power level on some gaming forum I would think is not good, but then again the game has been running for 5 months.

I suppose its easy to forget that for a long time only the DM knowing the rules and making shit up on the fly was roleplaying, so there's no reason it can't make a fun game if the DM is cool.

I'm fine with the DM making shit up...but I expect the stuff he makes up to be consistent. "whatever the DM says is the rule, -is- the rule, and that it may change from one event to the next" is utter and complete bullshit...that isn't a game, for chrissakes, that's a dude telling a story.

Games have rules. The bare minimum attributes a rule must have are "this applies to everyone, and it doesn't change in the middle of the game". If you don't have that, you don't have shit.

Doom · Post by **Doom** » Fri May 27, 2011 5:03 pm

I don't see how you can put 4e and D&D characters at the same table, you may as well try to play a hybrid game of StarCraft/Diablo.

RadiantPhoenix · Post by **RadiantPhoenix** » Fri May 27, 2011 7:01 pm

[Baal appears]
"Nuclear launch detected!"

Grek · Post by **Grek** » Fri May 27, 2011 7:57 pm

Bring a GURPS character to the game. It'll be fine.

Chamomile · Post by **Chamomile** » Sat May 28, 2011 5:49 am

Bring a FATAL character to the table.

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