4e starting at 1st lvl: taking apps

[tahl_liadon]

out-of-the-box adventures since i'm dm'ing for the first time.

game time is pretty specific, unfortunately. if your schedule works with the following criteria, then we're game:

- est (-5 gmt)
- 19:00 til 23:00 (maybe sometimes 'til midnight)
- one of these week nights: mon, tue, thu
or
- possibly alternating saturday during the day, between 9:00 - 18:00

i know the game time windows are small, but it'll be worthwhile once we get a group going!

i'm a veteran d&d player, mostly 3.5e, but in the past few months, i've been immersed in 4e on fg2. i am in 4 campaigns currently as a player. i also play with *very* good dms by whom i've learned a lot. so, now, i thought i'd give it a try (it was a matter of time :P). anyhow, i'm taking applications. i'm serious and critical in finding players, but surely will be more lax and fun once i've found the right group of people. here are the criteria against which i "interview":

- mature and respectful of other people, regardless of your age. that means you're not necessarily ruled out if you're inexperienced and younger. on the same token, a spot is not necessarily a sure thing if you're seasoned and older.

- reliable and committed. i need a group of people which i can depend to show up at games at least 90% of the time. i understand life gets in the way, and i can be flexible if you join in the game an hour later, but you have to make a commitment to be an active part of my campaign.

- creative and fun. i'm also looking for participation and engagement. i will try hard to run a balanced 50/50, h-n-s and role playing. after a few encounters, i expect a background story from you. i think once we get in the swing of things, your creative juices should (hopefully) get flowing and would make for a better story hook.

- patience and "roll with the punch." i like to follow rules to keep the game going, but i will not tolerate debates and arguments over stuff. there are forums for that. if there is any doubt about something, i will have the final say and the game continues. the issue will be researched at another time. i don't mind also if you help remind me or verify rules, not at all, but all rule nazis will immediately be lightning struck with a -10 circumstantial save penalty.

- if you have potty mouth, especially insensitive and derogatory to any culture and/or subculture, or if you have a recurrent evil streak (where you act out in-game or out-of-game), don't bother to apply.

now, when you submit your application, plz tell me what you want to play (race, class, etc...). submit the pc idea that you want to play, but ideally, i'd like to get 5 pc that cover the classes to round out the party. newbies to 4e are welcomed. i will update and post here regularly of accepted applicants so you know if the slots have been filled. here are a couple of pc generation resources:

- https://www.pathguy.com/cg4.htm
- https://wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/insider/characterbuilder

let me know if you have other questions, and thx :)

[tahl_liadon]

these comments are in response to someone who applied:

"i like to play either a rogue or a ranger"

well, both of these are strikers (see pc roles, pg 15 phb, if you're not familiar). in my opinion, the core idea of 4e are based on this idea of the player committing to a role. as strikers, they try to be as "fleeting" as possible, and making contact with the enemy only to deal (massive) damage or disrupt the enemy's moves. to balance out their often fatal damage-dealing, they are forced to be cautious when getting close to the fray with lower armor defenses, which high dex can (but not always) help to offset.

the actual skills of the rogue and ranger, as we have come to understand in previous editions of dnd, are somewhat played down, or at least not too focused, for lack of a better word. depending how one's pc is built in 4e, a non-rogue or non-ranger can manage to achieve skill checks as equally effective. the main thing that separates these classes from others (which ties back to their role) in 4e is the type of powers at their disposal, which are designed to maximize each class's strengths and abilities.


"i gravitate toward the 'thinking/plotting types' characters..."

in 4e, everyone (who understands strategy and wants to stay alive longer) has to think -- not necessarily to plot though because that's usually the dm's job (lol). the way 4e's mechanics works is that, in some case more true than others, the player has to constantly be aware and be engaged in an encounter if (s)he is to be effective at his job. for example, there are "triggers" and "reactions" on which the player has to decide to act at any particular round; i daresay the timing and decision to act could be the difference between life and death.

thinking is no longer an intrinsic quality that of the pc, that the player role plays based on the pc's intelligence score. the way 4e's mechanics is set up, the thinking (at least during encounters) must be made by the player if he wants his party, as well as himself, to stay alive. the powers allowed at any given level are quite specific in their effects. the player (not necessarily the pc) has to know what to do next, and use which power to be most effective.

however, this is not to say role playing is out the window. everyone resumes as normal to role play once the encounter is over, but during a fight, the player cannot help but to think, regardless of the pc's intelligence.

"not ever really been into the magic characters, as I prefer to get by on wits and skills."

again, as mentioned above, wits and skills are no longer are sole properties of rogues. depending on what the player choose as skills when creating a pc, any pc may have almost equally the opportunity to shine at any task. the warlord is especially reliant on wits and skills when it comes to battles, as many of his powers allow him to move anyone, friend or foe, in the battle like chess pieces.

(when it comes to skills checks, the chance of the dice roll also changes things, of course. e.g. a pc with a perception +18 bonus, rolling a 1 may still not see an enemy with a 20 stealthy roll. the very same enemy will be spotted by another pc in the party with a +6 perception bonus, rolling a 15 on the die.)

in regards to wizards in 4e, they play the controller role. as a controller, wits and skills are crucial in how the wizard effectively controls the enemy, and keep them a bay, out of allies' hair. wizards (should) have a high intelligence score, which means they definitely use their noodles, in-game as well as out-of-game. (those who often choose to play wizards are, to some degree, seeking a class that is an extension of themselves in regards to smarts.)

a strategic wizard can do a ton of damage to enemies -- and a lot of them at once, maybe even wipe out a whole room of enemies. certain spells when dropped at the right moment excel at dealing damages, even better than the striker roles!

let's put it this way: if you are not familiar with 4e, unlearn what you've learned (for the most part) about 3e/3.5e, and learn 4e as a completely new set of rules. 4e is neither better or worse, just different. i enjoy 4e for its mechanics, which is designed with virtual table in mind (even the folks at wizards are making a v.t. under their brand). i used to be in a real-life table top game where one of the player was, literally, snoring away, waiting for his turn. not so in 4e. not so.

[Dracenfels]

Hey Tahl I want to play. FYI I'm new to 4.0 and FG2 but reading phb. Maybe give us some background on what type of adventure you're planning. I'd hate say I want to make a ranger with nature skill and then find out we're going to do a dungeon grind. Also I'm in my 30's as mature as I'll ever get and been rpging since the 80's.

[tahl_liadon]

dracenfels,

thx for the interest. it's ok if you're new to 4e and fg2... i'm patient and you'll learn quicklky. it's not that hard to pick up, either 4e or fg2. it's a matter of practice and time....

in regards to what settings/adventures lay ahead, that's going to be something i will disclose. what i can tell you is that it will be a mix of many things, as i hope to dm continuous out-of-the-box modules that are in a series.

i suggest you play what you like to play. it would behoove you to make a versatile pc, but capitalize on the class's strengths. you don't necessarily have to have a pc who can do everything and be everything (it's not a campaign where you rp gods :P). keep in mind that you will be among companions who have different skill sets; you will need to learn to rely on their strengths to compensate for areas where you may lack. it's also important to consider the persona of your pc, not just its powers, abilities, etc. i'm more interested in the pc's soul, rather than the number of d8 it can damage.

when i play, i build a pc who specializes in its skills/abilities and be very good at it, exploiting the powers bestowed upon it. that's my style. if i play a ranger, i won't try to be a rogue, or cleric, or anything else. everyone has a chance to shine.

that's my two cents worth.

please send private message with some info on your gaming experiences and personal outlook. i'm not looking to be impressed; i simply want to get an impression of who you are based on what you choose to share.

thx.

[tahl_liadon]

here is a response to one of the applicants -- it gives you an idea of what to expect from this campaign:

"...[play] a 'failed' character..."

i think that's a great start. i always appreciate (and often play) underdogs. i can't appreciate players who come in with uber-pcs... that's boring *and* annoying to me. however, if you play this character, i'm just hoping he won't cripple the party with his outlook. it's not that i have any concerned about that per se; i'm projecting that if it negatively affects the party, other pc/players may be at odds with you/your pc. regardless, it should make an interesting and tension-filled group (lol).

fyi, there are interesting backgrounds in the character builder (beta by the wizards folk that i posted) under "scales of war" that you can explore/exploit -- it may strengthen your pc's background story. check it out...

[thrylax]

If you still need some slots filled, I'd love to give this a go. I have been playing RPG's (Mostly D&D) from about 1985 onward. First started playing Basic D&D (The Red Box) and moved on to run the games since then. I have played D&D from Basic, through Advanced, 2nd Edition, 3rd Edition, and finally v3.5. Although I'm new to 4e, I have the books and was a player in a dinner table 4e campaign run by a friend of mine who has had to cancel his campaign for personal reasons.
I have run a few games on FG2 and played in a couple as a player as well.

If you still have room, I'd like to play either a human Cleric or an Eladrin Wizard.....not sure which yet though. Guess it depends on what everyone else is playing.

[NymTevlyn]

I would like to play, provided it runs on the weeknights and not weekend. I work every Saturday and Sunday.

[chubacamanman]

can i join f it demo

[madman]

I just picked up 4e books and would love to try it out, if you need more players
i am reliable, and have all days available after about 6pm GMT-7 except for sat and sun.

[ozziewolf]

I would like to play as well but of the dates mentioned the only one available for me is Thursday nights. (I do Martial Arts on Monday's and Tuesday I do a 4E campaign with a group of long time friends) I'm working on a character concept for a Warlord right now.

[MeepoSose]

I would like to join. Mon, Tues or Thurs would work best for me. I'm a long time player and DM and generally try to play in games as often as I DM. I'll send you a PM with character concepts.

[pauly71]

I'm interested. Do you still have room? I'm available any weeknight. I have yet to look over the 4th edition PHB. I'll pick it up this weekend. From the research that I've done balance between classes has been a focus of this new edition.

[tahl_liadon]

send pm for stand-by slot...

[Mattmanhu]

Hey there!

New to FG II and 4.0, have handbook and some other helpful resources. Thursdays are great for me, other nights work well. I'll play any character class that would round out the team well. So if you have an opening or a stand by space, I'd like to be considered.

[Sakumbe]

Hey there, are there still any slots?

I noticed the schedule discussion, and Wednesdays are probably my best weekdays, and weekends are great as well.

[unerwünscht]

I would like to play as well but of the dates mentioned the only one available for me is Thursday nights. (I do Martial Arts on Monday's and Tuesday I do a 4E campaign with a group of long time friends) I'm working on a character concept for a Warlord right now.

Since your going to try and troll me, I thought I would go around and troll you. How do you like it? getting fun yet?

[tahl_liadon]

(this is an addendum. go to the beginning of this thread and plz read the first topic to determine whether this campaign/group is for you. thx)

starting 2nd group to relieve stand-bys from original batch of applicants. looking for new players to fill a couple of slots in this second group.

this fills pretty quickly, i've noticed, so if you apply, check the calendar often as i post announcements regularly. (i've had a couple of cases where someone applied and got in line first, but lost out to later applicants who were more motivated to play and kept track of openings). we might have a game tonight (03 feb 09) so hit me up soon so i have enough time to work you in...

- first-come/first-serve
- out-of-the-box adventures
- est (-5 gmt)
- tuesdays, 19h00 til 23h00 (maybe sometimes 'til midnight)

when submitting application, plz tell me what you want to play (race, class, etc...). newbies to 4e are welcomed. here are a couple of pc generation resources:

- https://www.pathguy.com/cg4.htm
- https://wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/insider/characterbuilder

let me know if you have other questions, and thx :)

[StrangeBlades]

Oops...

Posted private message in here. My bad. Entry deleted from public thread.

[Bowmen]

Hey there,
I wouldnt mind playing a tiefling warlock
Thanks

[tahl_liadon]

thur, 19h00 est, group with new slot opening.

apply for more details.

[angelofdemons]

I would love to play a 1st level, i will sign up immediantly!

[tahl_liadon]

tues, 19h00 est
thurs, 19h00 est

pm me for more details. thx

[tahl_liadon]

open slot:

thurs, 19h00 est

pm me for more details. thx

[tahl_liadon]

open slot:

tues, 19h00 est
thurs: closed

pm me for more details. thx

[tahl_liadon]

both tues and thurs currently full. thx

[tahl_liadon]

3 openings for reliable players for tues campaign.

every tues, 19h00 est. send pm for more details.

[tahl_liadon]

1 openings for reliable players for thurs campaign.

every tues, 19h00 est. send pm for more details.

[Drizzt06]

Hey i should be ok for any week night game sat maybe as long as its at night :), wouldn't mind playing ranger, druid or shaman, but if a role needs filling i.e defender im pretty flexible with what i play, played 3.5 a lot 4e just few games but im catching on quick :) anyways let me know

[tahl_liadon]

Hey i should be ok for any week night game sat...

umm... the game is for thurs night.

[Drizzt06]

lol sorry for my typo, meant all weekdays including Sat :P

[tahl_liadon]

a couple of openings for reliable players:

starting at 1st level, 4e campaign, every tues, 19h00 est. read thread at beginning for more details. pm me if interested.

[tahl_liadon]

enlisting closed.