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Yes, it is that way in the Monster Manual as well. All enemy damage is a specific number of points (typically average damage) and the number of dice is listed for reference. I suppose you can roll if you like, as DM, or you can take the specified number.

They are trying to get their stuff in line with what other game companies have done to speed up play. It is a good thing unless you are one who loves to count all those little pips.

Hey pande, that is one of the things that the one of the folks from DungeonScape talked about when we were talking about the DM side of their app ... the 'satisfaction' of rolling dice and letting them decide <g> So they certainly have you in mind <wink> And while I enjoy rolling ... and have =LOTS= of sets of dice to prove it, there are times when ... in an effort to keep the game going, the GM needs to do what (s)he can.

For example, when I am running at a con, I have initiative rolled for all the monsters ahead of time. I also take the time after a combat, while the players are healing up and the like, to have them roll init for the next combat ... big time savings ... especially when you have a limited time at a convention <g> So while I like rolling dice, having an app that will deal with that when I have a dozen monsters to run, will be a good thing in terms of keeping the game moving forward <g>

Oh as an avid collector of dice I too love the old world of rolling. I dislike the average outcome. But as you say there are times when it just speeds up play.

I still fondly remember the "all available dice blue bolt" when the gods exacted retribution for a slight. It was a lot of dice to roll and never did a PC survive, but it was entertaining.

I use similar elements both in convention play and in ftf games. I am one that loves to have the dice in my hand even when they don't come up the way I wish.

Impatient NYer that I am, one of my pet peeves are players that can't figure out what dice to roll when it's their turn....

"...um...let's see, I'm plus one for using a longbow because I'm an elf...does that goblin have cover? ... and I'm using +1 arrows... and I've got a dex of 15 which gives me plus two...And what damage does an arrow do?"

Just roll that damned d20 first! Then do the math. If you roll a 5 or less, odds are you miss. If you roll a 15 or more, odds are you hit.

And know who you follow in the initiative order. Have all your dice in your hands. Roll both attack AND damage at the same time.

Yes. I like my dice too. I'm so proud of myself - I didn't buy any dice at Gencon this year!

Thanks for the review Tim, interesting read!

Actually Nep, I have always encouraged them to roll both at the same time. For one thing, after a bit of play, I can usually tell if they hit or not before that type can get their fingers out and counting <g>

Anyone else agree with me about the halflings?

Tim, If you mean this line from your blog...



It's not the iconic graphic of Frodo sitting on a bench outside his hobbit-hole smoking an elaborate Meerschaum pipe. It's a female bard. I haven't really focused that much on the art, but I wish we could see her furry feet! What self-respecting halfling is traipsing around in knee-high boots?

Solid review, by the way.

By the way, the first mistake I found in the PHB:

I think this is clearly an easy fix but the half-elf, a cross between an elf and a human, has no DEX attribute bonus. The elf has a +2 bonus and the human has a +1 bonus. One would think that the half-elf should have the average of the two.

Also, all the non-human races have a +2 in one stat and then a +1 in another attribute - except for the half-elf which only has a CHA +2. I think they should be getting a DEX +1.

That sounds reasonable, Nep. You should send that to WotC.

I just followed up in the forum and learned that I was wrong.

Half elves get to choose 2 stats to bump up by one in addition to CHA+2.

I was working off of the "Ability Score Summary" chart on page 12 and it does not note it there.

Correct, Nep. Half elf has better bumps than all other non-humans.

Tim - I agree about the halfling art. I thought that as well as soon as I saw it. Overall, though, the art is extremely well done.

D&D halflings are always difficult to portray in art imo. They've been trying to find a unique identity for them for decades. Maybe some degree of charicature is a good thing? I certainly gave Warhammer dwarves a unique and recognisable look, even if it is ridiculous (how do those guys even walk?).

Does 5th Edition have gnomes?

Yes.

Yes it does. There are various types of gnomes too. When I get home I'll look it up and tell you. One type leans towards magic and the other towards being a tinkerer.

OK. There's the Forest Gnome and the Rock Gnome available for PC's. The forest gnome traits are an extra dex bump, "Natural Illusionist" and "Speak with Small Beasts". The rock gnome gets a bump in con,
"Artificer's Lore" and "Tinker".

Now forest gnomes I like. I get those. The other gnomes I've always found a bit lacking in identity. I mean, short folk with beard, tinkering with inventions in a cave--- that's a dwarf to me.

And the traits they have are inconsequential in the game. I think they dropped the ball a bit on that one.

Actually, that sounds more like a gnome to me ... but hey ... all those short folk look the same to me <chuckle>

There was a Nodwick strip about the differences between them:

Page 1 Page 2

Don't want no short people 'round here.

one of my favorite songs of his

I guess that sums up my point--- to me, dwarfs and gnomes are the same thing. Argus's link makes a good point.

But we see that sort of 'lack of differentiation' all the time in the real world too, don't we? Here is an interesting analogy. How many of us here can listen to an Asian speaker and know if they are Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Thai or something else? I know that I cannot. Hecj, I have noticed that I even have a lot more trouble 'recognizing' the different protagonists in a lot of the Asian movies I have been watching of late (thank you NetFlix <g> ) ... while I seldom have that problem while watching movies with folk from the western hemisphere.

So, for me, it seems like a bit of 'real world normalcy' that you can bring into a fantasy world. "All those short folks look alike to me" can add to the interaction between players as well as between players and the NPCs <g> (just so long as it isn't over done <wink> )