Player's Strategy Guide
What Race Are You?
In the first of the Previews for the Player's Strategy Guide, we get an overview of the Introduction and what will be in Chapter 1: Building Your Character, as well as a downloadable excerpt of the chapter focused on determining your race! Unfortunately, it's only for races in the first Player's Handbook.
Talk about this preview here.
I hope this offers something useful to fans like myself. First impressions lead to no.
"Everybody likes me" pegs you as a tiefling? "You can't put one over on me" makes you a dwarf? But valuing "loyalty to friends" as your most important trait doesn't fit with being a dwarf? Favourite colours determine your values and personality (and apparently half-elves are treehuggers now)? Humans, half-elves and tieflings are all loners/orphans (even though "everybody likes" them)? Despite being archetypal rogues, halflings feel more at home in "the peaceful wilderness" than in "dark alleys"?
It's very rare that I'm actually critical of WotC publications (especially based solely on a preview article), but this is utter tripe.
What exactly is it about this questionnaire that will help you with strategy? This excerpt seems to be more based on helping people role-play, which is fine, but the title certainly is misleading.
"Everybody likes me" pegs you as a tiefling?
Tieflings have a Charisma bonus, so this is accurate.
"You can't put one over on me" makes you a dwarf?
Dwarves are a +2 Wisdom race, so yes, it's accurate as well.
But valuing "loyalty to friends" as your most important trait doesn't fit with being a dwarf?
Yeah, this one is wrong. But then, this is one of those questions that has nothing to do with strategy, either.
Anyway, I'm looking forward to this book and will be picking it up. I don't exact to get much out of it for myself, but I'm thinking it could have a lot to offer some of the others that I play with.
Dwarves have always been featured as the least likely to trust someone new. Even the older books state that it often can take a human lifetime to form lasting trust with a dwarf, very often if an adventurer is allied with a dwarf it is likely because his father, or grandfather, or even an ancestor earned an alliance with that clan. These are the Oaths that Dwarves a known for.
You can guess by my passion for dwaves that I was quite surprised that, when I tried to be the most accurate to myself, I only got 2 marks for Dwarf and tied with 5 point as my highest score on Half-elf and Halfling. I enjoy a good balanced character, playing a half-elf, but I've never fancied the halflings; though I'll admit we've had some colorful and humorus ones in my share of games.
Okay, maybe a little crude, but you get the idea. Not sure I'm looking forward to this book.
I like the funny art.
This actually looks like a nice supplement for introducing new players.
I like the funny art.
Indeed, this definitely looks to be for the new players.
Sadly, it looks primed to promote playing generic racial stereotypes even more.
This actually looks like a nice supplement for introducing new players.
I like the funny art.
Indeed, this definitely looks to be for the new players.
Sadly, it looks primed to promote playing generic racial stereotypes even more.
+1
I hoped for a manual against stereotypes: "even if you are a dwarf, you don't have to drink ale and wield an axe"
This actually looks like a nice supplement for introducing new players.
I like the funny art.
Indeed, this definitely looks to be for the new players.
Sadly, it looks primed to promote playing generic racial stereotypes even more.
+1
I hoped for a manual against stereotypes: "even if you are a dwarf, you don't have to drink ale and wield an axe"
Frag, they should have put it in the PHB. "The racial descriptions listed hereafter represent the typical member of a race; however, as an adventure, you're inherently atypical and need not conform to them unless you want to."
White-wolf use to have a them for each year when publishing their books for World of Darkness. In that spirit, I think this would be Wizards "Year of the Noob".
In my experience,when the typical new player says they want to play a Dwarf or an Elf, stereotypes are exactly what they're looking for.
White-wolf use to have a them for each year when publishing their books for World of Darkness. In that spirit, I think this would be Wizards "Year of the Noob".
I have to second the idea that new players are often looking for stereotypes. I don't think I've ever had a D&D virgin who did not play their elf or dwarf exactly like their stereotype. I think it's hard at first for new players to realize just how much freedom is granted by a RPG.
With regards to "year of the Noob" perhaps you should say "year of saving our hobby by attracting younger players". Clearly the strategy guide is aimed at young teens, not at all towards players already playing the 4e core rules. I won't be buying one for myself, but I'll consider getting one for my 12 year old nephew.
This actually looks like a nice supplement for introducing new players.
I like the funny art.
Indeed, this definitely looks to be for the new players.
Sadly, it looks primed to promote playing generic racial stereotypes even more.
+1
I hoped for a manual against stereotypes: "even if you are a dwarf, you don't have to drink ale and wield an axe"
Frag, they should have put it in the PHB. "The racial descriptions listed hereafter represent the typical member of a race; however, as an adventure, you're inherently atypical and need not conform to them unless you want to."
Frag, because if it wasn't in the PHB, I hoped to found it here.
and +1 uzzay! for the noobs - better have new players that no players and see the hobby die
I won't be buying one for myself, but I'll consider getting one for my 12 year old nephew.
Excatly, most of us on the forums arn't the target audiance, we already know how to play.
and +1 uzzay! for the noobs - better have new players that no players and see the hobby die
+2, everyone was a new player at one time
For the record, this hobby is at no risk of dying. None at all.
For the record, this hobby is at no risk of dying. None at all.
There's nothing wrong with making it a bit more lively though, is there?
For the record, this hobby is at no risk of dying. None at all.
There's nothing wrong with making it a bit more lively though, is there?
Never said there was and I think offering material in new ways to attract fresh blood is good business, but D&D is at no risk of dying. When someone says that, it makes me laugh.
I understand its meant for new players but it feels like it was written in about 5-10 minutes. I'm pretty sure that I or any number of people on these forums could have come up with something better than that.
I'm pretty sure that I or any number of people on these forums could have come up with something better than that.
That's actually an interesting concept. For a (future) strategy guide, how about have it all customer-driven? All questionaires can be developed and tested through a collaborative process, the strategies can be grouped and voted on, then it could be compiled and brought to market.
That's actually an interesting concept. For a (future) strategy guide, how about have it all customer-driven? All questionaires can be developed and tested through a collaborative process, the strategies can be grouped and voted on, then it could be compiled and brought to market.
A published book version of the CharOp Class/Build Guide Wiki would be a very useful resource, IMO.
He asks, which race prefers which alcoholic beverage? The question is ingenius and 'cuts to the chase' (no pun intended) about the essential cultural values of each race.
Is it because newbies will only have the PHB I bought? When they see that they fit a race that is not printed in the PHB I maybe they would buy the missing sources for playing it instead?
With only the PHB I races this kinda seems stupid, especial for new players. Guess what will happen if they play dwarf oder halfling now for "having a short stature", but run into a gnome in a campaign that fits their thoughts of a character better? I would be pissed off by the test mentioning the gnome not in the first place.
WotC, if you are doing something like this, why the heck do you only include the PHB I races?
Is it because newbies will only have the PHB I bought? When they see that they fit a race that is not printed in the PHB I maybe they would buy the missing sources for playing it instead?
With only the PHB I races this kinda seems stupid, especial for new players. Guess what will happen if they play dwarf oder halfling now for "having a short stature", but run into a gnome in a campaign that fits their thoughts of a character better? I would be pissed off by the test mentioning the gnome not in the first place.
Perhaps this corresponds to the Essentials starting races?
So they took internet pop culture and are printing it in a book... Hmm, interesting. I can't wait for the chapter with information on "Does your party like you? click here to find out." and "Grow your Halfling 4 inches over night!"
Okay, maybe a little crude, but you get the idea. Not sure I'm looking forward to this book.
Thanks for making me laugh.
Sadly this book looks like tripe, and I don't think I'll be wasting my money on it.
Hopefully the editors will read this and still have time to get rid of or fix this questionaire.