The last two was also melee combat characters (rouge and warlord), and both characters had the worst AC in our group and the less HP. So, I don't think it's a big surprise that they have died. It worth saying that these two characters made 7 death saving throws and only 1 reahced 10, so I think I can say that I'm pretty unlucky.
Everytime we are talking about 3.5 and 4E DnD our DM says that 4E is better because it is much more balanced than 3.5. But hey, a game is balanced because the DM controls the party members, both in abilities and equipment. I have a strange feeling that the DM, who knows why, favors ALL other players/characters and I'm the last in every single aspect of the game.
Did anyone experience similar problems in their games? Did anyone realize that 4E can be as easily unbalanced as some think here 3.5 was (which is simply not true, I mean 3.5 was unbalanced because the DM let it so)? What can I do to enjoy the game and not feel that I'm the last in the game.
And my last question is: what can you suggest me to play with? The party already has a warlock, fighter and paladin. I do not want another warlord or a rouge, and no dragonborn or eladrin either.
I've had one that had monsters act three times in one round ("because they strained a lot, no action points involved"), or have monsters opening/closing windows or doors and shooting through to count as always being invisible without any checks involved. You can guess that the game ended badly.
Seeing your party composition, I have a gut feeling that a shaman would work nicely, helping to stop monsters with spirit companion and providing some more healing and buffs.
The paladin has so many magical items that nearly all body slots are used up. What's more, he has so many daily use magical items that he will not be able to use all of them even at level 30.
And then, there was my character with level 8 or 9 magical items. As I already told it, I had the worst AC and the less HP. A really bad combo. At the end of the session the DM showed me what would have been my award. A new, level 13 armor, in which my AC wouldn't have changed, only my speed would have reduced, the check penalty would have increased as well as the carried wieght, and since it would have been a heavy armor I wouldn't have been able to use my Int modifier and could not wear the armor at nights.
So, when I thought it over, it would have casued me more trouble than before. In other words, I would have died in a much more expensive armor a little later...
Despite the lack of equipment and despite your own bad luck I think it is the fault of the party that you died. Unless you just went crazy and ran into the middle of a situation that no one could have escaped from, someone from the party should have come over to you and tried to help. Its a DC 15 heal check for a stabilize, a DC 10 to activate your second wind if you havent used it, a minor to activate lay on hands, and a minor+standard action to retreive and administer a healing potion. If no one could get to you in 3 rounds to do any of those, then either you put yourself in a bad situation and its your own fault, or you arent playing with that great of a party.
It happened nearly at the end of the session. I had no healing surges left, so no second wind. No one in the party had any healing potions. The fighter who tried to get me out of the battlefield tried to stabilize me, he has a 7 or 8 modifier in heal but didn't succed in it. There was one moment when the paladin could use his lay on hands but he had other thing to do.
Regarding the combat situation: we were reatrating from a behir's lair. We made his lair to collapse and with this killing it. We had two helpers in succeding in it. So, 6 of was already retreating when the ceiling was starting to fall. The DM made a roll with the d6 to see who will be the behir's next target, and it was me, in spite of the fact that another character stayed between us...
The problem is not with the monsters. The problem is other characters have equipment with which they are in no real danger. For example a level 9 fighter got a level 14 armor and a level 11 weapon, both designed for him and both works well for him.
The paladin has so many magical items that nearly all body slots are used up. What's more, he has so many daily use magical items that he will not be able to use all of them even at level 30.
And then, there was my character with level 8 or 9 magical items. As I already told it, I had the worst AC and the less HP. A really bad combo. At the end of the session the DM showed me what would have been my award. A new, level 13 armor, in which my AC wouldn't have changed, only my speed would have reduced, the check penalty would have increased as well as the carried wieght, and since it would have been a heavy armor I wouldn't have been able to use my Int modifier and could not wear the armor at nights.
So, when I thought it over, it would have casued me more trouble than before. In other words, I would have died in a much more expensive armor a little later...
Well first of all assuming that the warlock is CON based you should have the lowest HP. As for your AC, unless the warlock took hide proficiency and has an 18 Int (or simply better magic armor) you should have the better AC. beyond that, your roll as a leader means that you are a second line fighter and the front line fighters (the fighter and paladin) should both have better armor.
As for the magic items, everyone should be getting about the same amount of magic items, but as long as you have +1 to +2 magic weapons, armor, and neck slot items you should be fine. The level 14 and level 11 items for the fighter are appropriate for a 9th level party, although from your description it does seem like the DM is favoring the other party members.
My advice: speak up. By the end of 9th level the party should have received 27 magic items plus gold. Thats between 6-7 magic items per character. Now granted you may have sold some of your lower level ones, but everyone should be about even. If you arent, speak up.
As a leader, I'm a second line fighter. But how could I use my powers? Nearly all of them works if I hit or at least attack, and nearly all of my powers are melee attacks. So, the idea that I'm a second line fighter is not really true. I have to be in the frontline to use my powers.
Level 14 armor and level 11 weapon, for which you say are OK for a level 9-10 party, are both +3 and you say I'm well with +1 or +2 armor, weapon and neck slot items. I feel contradiction here. In addition I did not tell that during the first part of the session I had to spent nearly 1300 gold pieces for the party to advance in the story. These are the facts that make me feel something is not right here.
The warlock did have more HP than me, and yes I have better AC than he did, but he always stay away from melee combat, so he is not in real danger, especially with the crazy amount of temp HP he grants himself.
As a leader, I'm a second line fighter. But how could I use my powers? Nearly all of them works if I hit or at least attack, and nearly all of my powers are melee attacks. So, the idea that I'm a second line fighter is not really true. I have to be in the frontline to use my powers.
Level 14 armor and level 11 weapon, for which you say are OK for a level 9-10 party, are both +3 and you say I'm well with +1 or +2 armor, weapon and neck slot items. I feel contradiction here. In addition I did not tell that during the first part of the session I had to spent nearly 1300 gold pieces for the party to advance in the story. These are the facts that make me feel something is not right here.
The only thing you can do is speak up, or if you don't feel up to it and aren't having fun, take your dice and go home.
The game is balanced if played by the book because of the parcel system. He should not have allowed you to spend so much money just to advance the story because that unbalances the party. The parcel system is there for a reason.
I think what you want us to do is say you have a bad DM. I will say it. You have a bad DM.
The warlock did have more HP than me, and yes I have better AC than he did, but he always stay away from melee combat, so he is not in real danger, especially with the crazy amount of temp HP he grants himself.
As a leader, I'm a second line fighter. But how could I use my powers? Nearly all of them works if I hit or at least attack, and nearly all of my powers are melee attacks. So, the idea that I'm a second line fighter is not really true. I have to be in the frontline to use my powers.
Level 14 armor and level 11 weapon, for which you say are OK for a level 9-10 party, are both +3 and you say I'm well with +1 or +2 armor, weapon and neck slot items. I feel contradiction here. In addition I did not tell that during the first part of the session I had to spent nearly 1300 gold pieces for the party to advance in the story. These are the facts that make me feel something is not right here.
Well the trade-off as I see it is the difference between a shield and a pole-arm. you can either be right up front with a 17 AC or in the back with a 16 AC (at level 1, account for increase in level as you see fit). Also dont forget to take advantage of your defenders marks. Try to keep yourself adjacent to monsters that if they try to hit you will get hit back by the fighter or damaged by the paladin.
And going back and looking again I was mistaken about the magic items. At level 9 the highest level magic item the party should have is a level 13 item. In total however you should have only 5 +3 items and 15 +2 items so everyone should be fully equipped with +2 items and everyone should have at least 1 +3 item. Now that is how the parcel system should have worked out. If you started out at a high level with 3 magic items and gold then you would have less.
The only thing you can do is speak up, or if you don't feel up to it and aren't having fun, take your dice and go home.
The game is balanced if played by the book because of the parcel system. He should not have allowed you to spend so much money just to advance the story because that unbalances the party. The parcel system is there for a reason.
I think what you want us to do is say you have a bad DM. I will say it. You have a bad DM.
The only problem with going home is that we come together at my house.
It's very hard to judge this guy because he makes the adventures himself and these adventures are highly detailed we have never found any mistakes either in the actions of the NPCs or in the general build of the adventure. So, these are logical adventures with much non-combat situations and much detective work. So, it's not a typical WOTC made one. The fights are challenging and he controls the monsters in a clever way. But when it comes to party balance I think I can say he retreats from being a DM.
Previously I asked him why does he not award players who are as active in non-combat encounters as in combat encounters, players who lay emphasis on role-playing either. He said that the difference in XP can cause great differences as well as bad feelings at the table. So, I don't know what to say to this problem...
The only problem with going home is that we come together at my house.
It's very hard to judge this guy because he makes the adventures himself and these adventures are highly detailed we have never found any mistakes either in the actions of the NPCs or in the general build of the adventure. So, these are logical adventures with much non-combat situations and much detective work. So, it's not a typical WOTC made one. The fights are challenging and he controls the monsters in a clever way. But when it comes to party balance I think I can say he retreats from being a DM.
Previously I asked him why does he not award players who are as active in non-combat encounters as in combat encounters, players who lay emphasis on role-playing either. He said that the difference in XP can cause great differences as well as bad feelings at the table. So, I don't know what to say to this problem...
That I agree with. Despite your contributions IMO no one act should greatly be rewarded over the party such that you would level up before other party members. Whether it be for performance in role-playing or combat, you dont give the strikers more XP because they do more damage, IMO you shouldnt give more XP for good roleplaying. Now that doesnt necessarily mean that a DM shouldn't reward good roleplaying, but for all intents and purposes it shouldnt be very tangible.
Beyond that, given what you have told us regarding the player favoritism with magic items, etc. I would agree with CelticPaladin, you have a bad DM. And again, your best bet is to speak up. Bring up the fact that the level difference in the magic items you receive as well as the difference in the amount of items you receive. Something like this is too core to the function of the game to ignore.
The only problem with going home is that we come together at my house.
It's very hard to judge this guy because he makes the adventures himself and these adventures are highly detailed we have never found any mistakes either in the actions of the NPCs or in the general build of the adventure. So, these are logical adventures with much non-combat situations and much detective work. So, it's not a typical WOTC made one. The fights are challenging and he controls the monsters in a clever way. But when it comes to party balance I think I can say he retreats from being a DM.
Previously I asked him why does he not award players who are as active in non-combat encounters as in combat encounters, players who lay emphasis on role-playing either. He said that the difference in XP can cause great differences as well as bad feelings at the table. So, I don't know what to say to this problem...
Are you guys all the same level? The assumption in 4e is that you are as there are no real exp catch up tables. It might be worthwhile suggesting wish lists, he doesn't have to follow them but so long as he understands the type of armour etc. that you are after with your character things might turn out better.
Are you guys all the same level? The assumption in 4e is that you are as there are no real exp catch up tables. It might be worthwhile suggesting wish lists, he doesn't have to follow them but so long as he understands the type of armour etc. that you are after with your character things might turn out better.
When my first character died and made my new one, I was about 1300 xp behind the rest of the team. When this third character of mine died I was only 100-200 xp behind the others. It happened that I was level 8 while they were level 9 for one or two sessions.
This wish list is a good idea. May be I will try to mention it to our DM.
That I agree with. Despite your contributions IMO no one act should greatly be rewarded over the party such that you would level up before other party members. Whether it be for performance in role-playing or combat, you dont give the strikers more XP because they do more damage, IMO you shouldnt give more XP for good roleplaying. Now that doesnt necessarily mean that a DM shouldn't reward good roleplaying, but for all intents and purposes it shouldnt be very tangible.
Beyond that, given what you have told us regarding the player favoritism with magic items, etc. I would agree with CelticPaladin, you have a bad DM. And again, your best bet is to speak up. Bring up the fact that the level difference in the magic items you receive as well as the difference in the amount of items you receive. Something like this is too core to the function of the game to ignore.
The fighter can as easily "activate" himself in out of combat situations as well as a bard, rouge or wizard. He can also think and talk.
Let me ask you one thing: if the wizard or rouge who solves a non-combat encounter and do not get any XP for it, why do those players get XP for a combat encounter in whch they are not even present or simply can't do anything that helps the party?
Maybe you as a player (your PC as a character) should speak to your party (as player and as character). About everything. Your expectations, your condition, everything. From my PoV, it seems that the party is not 'solid', and might be has a bad teamwork (which sometimes means a bit sacrifice)
Level gap and exp gap are not that determining IMO, but a bad teamwork definitely will spell failure.
Just an opinion though :D
The fighter can as easily "activate" himself in out of combat situations as well as a bard, rouge or wizard. He can also think and talk.
Let me ask you one thing: if the wizard or rouge who solves a non-combat encounter and do not get any XP for it, why do those players get XP for a combat encounter in whch they are not even present or simply can't do anything that helps the party?
I am not saying that they shouldnt get XP, I am saying that they shouldnt get an unproportionate amount of XP. In fact there are specific rules for non-combat XP, minor and major quests. Just like combat encounters, it doesnt matter how much you contribute, everyone gets the same amount of XP.
Beyond the advice you already have (speak up), what more do you need from us?
What else do I need? First of all, what I asked in the first post, what other character would be useful in this group? Second, I'm curious, am I the only one who feel the that something is not right? Has anyone experienced something like this, if yes how did he handle it? What was the solution?
Unless it is your fault your character died, you should not be punished. If you have worse equipment than other characters, you are being punished. Talk this over with your DM.
If you utterly most sincerely never ever want your next character to die, try looking into the revenant race. They are extremely resillient in the death department.