PHB 4e

[bigscary]

• Tabular layout is very, very nice. Clear descriptions of all conditions? Better than the 3.5 version thereof, and in the relevant part of the PHB rather than the back of the DMG.
• Book is both very pretty and very sturdy-seeming. We'll see if the latter is more than just appearance
• I really can't get over how much the layout and organization are improved.

Very pleased.

Comments

[arcane-the-sage.livejournal.com]

Granted I've mostly been looking at Rogues, but so far it looks as if played right you could down a creature of like level in a single strike given a crit or 2 hits without a crit. For example, rogues start combat with advantage so they can always pull a sneak attack (+2D6 at level 1) in round one. More than likely they will use a short short (1D6), dagger (1D4), or shuriken (1D6 for rogues) for their attack. Rogue attacks all add Dex to damage (and assuming you are going to work a 18 in the main stat that is a +4). Given that a rogue with con 10 only has 22hp it's possible for another rogue to one shot him. I'm sure the other classes all have ways to pile it on as well. Even if the target has a high AC, there is a good chance that one of its other defenses are left lacking (and hence will be piled onto by the member of the party that can attack that defense).

So in general I don't see things as any better or worse in terms of combat duration in RT vs. any other version of DnD.