Using 4E to Make 5E Combat More Fun | Running the Game

Episode 27: The 4E Video! Lots of stuff to steal for your 5E Game!

The 4E Monster Manual:

The 4E Player's Handbook:


#RunningTheGame #MattColville #MCDM

[thothrax]

"This brings us to the middle of the video" - Mathew Colville, only a third of the way through a video

[perpetualcowlick]

"I could look up grappling rules"
"NO"

Literally a meme now.

[mcolville]

Something I left out, because I felt it would derail the video a little..

One common criticism of 4E is that it "discouraged roleplaying." Now, certainly we had LOTS of roleplaying in my 4E game.

But there is a problem here and it's down to 4E's Powers. If you give you players a list of cool things to do in combat...they are going to want to do them.

This may seem obvious, or non-controversial, but what it meant was players got impatient with problems that couldn't be solved with their powers. By making combat super-cool (more fun than any other edition in my opinion) players were eager to get to combat, and tended to eschew roleplaying.

Is that a criticism of 4e? Yeah, I think so. Is that the same as "discouraging roleplaying?" Mm...not in the sense I think people meant, although maybe the end is the same.

[KazisCollection]

The screen freezing at 14:24 when Matt said “immobilize” was perfect

[LinkMorganM]

Pox Machina do have a fighter in Bercival, but he is somewhat on the squishy side, at least compared to Greg

[blueshoals]

4e made it so, SO INCREDIBLY EASY for DMs to create an adventure full of challenges, traps, and combat encounters that were challenging and interesting for Players.

[heidironfeldt]

Incorporating 4e rules on bad guys would certainly throw off those players that have basically memorized the Monster Manual at this point... Super interesting and useful!

[HellfireJags]

"Yes, he came from a long forgotten and ancient land.... Maine."

[dragonhowto]

I've modified the minion rule on bigger mobs of creatures like orcs and ogres for tier 2 and 3 characters where the enemies require 2-3 hits to take down. If the PC's expend a smite, hunter's mark, another damaging resource, or get a crit, then they count that hit as 2 or 3 hits. This gives larger, moderately difficult groups of enemies that aren't total push over minion mobs to still be dangerous without a ton of bookkeeping

[kyletomey]

Just started playing 4E last month and let me tell you, we are OBSESSED. We've been playing 5e for 4 years and now we all want to switch to 4e and are starting to do just that =) Thanks for the ideas for using it in 5e, but I think we're just going to go full 4e now. It's been a blast as a DM too. It's a breath of fresh air.

[leatherguru]

4e had the easiest way to build and modify monsters. Made on the fly modifications a breeze. Have yet to see another match it. Also liked the minions.

[Kruglord]

I think that "Martial" powers (i.e. powers used by fighters, rogues, warlords and rangers) were called "maneuvers", which "Divine" powers were called "prayers, " and "Arcane" powers were called "Spells". That concept was a lot less objectionable when you use that language.

[lordscolipede]

"You're either thinking 'that is crazy, you're insane' or 'that is crazy, I wanna try it'"
Why not both?

[Kohdok]

I miss Warlord. I don't think there was a single better support class than Warlord.

[BrooksSligh]

Man I tell you the action economy in 5e is real. Our party of four low-level characters tangled with a group of four dual wielding bandits and we were getting cut to absolute ribbons BEFORE the druid dropped back to heal then it only got WORSE. Once his contribution dropped to Spare the Dying we ended up having to sue for peace & throw our money at them. Embarrassing.

[WrathOfMega]

At the beginning of the video, when you were talking about spicing up the dragon I was just like
"Make him breathe napalm. _Make him breathe napalm._"

[listofromantics]

Truly, you are a river to your people.

[FaderWorg]

Snordak the Tinder king? He swipes left, he swipes right. . .
I´ll show myself out ._.

[alderaancrumbs]

Matt’s the DM who yanks the rug from under the party, catches them when they fall and says, “Don’t worry, I’ve got you!” and they smile.

[ElectricViper]

I've recently gotten back into D&D and to change things up a bit I've decided to try my hand at DMing for a group of my forever DMs. I was turned onto your videos by a local discord group for D&D players in my city, very cool BTW.

Your videos have been an absolute gem of a resource. I'm watching them in order of the Running the Game series and it is FANTASTIC. I've already learned so many new ways the present the world to my no longer forever DMs. I've also tried many of the tools that you've recommended. I've keep to the more budget friendly options and let me just say that it too has really upped my game sessions. I have access to online resources that I never thought of looking online for... I don't know why since we're in the modern age., but hey, I'm doing it now.

Ultimately I just wanted to say thank you for putting these together. I almost never leave comments but I wanted to take a moment to give you a heartfelt thank you.