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Critical Hits Podcast #8: Interview with Rob Heinsoo

August 19, 2008 by Dave

Again at GenCon 2008, we spoke with Rob Heinsoo, one of the writers of the Player’s Handbook and lead designer of D&D 4e. (We previously spoke to him at D&D XP.) To start, Rob asked if he could ask US questions, which we were happy to oblige. Then, when we get to ask the questions, we talk about reception of 4e, his work on Oriental Adventures and similar (including mention of sequel books to class supplements like Arcane Power 2), minions (getting deadlier and saucier), dealing with errata (some bigger fixes coming), and the product that he’d really like to work on but can’t.

Critical Hits Podcast #8

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Filed Under: Critical Hits Podcast, Interviews, Roleplaying Games Tagged With: D&D, Oriental Adventures, rob heinsoo

About Dave

Dave "The Game" Chalker is the Editor-in-Chief and Co-Founder of Critical Hits. Since 2005, he has been bringing readers game news and advice, as well as editing nearly everything published here. He is the designer of the Origins Award-winning Get Bit!, a freelance designer and developer, son of a science fiction author, and a Master of Arts. He lives in MD with e and at least three dogs.

Comments

  1. entropy says

    August 20, 2008 at 12:24 pm

    What product does he say near the end as the product that he’d really like to work on but can’t…
    I can’t make it out “key player’s handbook”??

    What does that mean…key?
    I am not sure about the word “key”…is he saying something else?

  2. The Game says

    August 20, 2008 at 12:34 pm

    “Ki” Player’s Handbook, one of the power sources listed in a sidebar in the PHB. It’s the “Oriental” power source, the substitute for “chi” in older editions. Samurais, Monks, Ninjas, and so forth.

  3. Noumenon says

    August 20, 2008 at 5:35 pm

    The section on minions is from about halfway through to 3/4 through, and it’s actually pretty good.

  4. Bartoneus says

    August 21, 2008 at 12:20 pm

    “actually pretty good”

    Thanks for the vote of confidence Noumenon. 😛

  5. Julien says

    August 28, 2008 at 7:06 am

    Did he say something when the “Ki PHB” will be shipping?His accent is so strong I don´t get anything he says in general.Any news of the Monk class?

    On which page in the core PHB is a sidebar about the “Ki Powersource”?

  6. The Game says

    August 28, 2008 at 9:17 am

    Page 54, “Power Sources” mentions ki.

    Ki PHB was the product he’d most like to work on, but isn’t a real product.

About the Author

  • Dave

    Dave "The Game" Chalker is the Editor-in-Chief and Co-Founder of Critical Hits. Since 2005, he has been bringing readers game news and advice, as well as editing nearly everything published here. He is the designer of the Origins Award-winning Get Bit!, a freelance designer and developer, son of a science fiction author, and a Master of Arts. He lives in MD with e and at least three dogs.

    Email: dave@critical-hits.com

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