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[Mercule]

Originally Posted by Darkwolf71

It was quite obvious that all the 'video gamey' complaints were way off base. 4e is not a computer game, it is Magic.

Now, this is a legitimate concern. In fact, it's one I share. Based on the reports so far, I'm willing to give the game a shot before condemning it. But, as I really, really hate CCGs, I'll be drop-kicking it if it actually does feel like a CCG.

I've played games before that could or did use cards and didn't feel like a CCG, so the power cards alone don't condemn 4e for me.

They created a game that would naturally lend itself to card use, then a few months later, after allowing demand to build, convieniantly come out with decks of 'official' power cards. Don't get me wrong, it's marketing genious. It will likely make them boatloads of cash. But, if they had announced these cards prior to release... oh man it would not have been recieved well. By waiting, they can now be seen as fulfilling a 'need'. No one even consideres that it is a manufactured need.

Good aids can really speed up play. They can also help bolster the weaker players (social gamers, semi-interested spouses, newbies, just plain busy, etc.), too.

If WotC has an otherwise solid system (that's key) that they designed with an eye toward making play aids available, that's actually a plus for me. I certainly don't want the cards to be nearly indispensable, but I don't think these are. I'm betting that I could run a 4e wizard without power cards just as well as I could run a 3e sorcerer without spell cards -- which is to say any weakness stems from my ability rather than a systemic requirement for an accessory.

I'm actually betting that 4e cards are, at worst, as necessary as monster stat cards are for a 3e conjurer or druid -- more likely, the 3e character has more need for the cards. Since I'm starting a 6th level master conjurer tomorrow night, I'll have personal experience there soon enough.