The First 4th Edition Clone!

I'm sure you're wondering why I titled this thread the way I did. (Or your eyes have refocused on Stargate SG-1 reruns.) Either way, I'll explain: I'm writing the first 4e clone, and I call it the Complete 4th Edition, or C4. (Catchy, right? No? *sigh* Okay, go back to SG1.) Why write a clone for an in-print game, you ask?

Well, 1) so I can say I was the first to do it twenty years from now, 2) because I'm not a fan of the CB and I wanted to have all the up-to-date errata in my pdfs, and 3) because WotC did a great job with 4e, but let's face it -- it still has a few glaring mistakes that will never be officially errataed.

I've written a lot, but there's still a lot more to do. So if you're still interested in my pdfs after the Go'uld have been defeated yet again, you can drop me a line at Complete4th@gmail.com. No charge, just ask nicely. I also welcome comments and questions, given they're not filled with righteous indignation.

C4 Forward
Character Advancement
Races
Skills
Heroic Feats
Paragon Feats
Epic Feats
Epic Destinies
[Mundane] Equipment
Adventuring
Combat
Rituals
Martial Practices

Arcane Classes
Sorcerer
Artificer
Swordmage
Warlock
Wizard
Bard

Divine Classes
Cleric
Paladin
Invoker
Avenger
Runepriest

Martial Classes
Fighter
Ranger
Rogue
Warlord

Primal Classes
Barbarian
Druid
Seeker
Shaman
Warden

Psionic Classes
Ardent
Battlemind
Monk
Psion

Shadow Class
Assassin

Paragon Paths
Arcane
Divine
Martial
Primal
Psionic
Racial

Items
Armor
Weapons
Holy Symbols
Ki Focuses
Orbs
Rods
Staffs
Tomes
Totems
Wands
Neck
Arms
Feet
Hands
Head
Rings
Waist

So are you leaving out the Essentials stuff? Or saving that for later?

'Was a time I planned to eventually do Essentials. But realistically, I'll likely have to leave it to someone else.

Is it different from 4e, and if so, how?

For the most part, it's the same game. The tweaks I made are all aimed at balancing 4e's few glitches. My favorite example used to be that I fixed the star pact, but then WotC finally caught up to me.

Probably the biggest change from RAW is that I neglected to include hybrids and MC feats. Instead I included a set of much more robust MC feats.

If you're really starved for reading material, I occasionally post ideas on my blog.

What niche is your product going to fill that cannot already be corrected by DM fiat? Same system, only you are offering to print your own updates?

How are you going to write and release this without getting slapped with either a C&D or lawsuit?

Matt James said:

What niche is your product going to fill that cannot already be corrected by DM fiat? Same system, only you are offering to print your own updates?

Click to expand...

Please be careful with your terminology. 'Product' implies profit, and competition with WotC. I'm not selling C4, nor do I have any intention of ever doing so. I'm simply sharing my pet project with those who ask for it.

As to its niche, well, C4 has the advantage of me. I update faster than the CB, and I errata where WotC dares not tread. (A real math fix, for instance.) But mostly, I don't think about niches. I just compile, and occasionally tweak.

GreyLord said:

How are you going to write and release this without getting slapped with either a C&D or lawsuit?

Click to expand...

I already have, for more than a year. *shrug*

The term product does not immediately imply profit. That, however, is a distraction from the topic

My reply might have been interpreted as confrontational, so I apologize. I'm just wrapping my head around it. You plan to develop your own 3pp application?

Is it my imagination, or did you not write almost this exact same post last year?

[EDIT]

Yeaaaaaah...

http://www.enworld.org/forum/4e-fan...s/290015-c4-best-edition-never-published.html

So did you change things at all from last year, or is it still just a lawsuit waiting to happen?