AbdulAlhazred
Legend
There are definitely some things that feel '4e-ish'. OTOH my observation is that there is really not a trace mechanically of 4e in the game. Recoveries (HS-like mechanic) works quite differently, you get a number of them, much like HS per adventure. You can use one automatically as an action. Beyond that you have to make checks to access more during that encounter. Recoveries use a die plus CON bonus for what you recover, so they decline in value quickly as you level up (though there may well be some ways to scale them). There is 'Recovery based healing'. I think the overall feel of that mechanic (and damage/healing in general) is probably the most 4e-like aspect of the system.
There are 'MBAs', but the system doesn't really have 'attack powers', at least for weapons. Any weapon attack you make is generally based on your basic attack with sauce added, though maybe the monk is structured a bit differently. Basic Attack is also not standardized, but is a feature of each class. The cleric for instance attacks with WIS + Level vs AC; W+STR damage on a hit, level damage on a miss. Naturally every class HAS such an attack, but they are all slightly different. Some classes like wizards won't generally rely on them.
There really is no AEDU type system in the sense that 4e has. Every class has its own specific mechanics, so there's nothing to base such a system on. Some character abilities ARE either at-will, encounter, or daily (I guess, I didn't really see a daily, but I'm pretty sure many/most spells can only be cast once). The result is much more like AD&D in that sense than anything you would compare to 4e.
To-hit does scale by level, but this is true of all editions of D&D. There are tiers, to an extent, but they are more a story guideline from what I could see. There are some 'standards' to the tiers in that stuff you get at level 4 and some advancements at the 'tier break' are more powerful. It is hard to actually compare 13a here to other D&D-likes, the level system is quite different from any edition of D&D.
Yes, there are dragonborn, which is cool. That was IMHO the biggest clear nod to 4e in the game though.
In some ways 13a does build on 4e concepts. Characters are pretty tough right off from level 1, DEFINITELY not 'average joes looking to make good'. Probably more so than in 4e. Recoveries are similar to HS. There are defenses instead of saves, though they work a little differently. I think 4e inspired some of 13a, but I think mechanically most of it owes more to late 2nd edition than 4e. MCing is pretty much AD&D style, and the fighter with his maneuvers is VERY reminiscent of the 2e options + tactics book fighter. Some classes are a lot like a hybrid of 2e and 3e concepts, like the bard (which has no less than 4 different power systems in one class!).
Overall it feels a bit like playing mid to high level AD&D characters, but without all the magic at level 1. Leveling is probably the most unique thing. With only 10 levels each one is a BIG jump in power. OTOH with no XP and using the incremental gain rule (you get part of your level benefits over the course of the previous level) I suspect it feels a good bit different. The DM could stretch a game out to be like a long epic scale campaign ala 30 levels of 4e or compress the whole thing down to 3 months of play with a new level almost every week.
