Ok I'm new. to the forum, but not DND. Let me get this straight. You want simpler? Simpler how? Simpler why? You are talking about DND, right? I can understand why Wizards wants the game simpler... but why fans? Hasbro mistakenly believe that the simpler the game, the more people will play, and is leaning really hard on WoTC. In other words dumb it down, and more dumb people will play and pay these exorbitant prices (40$ per book). But what about the smart players? DND? The game that trained the Bill Gates, and Tom Anderson's of the world? The game that might have been intricate, complex and 'wordy' but that was the point. It was for Harvard nerds, and MIT geeks, even Cal Tech prodigies. Its a game, like chess that requires dedication, memorization, and fortitude. It teaches systems, ideals, realism, and numbers to a group of people that could only think of the real world as a bland and illogical place. It stresses creativity and imagination much like pot and cocaine did to the music industry. Again I come back to the fans. Why do you want it simpler? For girls? Some may think that if it was easier then more girls would play it, and more geeks would get laid. To that I ask you to put yourself in the girls place... would you really like it if your male interest came to you and said: "oh, hey you should try the new version of DND, its much simpler now, I think You'd like it." Do you really wish to insult her intelligence? If not for women, then what? I don't mean to insult you, you really have made it easy for me, but are you really that dumb? When 3.0 came out I was surprised and a little insulted at how simple the game was. Then 3.5 made it even worse. If you really can't get some of the systems in 3.5 I would tell you to stop playing. Some of it didn't make sense. I understand that, but I can see why. When you are trying to 'dumb down' systems, you sometimes have to suspend reality. Grappling in 3.5 didn't make sense, because it was not realistic. It was made that way by wizards so you had rules that got you past the situation, and wasn't too complex. I know they could have done a better job, but no-ones perfect. Now 4.0 is coming out. Its more than likely going to be more for the 'masses.' I can accept that, I'm also intrigued by where they have gone with it. I most likely will play it. But the one thing I'm not going to complain one iota about is if some system in it is too complex. I might say its 'too simple' but the other way around? really? If its too hard, your obviously playing the wrong game.