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D&D Older Editions
Core 4E vs. Essentials
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<blockquote data-quote="Pauper" data-source="post: 7168996" data-attributes="member: 17607"><p>Interesting discussion. I'll agree with the general consensus that, while 'Core vs. Essentials' is an interesting dividing line for discussion purposes, the actual decisions that weakened 4E to the point of requiring replacement don't always neatly correspond to that dividing line.</p><p></p><p>Example one: Themes. Introduced with the Dark Sun Campaign Setting (released at GenCon 2010, thus slightly pre-dating the full Essentials release), themes quickly proved popular, not for their original purpose of fleshing out character backstories and providing thematic abilities and/or powers to support that backstory, but because they basically counted as 'prestige classes' for 1st level characters, increasing both power and character complexity in the otherwise 'boring' early heroic tier. Perhaps the height of absurdity for themes came in the Heroes of Shadow release, when vampire was released as a character class, but werewolf was released (in supplemental material included in Dragon Magazine) as a theme, fulfilling the dream of lycan/vampire fanboys the world over.</p><p></p><p>Example 2: Fortune Cards. Fortune Cards technically count as an 'Essentials'-era 'enhancement': the first set, Shadow over Nentir Vale, was released in early 2011, while the Essentials books came out in late 2010. They are basically the first-ever attempt by WotC to create a 'cross-over' of D&D with their flagship product, Magic: the Gathering, by allowing players to bring customized decks of cards to the table that they could play during combat. As with themes, they represented an increase in both power and complexity right off the bat -- and WotC effectively mandated their use by declaring them usable in all WotC-official events such as Game Days and in the D&D Encounters program, regardless of the wishes of the DM and/or most players at the table.</p><p></p><p>I think both of these examples harmed D&D 4E, but I don't believe either of them dropped fully-formed from Mike Mearls's mind as sappers to undermine the 4E game system. But I also think it should have been <a href="https://www.rpg.net/reviews/archive/15/15162.phtml" target="_blank">obvious that these systems would not prove beneficial</a> to the 4E game system, and a head designer who was committed to 4E as a system would have fought harder to keep them from becoming real things that would ultimately harm the overall system.</p><p></p><p>--</p><p>Pauper</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Pauper, post: 7168996, member: 17607"] Interesting discussion. I'll agree with the general consensus that, while 'Core vs. Essentials' is an interesting dividing line for discussion purposes, the actual decisions that weakened 4E to the point of requiring replacement don't always neatly correspond to that dividing line. Example one: Themes. Introduced with the Dark Sun Campaign Setting (released at GenCon 2010, thus slightly pre-dating the full Essentials release), themes quickly proved popular, not for their original purpose of fleshing out character backstories and providing thematic abilities and/or powers to support that backstory, but because they basically counted as 'prestige classes' for 1st level characters, increasing both power and character complexity in the otherwise 'boring' early heroic tier. Perhaps the height of absurdity for themes came in the Heroes of Shadow release, when vampire was released as a character class, but werewolf was released (in supplemental material included in Dragon Magazine) as a theme, fulfilling the dream of lycan/vampire fanboys the world over. Example 2: Fortune Cards. Fortune Cards technically count as an 'Essentials'-era 'enhancement': the first set, Shadow over Nentir Vale, was released in early 2011, while the Essentials books came out in late 2010. They are basically the first-ever attempt by WotC to create a 'cross-over' of D&D with their flagship product, Magic: the Gathering, by allowing players to bring customized decks of cards to the table that they could play during combat. As with themes, they represented an increase in both power and complexity right off the bat -- and WotC effectively mandated their use by declaring them usable in all WotC-official events such as Game Days and in the D&D Encounters program, regardless of the wishes of the DM and/or most players at the table. I think both of these examples harmed D&D 4E, but I don't believe either of them dropped fully-formed from Mike Mearls's mind as sappers to undermine the 4E game system. But I also think it should have been [URL="https://www.rpg.net/reviews/archive/15/15162.phtml"]obvious that these systems would not prove beneficial[/URL] to the 4E game system, and a head designer who was committed to 4E as a system would have fought harder to keep them from becoming real things that would ultimately harm the overall system. -- Pauper [/QUOTE]
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