How has the 4e/3e schism affected you?

[Darketower]

The gaming group I'm in has seven players and an oft-overwhelmed DM. Four of those folks working in the videogame industry, and when products are getting ready to go beta/gold they have to vanish for a month or two, and that leaves us on an odd schedule. Fortunately, beta-time came as KotS came out. So I bought it and gave it to our DM, who agreed to run it on those sessions when we couldn't gather a majority of the group.

The result has been two 4E game sessions so far, where everyone has been emailing each other in-between sessions, discussing how they want to convert their regular characters into 4E. Everyone is sold on it, save for the DM, because he was one of those pre-orders that have been put "on hold" by Amazon, and he wants to take some time to "stress test" the system (skill challenges, game economy, creating encounters, etc) before making the final call. But as far as our initial reactions to the system, it has been overwhelmingly positive.

One sizable complication at the moment: our seven-person party contained both a Bard and a Monk. And that means that any conversion attempt is going to have to do some hefty re-imagining of at least two of the characters. So that's also a bit of a concern. (Yes, I've been keeping an eye on the boards for fan creations regarding both.)

But as far as a schism, the only real one I've seen in our group is one player who is adamant about switching, butting heads with our DM who at least wants to get his books first.

 

[Storyteller01]

There are debates at the local gaming store, but nothing huge. So far, results are mixed.

 

[Steely Dan]

1.) You could opt to not use the tactical rules and still have a satisfying experience in 3.0.


2.) How do I play the new system without miniatures and a battlemap and keep it a satisfying experience?


3.) I compeltely disagree here. In the old system a fighter could be one of any kinds of warrior.

1.) As you can in every incarnation of this bizarre game.


2.) The same way you do in every incarnation of this bizarre game.


3.) Really, so tell me, what is the difference between two 10th level human fighters in 3rd Ed?

 

[Starglim]

I see no schism. I'm playing both 4e and an OGL game (d20 Future) and would say the same of just about every gamer I know.

 

[The Cardinal]

With *one* exception all players in my regular gaming circles (more than 40 gamers, ages 17-45, male/female ratio about 4:3, almost all with college or university education levels) see no reason to
- buy the new books
- play D&D4e
...mostly because they simply really do not like what they are seeing when it comes to D&D4e.


Projection:

- ongoing campaigns (and even one new one) will stay with 3.5

- a move to Pathfinder and GURPS Dungeon Fantasy in the near future

 

[Nadaka]

It has affected me greatly.
Not because there is conflict between my players.
Not because there is conflict in the online forums I frequent.
Not because I don't like what WotC did with D&D.
Not because I strongly believe in open source.
Not because a absolutely loathe what WotC did with the GSL.

It has affected me because 2-3 years ago my favorite game, d20 modern by WotC, was really getting under way with new releases, an active community forum, and involvement with the people who made the game. We had another book ready for the printers, we had an online adventure path that had already begun and future episodes had already been written, we were told a lot of promises by people at WotC.

Then nothing. Our favorite developers quit or were fired. The web site stopped updating, no Notes from the Bunker, no Bullet Points, no adventures, nothing but an empty promise for bi monthly updates that went unanswered for 2 years. That last book never made it to the printer. The rest of the adventure path never made it online. Those promises never came to fruition. And now with the release of 4e, not only is WotC utterly failing to support modern, but they are ostracizing us by moving and now deleting our web community. All for 4e. Thanks WotC for turning a rabid fan, one who has and would continue to buy everything you produce, away.

 

[Steely Dan]

Thanks WotC for turning a rabid fan, one who has and would continue to buy everything you produce, away.

Well, I'd turn you away – nobody wants rabies.

 

[psilverelf]

My groups reaction to 4th Edition has been pretty much the same across the board. The DM's better half plays a monk, thus, no monks in 4E means no 4E for her. The DM has a gnome NPC along with the party, no gnomes as characters means no 4E for him. My wife plays a barbarian, oops same issue, no barbarians equals no 4E. The son of the DM's wife is swayed by the groups opinion, so no 4E for him. And last, I play a multi-class sorcerer, hmm..., same problem, no sorcerers equals no 4E. It was a pretty easy decision for us, no in-fighting at all, but both my DM, and myself are considering producing content, and once we read the GSL, that sealed the deal, no 4E.

 

[FrEeZiNgFiRe]

How has the 4e/3e schism affected you?

Not at all. I only have the 3.5e corebooks, but never found it exacly interesting. With the new edition it's changed, I love it and will be running it for my friends.

 

[Steely Dan]

1.) no gnomes as characters means no 4E for him.

2.) My wife plays a barbarian, oops same issue, no barbarians equals no 4E.

3.) no sorcerers equals no 4E.

1.) The rules for gnome characters is in the MM.

2.) Just play an angry, smelly fighter.

3.) Just play a charismatic wizard (the sorcerer was basically just a truncated wizard in 3rd Ed anyway).