How Important is Magic to Dungeons and Dragons? - Third Edition vs Fourth Edition

[alleynbard]

Prestidigitation: The best thing, flavor wise, about wizards in 4th is that Prestidigitation is an at-will power. I know a guy who, after every combat, uses Prestidigitation to clean his clothes. Tea cold? Prestidigitation. Table at the Inn dirty? Prestidigitation. Want to impress some peasant with magic? Prestidigitation.

Great stuff.

 

[GlassJaw]

Prestidigitation: The best thing, flavor wise, about wizards in 4th is that Prestidigitation is an at-will power. I know a guy who, after every combat, uses Prestidigitation to clean his clothes. Tea cold? Prestidigitation. Table at the Inn dirty? Prestidigitation. Want to impress some peasant with magic? Prestidigitation.

Wow! That's awesome. I never realized that. I definitely want to play 4E now.

Seriously though. Why can't I do this in 3ed? Because it's not at-will?

 

[alleynbard]

Wow! That's awesome. I never realized that. I definitely want to play 4E now.

Seriously though. Why can't I do this in 3ed? Because it's not at-will?

Who said you can't do that in 3e? No one did. That isn't even what this thread is about.

Or am I misinterpreting your snark?

 

[Aus_Snow]

Wow! That's awesome. I never realized that. I definitely want to play 4E now.

Seriously though. Why can't I do this in 3ed? Because it's not at-will?

You can in Pathfinder (or at least in the Beta, you can. . .) because yeah, it's an at-will. Assuming you know it, and - if applicable - have prepared it that day.

 

[GlassJaw]

Who said you can't do that in 3e? No one did. That isn't even what this thread is about.

Or am I misinterpreting your snark?

I just don't see why at-will powers/spells suddenly add a ton of flavor. The OP implies that at-will powers add flavor to the classes that 3ed doesn't. I just don't buy it is all.

 

[alleynbard]

You can in Pathfinder (or at least in the Beta, you can. . .) because yeah, it's an at-will. Assuming you know it, and - if applicable - have prepared it that day.

I was really happy when I saw that in Pathfinder. I thought it was a great development. I hope it stays in the final version.

 

[NewJeffCT]

As an aside - I have not found a huge disparity in class powers in 3.5 and my campaign is hitting 13th level now. The party's dwarf fighter is still the most deadly on a per round basis, as there is no save vs his axe swings, while an arcane spell like Disintergrate offers a save and many foes have magic resistance, while the dwarf's axe is also powerful enough to overcome most DR.

I thought there was a far bigger class power disparity in 1E and 2E in comparison.

 

[alleynbard]

I just don't see why at-will powers/spells suddenly add a ton of flavor. The OP implies that at-will powers add flavor to the classes that 3ed doesn't. I just don't buy it is all.

What are you talking about?

He says he enjoys 4e but has reluctance about the magic system not being as flexible. We are trying to show him where the flexibility is in the new rules system.

One response dealt with one at-will power, prestidigitation.

No one is saying 4e is superior. Some of us (including the OP) do not like 3e all that much. But I don't think it is somehow inferior, just not for me. I think the OP is primarily talking from personal preference when he says 4e fixes some of his issues.

He prefers 4e and is looking for advice and thoughts about how to deal with that his issue. Why is that an issue for you?

 

[NewJeffCT]

As an aside - I have not found a huge disparity in class powers in 3.5 and my campaign is hitting 13th level now. The party's dwarf fighter is still the most deadly on a per round basis, as there is no save vs his axe swings, while an arcane spell like Disintergrate offers a save and many foes have magic resistance, while the dwarf's axe is also powerful enough to overcome most DR.

I thought there was a far bigger class power disparity in 1E and 2E in comparison.

 

[ThirdWizard]

I just don't see why at-will powers/spells suddenly add a ton of flavor. The OP implies that at-will powers add flavor to the classes that 3ed doesn't. I just don't buy it is all.

Just because someone thinks something is fun in 4e doesn't mean they think it isn't in 3e. You're making a false dichotomy here that is a straw man.