So what do you envision for 4.0E D&D?

[LightPhoenix]

THE SHAFT.

Not just THE SHAFT, but THE SHAFT applied more liberally. In this edition every class will get THE SHAFT, as will every race. Rangers will get THE SHAFT twice, just because. As will Half-Orcs.

 

[Dark Jezter]

What do I envision for D&D 4.0?

Lots of whining, complaining, people saying that the changes are unnessecary, people saying that it came too soon, people saying that it's too little too late, people saying that they've had it with WOTC and they're giving up on D&D (only to return to the gaming community a month later and act like nothing happened), people writing long rants about why the previous edition was better, etc.

But despite all their complaing, they'll snap and buy the books anyway.

 

[drothgery]

What I'd hope for --
1) Come up with a workable mechanic so that multi-class spellcasters don't suck.
2) I'm not a big Psi fan, but make the Psion and PsiWar core, then nuke the Sorcerer. Too many people like Psionics for WotC to nuke them entirely (they always come back), the Sorcerer and Psion are just too close, and dealing with Psi is even more annoying when they're not core.
3) Don't go overboard in attemts to slay sacred cows, lest you end up with a nice fantasy RPG that isn't D&D. Frex, killing off alignment would be bad. Tone alignment restrictions down even more, but don't kill them off entirely -- evil paladins ain't right -- so leave monks as non-chaotic, druids as at least part neutral, paladins as any good, and give everyone else free reign.

 

[cbas-10]

On the serious side, there are very few changes that I would like to see in the game.

First of all, regarding high-level characters, the game is scaled so that opponents of lower CR are gonna be easy kills, higher CR will be nearly impossible, and equal CRs will be fought needing (en the end, after all modifiers) about the same roll on the dice as a character and monster 20 levels lower. I think, while characters should obviously progress as they get to be higher level, the characters should have a significantly tougher time with all aspects of the game. It should be MUCH more difficult for a 21st level character to get to 22nd level than it is for a 1st level character to get to 2nd level - not simply take much longer. Yes, house rules can change all this...but that is why I pay the guys and gals at D&D: to write a game for me to play and not have to rewrite my own game around.

Second, DO THE FREAKIN RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT BEFORE PUTTING THE GAME INTO PRODUCTION. Nothing in the realm of gaming is more annoying than hearing, "Oh wait! there is new errata on this rule that I wanna use. I'm sorry if you have a job, life and a wife and don't care to get the up-to-the-minute changes to the game...but this is official, after all." Sheesh...you'd think this is Magic:the Gathering. Next thing you know, we'll see an update in Dragon telling us that the 3rd through 5th levels of Monk are on the Banned/Restricted lists.

When the next edition comes to the stores, I'll make the decision to buy or not to buy at that point. I bought and enjoy 3.5 far more than I had envisioned a few months ago. Part of it came from the fact that I was VERY impressed to see a free download on the Wizards website that updated a lot of 3.0 books to 3.5 edition.

One last thing I'd love to see (and this does not require a new addition to the game): is a bit of attention to the hobbyists - not just marketing to a younger audience. Some of us love to use painted minis, scenery, and more. Some of us actually enjoy painting, crafting, etc. That sort of attention would bring a bit of maturity to the game.

 

[Alaric_Prympax]

I think we will see 4.0 within 18 months.

I dont see too large of a revision though, I think it will just be 3.5 with a little frosting on it. I also dont think they will call it 4.0

Probually call it something like AD&D Ultimate Revision or some corny crap like that.

No, in 18 months they'll come out with 3.75 Newly Revised D&D with a spiffy new logo too.

 

[Alaric_Prympax]

Second, DO THE FREAKIN RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT BEFORE PUTTING THE GAME INTO PRODUCTION. Nothing in the realm of gaming is more annoying than hearing, "Oh wait! there is new errata on this rule that I wanna use. I'm sorry if you have a job, life and a wife and don't care to get the up-to-the-minute changes to the game...but this is official, after all." Sheesh...you'd think this is Magic:the Gathering. Next thing you know, we'll see an update in Dragon telling us that the 3rd through 5th levels of Monk are on the Banned/Restricted lists.

I agree with you here. Also much better editing is needed too. There are just too many typos and misaligned tables, etc. IMO since we're paying good money for these books then they have an obligation to put out a good product for us to purchase.

And before anyone says that "Well then just speak with your dollars and don't buy that product," that will lead to WotC to come to the conclusion that since this product is not selling we won't write this one, we'll cancel this line because our last product didn't sell well. Since sales are down we'll have to lay off 'x' number of employees, ect..." Any of that sound familar?

Wow on rereading that I realize that my tone is pretty harsh. I didn't mean for it to be so, I just wanted to prove my point. That's what happens when I get only 4 1/2 hours of sleep then have a full day.

 

[Dirigible]

Well, we cna make some guesses by extrapolation

Let's take COMBAT

The history fo combat in D&D has been one of simplification and streamlining. Thus -
1st Ed : Combat used a large, unwieldy set of tables.
2nd Ed : Combat used an awkward subtraction mechanic (THAC0).
3rd Ed : Combat used a simple addition mechannic.
4th Ed : Combat willl be so simple that there will be no dice or mathematics involved; attacks will be resolved using an encoded bar of Scratch-n-Sniff pheromones on the cover of the book.

SKILLS

Conversely, skills have grown more and more detailed through the editions.

1st Ed : Randomly roll a 'secondary skill' for the PC.
2nd Ed : Spend proficiency slots on secondary skills.
3rd Ed : Spends points on many skills, both primary (ie, directly contributing to adventuring) and secondary.
4th Ed : The skills system will be refined and 'de-grained' even more. There will be over eight thousand separate skills, from Climbing Trees, Climbing Cormyrian Embassy Walls and Climbing Plastic Rocks to Jumping Rivers, Jumping Sandpits, Jumping Sandpits With Bits Of Pumice In Them to Jumping Tall Buildings In One To Four Bounds.

Fighters will still get 2 sp/lvl.

 

[Dirigible]

BALANCE

1st Ed : Balance? HAHAHAHAHAH.
2nd Ed : See above.
3rd Ed : WotC stole the concept they call 'balance' from the Taoists, and tried to make all clases and races equal but different. They fail, sparking the Great RPGer Riots of 2004-2007, where people who think bards got nerfed war with those who play clerics, using broken bottles and chair legs along with the more conventional weapons. Like dice.
4th Ed : There will be only one class. It will be perfectly balanced. With itself.

 

[green slime]

Well, we cna make some guesses by extrapolation

Let's take COMBAT

The history fo combat in D&D has been one of simplification and streamlining. Thus -
1st Ed : Combat used a large, unwieldy set of tables.
2nd Ed : Combat used an awkward subtraction mechanic (THAC0).
3rd Ed : Combat used a simple addition mechannic.
4th Ed : Combat willl be so simple that there will be no dice or mathematics involved; attacks will be resolved using an encoded bar of Scratch-n-Sniff pheromones on the cover of the book.

SKILLS

Conversely, skills have grown more and more detailed through the editions.

1st Ed : Randomly roll a 'secondary skill' for the PC.
2nd Ed : Spend proficiency slots on secondary skills.
3rd Ed : Spends points on many skills, both primary (ie, directly contributing to adventuring) and secondary.
4th Ed : The skills system will be refined and 'de-grained' even more. There will be over eight thousand separate skills, from Climbing Trees, Climbing Cormyrian Embassy Walls and Climbing Plastic Rocks to Jumping Rivers, Jumping Sandpits, Jumping Sandpits With Bits Of Pumice In Them to Jumping Tall Buildings In One To Four Bounds.

Fighters will still get 2 sp/lvl.

Continuing this extrapolation we find that Haste will actually cause an effect simliar to slow, and that hold person will actually cause 1hp "CDG-damage" due to the subject's little right toe locking into place for 1d6 seconds. Further Lightning bolt will be changed to Lightning speck and only affect armoured creatures of Tiny size or smaller.

Cone of cold will be reduced to a line, fireball will be called firedisc only affect the horizontal plane, won't spread out behind any object, maximum damage will be set to 5d6, reflex negates.

Furthermore magic missile will be unaffected.

 

[Kobold Avenger]

Well...
It's possible they might have the same core classes as D20 Modern, and make the traditional classes into Occupations/Level Templates for more character customization. But then again maybe not....