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What is the essence of 4E?
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<blockquote data-quote="Neonchameleon" data-source="post: 7456035" data-attributes="member: 87792"><p>What is the essence of 4e?</p><ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Being released with half the development time it needed</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">The worst at launch adventure ever (and you never get a second chance to make a first impression)</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Effects based rather than simulation based rules.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">More thought into the role of the fighter than all editions of D&D combined</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">No need for a stereotypical party; no essential party roles (like healer/cleric). All striker parties were great.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">A light but effective skill system, little different from either 3.5 or 5e.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Utter botching of game explanations.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Superb DM tools to allow even relatively new DMs to be able to handle anything. </li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Rulebooks written to be used in play rather than read for entertainment</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Clean and simple basic rules with exception based design. Rules clean enough that ironically you seldom needed to ever refer to them in play.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Monsters you can use with no mechanical prep</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Writers who didn't understand its strengths.</li> </ul><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>Indeed. Streetfighter (classic D&D) vs Smash (4e) is an excellent metaphor and one I really wish I'd thought of myself.</p><p></p><p>We have two schools of thought here. The Street Fighter/anti-4e school says characters are different because the inputs are different. Meanwhile the Smash/4e school says that it's the outputs and what's happening in the game world/on the screen that matters. And that despite theoretically having the same inputs Bowser is more different from Jigglypuff than Ryu is from Chun Li.</p><p></p><p>And frankly give me Smash over Street Fighter any day - and I can't wait for Smash Ultimate to come out. I'm also a strong 4e fan. I wonder if the two are linked <img src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" class="smilie smilie--sprite smilie--sprite1" alt=":)" title="Smile :)" loading="lazy" data-shortname=":)" /></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>Interesting - who says there are no new ideas in dissecting 4e. I'll buy that - and buy it as one of the improvements made in Essentials. (That was a mixed bag).</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Neonchameleon, post: 7456035, member: 87792"] What is the essence of 4e? [LIST] [*]Being released with half the development time it needed [*]The worst at launch adventure ever (and you never get a second chance to make a first impression) [*]Effects based rather than simulation based rules. [*]More thought into the role of the fighter than all editions of D&D combined [*]No need for a stereotypical party; no essential party roles (like healer/cleric). All striker parties were great. [*]A light but effective skill system, little different from either 3.5 or 5e. [*]Utter botching of game explanations. [*]Superb DM tools to allow even relatively new DMs to be able to handle anything. [*]Rulebooks written to be used in play rather than read for entertainment [*]Clean and simple basic rules with exception based design. Rules clean enough that ironically you seldom needed to ever refer to them in play. [*]Monsters you can use with no mechanical prep [*]Writers who didn't understand its strengths. [/LIST] Indeed. Streetfighter (classic D&D) vs Smash (4e) is an excellent metaphor and one I really wish I'd thought of myself. We have two schools of thought here. The Street Fighter/anti-4e school says characters are different because the inputs are different. Meanwhile the Smash/4e school says that it's the outputs and what's happening in the game world/on the screen that matters. And that despite theoretically having the same inputs Bowser is more different from Jigglypuff than Ryu is from Chun Li. And frankly give me Smash over Street Fighter any day - and I can't wait for Smash Ultimate to come out. I'm also a strong 4e fan. I wonder if the two are linked :) Interesting - who says there are no new ideas in dissecting 4e. I'll buy that - and buy it as one of the improvements made in Essentials. (That was a mixed bag). [/QUOTE]
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