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The point here is this: devas were made up for 4E. They had no precedent in prior editions, didn't have 30+ years of traction, and their flavor was quite different than most other races. They don't really fit with the classic D&D-isms, which D&D Next is all about. I really hope that they will...

Trevor confirmed that the current mechanic is d20 + modifiers vs DC.

I wouldn't have minded seeing them, but I wouldn't have used them in my games. It's something that can be easily added in a later supplement (or 3rd party product) anyway, for those who desire it.

I very much agree with Monte on that account. In fact, one of the basic things I tell my new players is pretty much the same thing: don't worry about the rules; try to envisage what your character would do in a given situation and let me know what you want to do. I'll wrap it up in game...

This is an excellent article, with good, meaningful analyses and open communication. Good job, Rodney! There was, however, one bit that I found slightly odd: When I was starting as a DM (during the 2e era), I never felt like I had to learn which skill check I had to call for. It was all pretty...

Normally, I am bothered by summonings... but not this time, my friend, not this time... This is Good News, indeed, to know that they are looking into a more complex skill system. It won't be an easy task, considering the foundation is pretty antithetical to it, but I'm sure the collective brain...

I believe most of the anti-Modron lobbyists are no longer with WotC, so there may yet be hope. As for the Great Wheel / 4E Cosmology, despite being a big fan of Planescape, I freely admit that the Great Wheel has flaws and that there are some cool things that can be scavenged from the 4E...

I use the same system in my home game, however I combine abilities with skills for full effect. Might: Athletics + Str (constriction, crushing, immobilization, paralysis) Reflex: Acrobatics + Dex (area effects, touch effects) Fortitude: Endurance + Con (disease, petrification, polymorph...

Preamble: I don't mind skipping rolls - both in combat and out of combat - when it makes sense. However... who decides what's outrageous? You? The DM? The whole party? What if you're not a level 20 thief, but a level 10 thief/level 10 wizard? Should you be able to do the same outrageous stuff...

Agreed. Half-Elves > Elfkin or Feytouched Half-Orcs > Orcspawn Half-Ogres > Ogrillons

Except that at 20th level, the list may look like this: +2 when stealing +2 when hiding +2 when in urban areas +2 when escaping bonds +2 when climbing masonry walls +2 to all checks when the target is unaware +2 against bugbears +2 against poison +2 against shadow magic +2 with dagger of...

I'm in full agreement with this. That goes for pretty much every system in the game. I'd just like for one of the 4E guys to chime in and say "don't worry guys, there will be an optional skills module."

So far, the poll results are showing that most participants seem to be fine with the current implementation (as presented). However, it bears mentioning that there is still a significant minority that desires a more complex skill system.

The metric I'd use is this: Pick a handful of iconic spells of each level from past editions (not 4E). Magic missile, charm person, grease, invisibility, mirror image, fly, fireball, stoneskin, cloudkill, etc. Write down a vague description of each spell that captures its "spirit." Compare to...

I was a "cautious yay" up until the last seminar. After that, definitively in the "ick" camp.

I don't run or play GURPS (in fact, I don't know anyone who does around here). I play in Storyteller games, but I'm not interested in running it. d20/D&D is what I run. And a fully-fledged skill system is essential to my enjoyment of the game. To be clear, I'd be fine with no skills in the...

As it stands, skills in D&D Next are relegated to minor circumstantial bonuses that your character may or may not get as he or she progresses. EVERYTHING in the game will depend pretty much exclusively on your ability scores. So, after 10 levels of adventuring, your ability to climb will...

It sucked? I mean, there were the optional professions and NWPs, but they used the eldritch "roll under" mechanic and you got so few NWP points that NWPs were rarely useful. But even those ultra-lame NWPs were better than what Monte & Co are proposing here. I can live without the bajillion 3.5...

So, it's a crossbow. That works exactly like a crossbow. But makes a 'zap' noise? I guess that's fine but it's not at all what I got from your initial statement - I understood that you wanted to have a "magic zap" instead of using a crossbow.

It's not a problem with you, it's a problem with your DM. You are perfectly entitled to ask for stuff like that. If a player asked me a similar question, I'd likely say "So, you'd like to have an at-will attack that dealt magical damage equal to crossbow damage; we need to consider the...