I'm not just using 4E but many, many sources. So, here goes:
Basic frame is 3.5E
- use point build system from 4E for character creation
- use adapted E6 principal but go to 10th level. Afterwards only gain feats, powers, etc., no automatic bonuses to hit points, attack and defense bonuses, saving throws, abilities, etc., although may take feats to boost these numbers.
- increased hit points at first level
- class skills are front loaded - in other words - any skill a class would get, at any level, is provided at first level - however, all modifiers, damage, etc., for these abilities start small and get better as you level up (level dependent progression) - but all classes are able to do everything a class is supposed to do from 1st level on.
- Revamped feats, eliminating some (some Meta-magic feats, etc.) and adding or creating others
- Adapted SAGA skill system
- adapted defensive progression from Unearthed Arcana
- Can use Dexterity or Strength bonuses for attacks and damage - Spellcasters can use Intelligence or Wisdom for spell attacks and damage
- Armor Class change. Toyed with the idea of using a smaller AC bonus for armor and adding Damage Reduction, but it ended up being to complicated - players would forget to subtract their DR, one more thing to bookeep, etc. - instead used this: Armor adds hit points to your total Hit Points when worn equal to a percentage of total hit points (mathematically the same as using DR just already added in to hit points)- redid the AC chart for armors eliminating "Max Dex Bonus" (Max Dex never made sense - the only players that really get penalized are those with high dexterity scores) - essentially the new chart already takes into account the armor bonus and a dexterity penalty, pre-added together for a flat score, which is added to Defense Bonus - unlike most bonus hit points, these are not used first but are added together for one score - if you take your armor off, your hit points are simply reduced by the percentage bonus of your armor. (adapted from Unearthed Arcana)
- Redisigned all spells to be At Will or Ritual - In other words,
No Vancian Magic. Any spells that have a variable (damage, duration, range, etc.) are based an characters caster level, not spell level - essentially anything that had a duration longer than a Standard Action became a Ritual - All others are at will (personal house rules and 4E)
- Modified attack progression for spellcasters essentially equal to a fighters attack bonus for attacks with spells
- Eliminated save-or-die effects and use 50/50 mechanic for persistant effects from 4E
- No Multiclassing - use Multi-Class or "Class Training" Feats like 4E
- Adapted 4E Death and Dying concept (death at -10 or -1/4 total hit points - whichever is larger) and used the same D20 rolling mechanic 4E does.
- Use condition track system from SAGA.
- Use Action Points (per game session instead of per encounter) and Second Wind mechanic from 4E - however, do not use Healing Surges.
- Modified Grapple:
Grapple is just a standard attack accomplished with the following guidelines: may attack with one or two hands – must have both hands free to “control” target – once grapple is engaged, AoO are no longer in play for either combatant – both parties can continue to attack in a grapple – the character that engages the grapple and achieves control has combat advantage against the opponent for any further attacks and checks – the opponent may make a standard attack roll on their turn to attempt to break the grapple, however this does not inflict damage (but may just make a standard attack for the purpose of inflicting damage but not necessarily escaping) – the opponent may also attempt to reverse the grapple and put the original grappler under their control, this is done with an attack (as above) and the opponent must make a strength or dexterity check (DC = 10 + attackers attack bonus + damage inflicted) – any successful attacks by either party have a 50% chance of being a critical hit.
- Combat Advantage provides a +5 bonus (wanted to give it some teeth) (adapted from 4E)
- Attacks of Opportunity – cannot make AoO if engaged in melee. Can only make attack if un-engaged and not surprised (or otherwise affected). Moving through an area of melee combat is considered rough terrain and slows your movement by ½. The area of melee combat is defined as the squares occupied by combatants engaged in melee and any adjacent 5ft. squares to the combatants. You may attempt to run through these areas at full speed, without regard for personal safety, but doing so requires a Dex check at DC=20. Failure results in 50/50 chance of tripping and falling prone, or crashing into a combatant, causing you to becoming engaged yourself.
- Use Pathfinder Beta mechanic for tracking subdual damage
- Non-spellcasting classes gain powers (ala 4E), however, characters do not gain as many as 4E, and all powers are per encounter (they are special maneuvers that must be set up - once they are used the bad guys are aware of it) - Standard attacks are still the primary form of attack, but now non-spellcasters have some high damage tricks up their sleeves
- Embracing "design by exception" model for monsters and NPC's and using the hell out of the Minion concept
- Loosely using Skill Challenge concept
- all players pre-roll 20 initiatives at beginning of game session and track on Excell - provides randomness for each round, and since players don't know when their turn is, they have to pay attention - also speeds up combat
- monsters and npc's have pre-set defensive scores (no rolling) in order to speed up combat
- monsters have preset save results in order to speed up combat (less rolling)
- use a critical hit / fumble chart for specific results - crits cause mulitplied damage as listed per weapon but can cause other results (broken bones, loss of limbs, etc.) and cause an immediate one step drop (minimum) on the condition track
- use a chess-timer or egg timer for turns to keep players moving
- Always used "Rule 0" so didn't have to add it
I have most of this written down and worked out to a rough, but useable, form for my own games. However I'm still working on polishing it up and putting it into a pdf.
Essentially I'm using a lot of the "concepts" that SAGA and 4E previews talked about for the new system, I'm just not necessarily using the same mechanics or the mechanics in the same way. This is what, IMO, 4E should have been.
