D&D 4E 4E had better have fewer skills & feats

[Crothian]

Not that I disagree with you Empress, however the accounting for skills is really more complicated than it needs to be. I think the 'skills' could be reduced down into fewer categories and a simpler system that allows for more role-playing feel.

jh
..

I don't understand how it is complicated? In our games we've never had people have trouble with it. Even my friends nine year old niece got it though it had to be explained a bit longer for her to get it.

 

[DungeonmasterCal]

Shh...I'm tellin' ya...the more people begin throwing the phrase "4e" around, the quicker the suits at Hasbro will order WotC to make it, and then we'll be stuck with thousands of dollars of obsolete rulebooks. Don't bring this about any quicker than necessary. If you don't like all the feats and skills currently offered, house rule them down to the ones you want.

 

[Ranes]

If it wasn't for this ice hockey mask, my jaw would have dropped when I first saw the sheer number of spells at the cleric's disposal. How far can you get from the original, wait-for-it factor of OD&D's 2nd level clerics? (That's rhetorical, OD&D fans.) I just don't see the need (says he, never having played a cleric). I would be happy with either of these possibilities:

(a) cleric spell access is more limited than it is currently (perhaps by reworking domains).
(b) there is no 4e.

​

On-topic edit: Slimmer basic rules and an advanced core book could be a winner.

 

[DungeonmasterCal]

If it wasn't for this ice hockey mask, my jaw would have dropped when I first saw the sheer number of spells at the cleric's disposal.

Which is why when I begin DMing D&D again, clerics will have "prayer books" and have access to the spells therein, like wizards do.

 

[Emirikol]

Yes, limited spells, but by player choice on what ones are limited would be good. For all I care, they could just take all spells and throw them in one big pile and all spellcasters could tailor their own lists, with 'encouragement' sample lists instead. What's the point of having the 'divine' or 'psionic' distinctions anyways? SPELLS IS SPELLS!

I'm surprised there's not a list of skills differentiated to each class...oh wait, there IS!

jh

 

[Mystery Man]

I'd like to see them narrow down the spell list to only three, up the middle, pass, and punt.

 

[Altamont Ravenard]

IMO, Skills could almost be grouped by their key abilities. I'd really be for broader skill categories, not necessarily because of the bookkeeping, which isn't so bad, but because some skills are too similar for them to be different. In this sense I agree with Empress.

cleric spells are indeed getting out of control. A prayer book, as DMC mentions, would be a simple, logical and elegant solution.

What I could see for clerics is spontaneous casting ("By Thor's Smelly Beard, I Strike Thee Dead!"), but clerics wouldn't be limited by spells known, rather they would not be able to cast as many spells per day as they can now. This, of course, resolves in no way the rapid increase in cleric spell availability.

AR

 

[Emirikol]

I'd like to see them narrow down the spell list to only three, up the middle, pass, and punt.

Hey, they did that with saves:
Will-up the middle
Reflex-pass
Fort-punt


jh

 

[Endur]

I think the skills are done pretty well, but you never seem to have enough skill points. So I might give more skill points per level.

Feats: The feats in the core books are fine. The various splat books add far too many feats, though.

PRCs: blaaahhhh.

Classes: fine.

Races: Ok, but more bonuses would be good.

 

[Mystery Man]

edit: too much cold medication. never mind.