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<blockquote data-quote="Jim Williams" data-source="post: 4069880" data-attributes="member: 60697">Expanding on DSRilk's Awesome PostThat is a brilliant post DSRilk.I think it is important to remember the context in which all 4E development and design decisions are being made.&nbsp; Dungeons and Dragons is first, and foremost, a game about gathering a troupe of fantasy heroes, delving into the dark places of the world feared by the commonfolk, and slaying demons, devils, and dragons and taking their loot.&nbsp; Dungeons and Dragons is not limited to this activity, but this is the core theme of the game.&nbsp; As such, the mechanics need to support, and to a certain extent encourage, this style of gameplay.Because D&amp;D is a class based system, certain roles need to be filled that compliment the theme of the game.&nbsp; The 3E rogue is the evolution of the thief from previous editions.&nbsp; The thief was able to open locks, find and disable traps, and deliver spike damage from the shadows.&nbsp; In contrast, these core, role-defining abilities are largely optional to the 3E rogue.&nbsp; By hardcoding certain skills and powers to the 4E rogue class, the class' role becomes necessarily more defined.&nbsp; This focus does at least two things.&nbsp; First, it guarantees the class will fulfill the objectives of its design that support the central theme of the game.&nbsp; Second, it makes it easier to bring new players into the game.The current range of character types permissible in 3E has created a problem, wherein combat effectiveness can be sacrificed to increase out-of-combat effectiveness to the point where the value of the character in a combat approaches liability.&nbsp; Since the consequences for failure in combat are often much higher than those for failing at a social encounter, dictating a certain level of combat proficiency of each class ensures that everyone has combat options and that everyone has value in a fight.The 4E previews continue to provide insight into the product under development.&nbsp; It remains to be seen what the end result will be.&nbsp; A design that is more accessible to new and inexperienced players and reinforces the core theme of the game as a solid platform upon which groups may build their own vision of heroic fantasy seems to be in the cards.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="Jim Williams, post: 4069880, member: 60697"] [b]Expanding on DSRilk's Awesome Post[/b] That is a brilliant post DSRilk. I think it is important to remember the context in which all 4E development and design decisions are being made. Dungeons and Dragons is first, and foremost, a game about gathering a troupe of fantasy heroes, delving into the dark places of the world feared by the commonfolk, and slaying demons, devils, and dragons and taking their loot. Dungeons and Dragons is not limited to this activity, but this is the core theme of the game. As such, the mechanics need to support, and to a certain extent encourage, this style of gameplay. Because D&D is a class based system, certain roles need to be filled that compliment the theme of the game. The 3E rogue is the evolution of the thief from previous editions. The thief was able to open locks, find and disable traps, and deliver spike damage from the shadows. In contrast, these core, role-defining abilities are largely optional to the 3E rogue. By hardcoding certain skills and powers to the 4E rogue class, the class' role becomes necessarily more defined. This focus does at least two things. First, it guarantees the class will fulfill the objectives of its design that support the central theme of the game. Second, it makes it easier to bring new players into the game. The current range of character types permissible in 3E has created a problem, wherein combat effectiveness can be sacrificed to increase out-of-combat effectiveness to the point where the value of the character in a combat approaches liability. Since the consequences for failure in combat are often much higher than those for failing at a social encounter, dictating a certain level of combat proficiency of each class ensures that everyone has combat options and that everyone has value in a fight. The 4E previews continue to provide insight into the product under development. It remains to be seen what the end result will be. A design that is more accessible to new and inexperienced players and reinforces the core theme of the game as a solid platform upon which groups may build their own vision of heroic fantasy seems to be in the cards. [/QUOTE]

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