D&D 4E 4E: Saving throws...

[Dragonblade]

I hope wands will still be keyed to a single spell... If they add their bonus to all the spells you cast, they will be such a no-brainer.

But if you think about it, carrying a sword is a no brainer for a warrior character. I have no problem with wands boosting all spells. I'd rather not have wizards carrying a belt of different wands to fit different spells. Although carrying two wands does have a cool spellslinger motif to it.

But generally one wand per caster should be sufficient. You could have wizards with signature wands, for example. That would add a cool element to any game.

You could also have specialist wands. Like a fire wand that adds +2 to all spells, but +5 when casting spells with the fire descriptor.

 

[breschau]

Rich Baker's already talked about this on his blog.

Re: "flipping" saves to attacks.

 

[Szatany]

They've mentioned that AC is in. So to me, it doesn't seem like they are folding AC in with Saves, as they did with Saga. So why change a good thing?

It just occured to me that they could remove Reflex save and make all reflex effects use AC instead. Other two saves would stay, perhaps split into 3 or 4 new ones (each tied to a different ability scores, and none to Dex).

 

[Ranger REG]

If I were to design the game, I'd personally cut the defenses down to 1/2 character level

Isn't that what they did in the Saga Edition rules? They only way to differ them is the initial class bonus at 1st level (e.g., +1, +2, +3).

and change the spell saves to depend on some other parameter - not spell level. But I'd still give the same base save to all classes, with limited class bonuses at 1st level.

I prefer to use it as a Saga Edition skill (e.g., Use the Force) to make magic/power attack rolls vs. defenses.

 

[Sammael]

Isn't that what they did in the Saga Edition rules? They only way to differ them is the initial class bonus at 1st level (e.g., +1, +2, +3).

All the classes have the same base bonus, which is equal to the character level. Since that's a tad too high for my taste, I'd cut the bonus to be equal to 1/2 the character level.

I prefer to use it as a Saga Edition skill (e.g., Use the Force) to make magic/power attack rolls vs. defenses.

Agreed. Spellcraft could serve as that skill for Arcane casters, and there could be a new skill (Dogma?) for Divine casters to keep Spellcraft from being too good for multiclassed arcane/divine casters.

 

[(Psi)SeveredHead]

I hope wands will still be keyed to a single spell... If they add their bonus to all the spells you cast, they will be such a no-brainer.
And I fear some wizards will have a dozen wands with them. Unless there is another "Poter-like" mechanism that force you to attune with only one wand.

I don't think wands will stack; a "wand" bonus should be named. If wands give a universal bonus, you'll only carry the best one you can get.

Does anyone think a +6 wand is scary? I thought DnD 4e would be less about the magic items, but (if I'm reading this right) that's double the save DC bonus granted by a Headband of Intellect?

 

[Sammael]

I don't think wands will stack; a "wand" bonus should be named.

I sincerely hope that they will do away with different bonus types and only allow the highest bonus to apply (regardless of its source). Different bonus types (and stacking thereof) are one of the greatest nuances of 3.x.

 

[Ranger REG]

All the classes have the same base bonus, which is equal to the character level. Since that's a tad too high for my taste, I'd cut the bonus to be equal to 1/2 the character level.

Well, they have to, considering that a wizard could have as much as +14 bonus on Use the Arcane skill at 1st level, and progress at +1 per 2 levels.

I don't know about using Spellcraft. We have to divide it into two maybe three categories:
Spellcraft (Arcane), Spellcraft (Divine), Spellcraft (Bardic)*.

*Possibly.

 

[Sammael]

I know, but I'd cut back on those bonuses as well... I admit, it'd take some work, but I'd prefer having everything standardized to 1/2 level (with limited bonuses), since that would reduce the power curve quite a bit. I'd also give 1/2 BAB to all classes, and then give some class-based bonuses for the more martial-oriented classes.

 

[Sammael]

*Possibly.

Heh... unlikely. I very much doubt we'll see bards before PH2, and even then, they'd probably change them to something that uses special abilities rather than spells - perhaps by merging bardic music with spells, similar to Monte's alt.bard from BoEM2.