D&D 4E 4E - What Rules Need Fixing?

[Nebulous]

Well, there's nothing in the current edition of the rules that i haven't fixed to my satisfaction with house rules. I'm pretty sure that 4th edition will bring a whole slew of changes i like...and then some i don't like, which will irrevocably be house ruled yet again.

On topic, i MUST see the Vancian spell system changed! It is old, outdated, and although simple to remember and execute, it really needs a facelift. Scalable magic with built in Meta-magic, i feel, is the way to go. You don't need multiple "improved" versions of spells, you need all the necessary mechanics built into the spell description itself.

Ideally, i'd like to see a magic supplement book that really throws some cool options out there, like making Druidic magic mechanically different from Wizardly magic. Probably not in the core books, but i want magic in my D&D to seem alive and mysterious, not just "X" amount of damage from "X" energy. Boring. With the innovations done in Monte Cook's Arcana Evolved, i've seen just how malleable the Vancian system is if you put some thought into it.

 

[KarinsDad]

Very minor and obscure point: I'd like a ring of "wizardry" to give at least as uch benefit to a Wizard as to a Sorceror

In a similar vein, I would like class ability items (e.g. Monk's Belts, Ring of Evasion, etc.) to only benefit those classes that have the abilities, not any other class.

I think giving Evasion to non-Rogues / non-Monks for the cost of a ring is a crock.

 

[KarinsDad]

On topic, i MUST see the Vancian spell system changed! It is old, outdated, and although simple to remember and execute, it really needs a facelift. Scalable magic with built in Meta-magic, i feel, is the way to go. You don't need multiple "improved" versions of spells, you need all the necessary mechanics built into the spell description itself.

So they should turn DND into HARP?

Seriously, revamping the spell system will just turn DND into a copy of other game systems.

 

[The Mirrorball Man]

The bonus stacking rules sounded like a good idea in theory, and I guess they work pretty well at low level, but in my experience, they're a real nightmare when you reach 15th level. I used to run a high-level campaign and keeping track of the effects of buff spells was about as fun as filling in a tax form.

In my opinion, the rules for stacking bonuses could be much simpler, and could use a lot of streamlining. In D&D 3.5, bonuses are everywhere, hidden like pit traps. The fact that skills provide bonuses for other skills (what used to be called "synergy bonuses") is the perfect example of an unnecessary rule which sole contribution to the gaming experience is that it adds more bookkeeping. I hope D&D 4ed gets rid of all the things that clutter the game up and make it last hours on end.

 

[Kesh]

Turn Undead -- tables are bad.

Cheers, -- N

My personal hope is they can work out a way to use the Diplomacy rules* for Turn undead. Mindless undead either start out Hostile or Unfriendly (for those ordered "Guard this door" or "Attack anyone who enters the room"). Successful rolls can either Command undead (making them "Indifferent", "Helpful" or "Friendly") or Hold/Turn/Destroy them (at the same steps on the scale).

Intelligent undead would always be treated as "Hostile" for turning attempts.

* I also think this system could be great for simulating Gambling or Computer Hacking skills.

 

[Felnar]

size small should be more of a penalty compared to medium
something like the difference between large and medium

 

[avr]

The economic system needs a revamp. Magic items & the occasional raise dead or similar are all that even mid-level PCs seem to spend money on.

 

[green slime]

Rule 0 seems kind of broke to me. I mean, who wants all this crap about "the DM is always right". Next thing you know, someone will be claiming customers are always right as well. Bloody leeches. They should be grateful they are allowed to purchase our product!

 

[TarionzCousin]

I would like to see a simplified light/darkness mechanic instead of:

light/daylight/lowlight/dark/darkness/magical darkness/blacklight/greater darkness/darker darkness/impossibly dark darkness....

 

[Rangoric]

How about simplifying Carry Capacity and Encumberance rules.

Not that they are confusing, but just that they are... Odd.

I know its silly but the tables and explanations for the things takes up how much room? This is honestly something that should be trimmed, and only can't be trimmed because they use strange formulas for things. (Having 4 legs is a 50% increase in CC, unless you are below a certain size, then its like being a size larger)