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<blockquote data-quote="Khuxan" data-source="post: 4390100" data-attributes="member: 38801"><p>(I wrote this up yesterday, but I'm pretty sure it didn't get posted. If it did, please tell me and I'll remove this post.)</p><p></p><p>I was thinking about a rules-lite variant of Fourth Edition which took away some of the game's robustness and character options but also made it simpler, faster and easier to keep track of. Here's what I came up with:</p><p></p><ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul"><strong>The Biggest Change:</strong> Characters add their level, not half their level, to attack rolls, defences, skill checks, and initiative. Characters add half their level to damage.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Characters do not acquire feats, magic items, ability score increases or action points.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Races only grant their power (for humans, that's an at-will, for half-elves, dilettante, and for dwarves that's second wind as a minor action) - no ability score or skill bonuses, etc.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Classes grant fewer features, and no defence bonuses:<br /> Cleric: Channel Divinity, Healing Word<br /> Fighter: Combat Challenge, Combat Superiority (no Wisdom bonus)<br /> Paladin: Lay on Hands, Divine Challenge<br /> Ranger: Fighting Style, Hunter's Quarry<br /> Rogue: Rogue Tactics, Sneak Attack<br /> Warlock: Eldritch Blast, Eldritch Pact, Warlock's Curse<br /> Warlord: Inspiring Word, Combat Leader.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Paragon paths and epic destinies grant their powers, but no features.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Characters can spend gold and time to learn rituals and languages. Maybe, time and money would be all it takes to trade out a power for a power of another class, but I've not thought through that yet.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Marking, quarry and curse could be simplified/removed. For example:<br /> <strong>Combat Challenge:</strong> Enemies adjacent to you suffer a –2 penalty when they make an attack that does not include you. <br /> As an immediate reaction, you can make a normal melee attack against an adjacent enemy that shifts or makes an attack that does not include you.<br /> <strong>Combat Superiority:</strong> If you hit with an opportunity attack because of movement, the target stops moving. The target may use remaining actions to begin moving again.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Each heroic tier Basic 4E character should receive, as his/her only magic items, two <em>potions of healing</em> each level. At the paragon tier, these are <em>potions of vitality</em>. At epic level, <em>potions of recovery</em>. At epic level, the party should also receive one <em>potion of life</em> each level.</li> </ul><p></p><p>I understand this takes away some of the tactical complexity and character development/diversity of Fourth Edition. I think the above creates a simpler, faster system that is interchangable with Fourth Edition monsters and characters (for example, you could play a Basic 4E character in a standard game, as long as you took none of the magic items). </p><p></p><p>Do you think it's balanced? At 30th level, these characters have a +30 bonus instead of a +15 one, but when you consider magic items, feats, class features, paragon features, racial traits, action points and ability score increases this may not be as overpowered as it seems.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Khuxan, post: 4390100, member: 38801"] (I wrote this up yesterday, but I'm pretty sure it didn't get posted. If it did, please tell me and I'll remove this post.) I was thinking about a rules-lite variant of Fourth Edition which took away some of the game's robustness and character options but also made it simpler, faster and easier to keep track of. Here's what I came up with: [list][*][b]The Biggest Change:[/b] Characters add their level, not half their level, to attack rolls, defences, skill checks, and initiative. Characters add half their level to damage. [*]Characters do not acquire feats, magic items, ability score increases or action points. [*]Races only grant their power (for humans, that's an at-will, for half-elves, dilettante, and for dwarves that's second wind as a minor action) - no ability score or skill bonuses, etc. [*]Classes grant fewer features, and no defence bonuses: Cleric: Channel Divinity, Healing Word Fighter: Combat Challenge, Combat Superiority (no Wisdom bonus) Paladin: Lay on Hands, Divine Challenge Ranger: Fighting Style, Hunter's Quarry Rogue: Rogue Tactics, Sneak Attack Warlock: Eldritch Blast, Eldritch Pact, Warlock's Curse Warlord: Inspiring Word, Combat Leader. [*]Paragon paths and epic destinies grant their powers, but no features. [*]Characters can spend gold and time to learn rituals and languages. Maybe, time and money would be all it takes to trade out a power for a power of another class, but I've not thought through that yet. [*]Marking, quarry and curse could be simplified/removed. For example: [b]Combat Challenge:[/b] Enemies adjacent to you suffer a –2 penalty when they make an attack that does not include you. As an immediate reaction, you can make a normal melee attack against an adjacent enemy that shifts or makes an attack that does not include you. [b]Combat Superiority:[/b] If you hit with an opportunity attack because of movement, the target stops moving. The target may use remaining actions to begin moving again. [*]Each heroic tier Basic 4E character should receive, as his/her only magic items, two [i]potions of healing[/i] each level. At the paragon tier, these are [i]potions of vitality[/i]. At epic level, [i]potions of recovery[/i]. At epic level, the party should also receive one [i]potion of life[/i] each level. [/list] I understand this takes away some of the tactical complexity and character development/diversity of Fourth Edition. I think the above creates a simpler, faster system that is interchangable with Fourth Edition monsters and characters (for example, you could play a Basic 4E character in a standard game, as long as you took none of the magic items). Do you think it's balanced? At 30th level, these characters have a +30 bonus instead of a +15 one, but when you consider magic items, feats, class features, paragon features, racial traits, action points and ability score increases this may not be as overpowered as it seems. [/QUOTE]
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