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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Mistwell" data-source="post: 5138556" data-attributes="member: 2525">I think this is an important point, for the 4e aspects of this discussion.It's fair to say that 4e did not present the full array of options with just the initial three books.  And, if you feel you should not have to buy a ton of books, or subscribe to the DDI in the alternative, to get the full array of options, then that's a fair reason to be critical of the options 4e offers.However, 4e has changed a LOT since those first three books, and I think a lot of critics of the options available in 4e are simply unaware of those changes.  The expansion of not just races and classes, but actual mechanics (like a class that doesn't even have encounter powers, for example), is pretty massive as the books progressed.  We've now gotten to the point where you can make a skill focused character, with skill powers, Martial Practices (skill based out of combat "tricks", including essentially a reintroduction of the Craft rules), significantly improved skill challenge rules and advice, and a host of additional things that allow for a lot of out of combat interesting activities.We've now gotten hybrid rules, many additional classes and races, and more multiclassing options, and paragon paths, that allow for a great many more character concepts to be embraced fully with the rules.  And there is DM advice on reskinning names and descriptions as well.  If you can imagine the concept, you might not have been able to make that concept fully realized under the initial 2-3 4e books, but you probably now can since the supplements that came out since then.So yes, the game has changed to allow for a lot more flexibility in character concepts, and out of combat adventuring, since the first three books came out.  It's fair to be bothered that you had to wait for supplements before your desired level of flexibility could be fully achieved with the rules.  But, I think some of the claims about lack of flexibility mentioned in this thread are a bit unfair.  The flexibility is there now.  With a single month of DDI access (which is cheap) you could get all the info you needed for whatever kind of character you want to play, with whatever level of focus the DM/Players want on combat vs. out of combat play.  You can now realize a lot more campaign ideas than you previously could.</blockquote>

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