Concerned About Character Creation

[CleverNickName]

Also, from the sounds of it, 4e characters won't build up as much stuff to keep track of over the levels. From my 3e experience, it's not too hard to create a 15th level cleric. But then you have to start picking magic items and figure out how much to wealth to put into each item (which 4e simplifies by standardizing the magic weapon/defense/AC progression) and having to figure out what 6 or 7 3rd level spells are still relevant at that level.

Good point. Those standardized progressions will go a long way to fixing the "walking Christmas tree" problem in 3E. But now that every class has their own powers and power sources, I worry about having to sort out which skills and powers are still relevant at higher levels for ALL classes, not just the spellcasters.

There is absolutely nothing to confirm this, but I would guess that paragon paths and epic destinies do not have bizarre, arbitrary requirements in order to qualify for them, like 3.x prestige classes do. If so, much less character planning would be required than in 3.x, where many people feel the need to plot out feats, skills, and spells or similar abilities, sometimes all the way to 20th level and beyond. Of course, I could be wrong, just a feeling I have.

Call me crazy, but I actually liked the prestige class requirements. Becoming a prestige character was...well, prestigious. You earned your right to join by meeting a series of goals...not just from gaining levels. I hope they hold on to that in 4E.

 

[Rex Blunder]

Call me crazy, but I actually liked the prestige class requirements. Becoming a prestige character was...well, prestigious. You earned your right to join by meeting a series of goals...not just from gaining levels. I hope they hold on to that in 4E.

I dunno. To me, picking some skills and taking a level of cleric or whatever don't make me feel particularly prestigious. Now, if the requirements are, like, "defeat a hippopotamus in single combat", I'm totally on board.

 

[RandomCitizenX]

I dunno. To me, picking some skills and taking a level of cleric or whatever don't make me feel particularly prestigious. Now, if the requirements are, like, "defeat a hippopotamus in single combat", I'm totally on board.

Which is why I loved the PrC from Draconomicon which required you to fight a dragon solo.

 

[SadisticFishing]

putting too much stock in rumors.

What are you talkin' aboot? This is an RPG, rumors are ALWAYS true!

 

[UngeheuerLich]

the problem with those requirements was: you often had to chose the right feats from Lvl 1 on to be able to get into your chosen class at a reasonable time. This is what slows down character creation in 3.x so much. (And on top of that: Those feats were sometimes totally useless for your prestige class... and you had absoltely no space for customizaton, and often your choice of prestige class turns out to be unattractive once you reach the Level where you coud take it...)

So the requirements should never be such that you have to plan more than 2 levels ahead...

 

[Primal]

Honestly doing away with skill point allocation is what sold me on 4E.

Hey, Pathfinder RPG did away with them, too! Would that sell you on 3.75?

 

[CleverNickName]

Hey, Pathfinder RPG did away with them, too! Would that sell you on 3.75?

ORLY? I hadn't heard that...but then again, last week was finals week and I haven't had a lot of time to be digging around their site for news. Could you toss me the link to this info? I'd like to see what they've done.

 

[DeusExMachina]

After playing several epic campaigns with a powerplayer DM I'm not so worried about character creation anymore.
Ever tried to create a level 25 monk/psychic warrior from scratch with all the feats, powers skills and what not he gets. I must have spent about 20 hours on getting all the stats just right (and I admit tweaked to the max, but if you don't with this DM you die... fast...). Way more time than creating the actual personality (a githyanki general on the run from the Queen who wanted to kill him and absorb his powers).

From everything I've seen 4e is not going to be nearly as complicated as 3.5 epic levels. Although we don't know how complicated high level 4e chars will, I have good faith it'll be easier...