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<blockquote data-quote="Lanefan" data-source="post: 4668447" data-attributes="member: 29398">Though I'm far from what one might call a fan of 4e, it's hard to blame its system for this one.&nbsp; Any edition of the game can handle a very broad spectrum of campaign ideas and play styles, provided the DM is willing to make the necessary tweaks; as-written is often not enough:Want a gritty investigation game? Chop out some divination spells, disallow information gathering via any means other than spoken-word roleplaying (in 3e terms, ban non-physical skill checks), and keep the magic and wealth down to a dull roar.Want a Cthulu-esque horror game? Play up the fright aspect, maybe kill off a few entire parties until players learn not everything can be solved with combat, and overlay some pre-published or homebrew sanity rules.Want historical quasi-accuracy?&nbsp; Downplay - but do not eliminate - magic, pick a culture or historical era you want to replicate, and go. (many fantasy authors have done quite well in overlaying magic into an otherwise historically-reasonable setting; Katherine Kurtz' Deryni series is but one example)&nbsp; Oh, and in 4e take about 20 hit points off everything except minions; such that one blow *can* kill or severaly hurt an inexperienced adventurer.D+D in all its iterations is at its core a surprisingly robust system; it has to be, to allow for all these different flavours and remain playable.&nbsp; In car terms, all the engine models have been reliable but it's always been up to you to choose the body style, trim, colour, etc. that make it the car you want to drive.Lanefan</blockquote>

[QUOTE="Lanefan, post: 4668447, member: 29398"] Though I'm far from what one might call a fan of 4e, it's hard to blame its system for this one. Any edition of the game can handle a very broad spectrum of campaign ideas and play styles, provided the DM is willing to make the necessary tweaks; as-written is often not enough: Want a gritty investigation game? Chop out some divination spells, disallow information gathering via any means other than spoken-word roleplaying (in 3e terms, ban non-physical skill checks), and keep the magic and wealth down to a dull roar. Want a Cthulu-esque horror game? Play up the fright aspect, maybe kill off a few entire parties until players learn not everything can be solved with combat, and overlay some pre-published or homebrew sanity rules. Want historical quasi-accuracy? Downplay - but do not eliminate - magic, pick a culture or historical era you want to replicate, and go. (many fantasy authors have done quite well in overlaying magic into an otherwise historically-reasonable setting; Katherine Kurtz' Deryni series is but one example) Oh, and in 4e take about 20 hit points off everything except minions; such that one blow *can* kill or severaly hurt an inexperienced adventurer. D+D in all its iterations is at its core a surprisingly robust system; it has to be, to allow for all these different flavours and remain playable. In car terms, all the engine models have been reliable but it's always been up to you to choose the body style, trim, colour, etc. that make it the car you want to drive. Lanefan [/QUOTE]

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