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Message: <blockquote data-quote="pemerton" data-source="post: 3817784" data-attributes="member: 42582">My impression of 4e is that it will continue the trend of 3E, which is taking D&D play away from the sort of play found in AD&D (especially 1st ed).Have a read of the 1st ed PHB. The rules for character build are very simple - about the only choice a player has to make is one of weapon proficiency. The rules for action resolution are also very simple - there is a discussion of armour class and hit points. A good chunk of the book is spells - the most complex point of interface between character build and action resolution - and a good chunk of the book is advice on successful dungeon delving, bascially none of which draws expressly upon the character build and action resolution rules.And a module like Tomb of Horrors or White Plume Mountain is entirely consistent with this - the challenges in those modules are not mechanical challenges to be solved through sound mastery of the game rules - they are essentially operational challenges to be solved by clever players persuading the GM of the cleverness of their solutions. (IMO, it is this immediacy of this interface between player choice and GM decision that gives AD&D its reputation for suffering from abusive GMs.)Now look at 3E. Extensive rules for character build. Extensive rules for action resolution, that interface in an intricate way - far more intricate than 1st ed spells - with those character build rules. Good play is very much about sound mechanical mastery. And there are frequent complaints about the GM being nerfed.We are told that 4e will have equally extensive character build rules, and more complex action resolution mechanics (eg every class having at-will, per-encounter and per-day resources). So on the players side of the screen, those respects in which 3E differs from AD&D will be emphasised. At the same time, we are told that GM-ing will become easier ("points of light" makes it easy to world-build on the fly, new monster rules mean the GM does not have to interact with the character build rules, SWSE-style skill rules and reduction in contribution of per-day resources to PC power make mechanically-balanced module writing easier, etc). So the dominant role of the GM at the table will be reduced further, to perhaps being merely first among equals.My own suspicion is that 4e will be a good game, worth playing for those who like heroic fantasy RPGing. But while it will have some tropes and themes in common with AD&D, I think the actual play experience will be very different.Of course, YMMV.</blockquote>

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