Focusing on the Positive

[Destil]

3E brought us standardized conditions, but 4E simplified them.

Strength damage (3E) vs. the weakened condition (4E) is probably one of the biggest contrasts in terms of how easy it is to work out how the condition affects a character on the fly.

Every time someone asks me about why I prefer 4E I mention the 3E game I ground to a halt for half an hour with a level 1 spell.

"So, what does Ray of Enfeeblement do to the snake, then?"

"Is it's strength score odd, or even?"

 

[LostSoul]

Non-AC Defences, the table on page 42, rituals, and monster stat block formulas.

 

[Shin Okada]

While new books bring in a lot of interesting options, many of the PHB only PCs can still perform very well alongside PCs made with a lot of later books and insider materials. That made me so easy to "recruit" new players.

And now we have two new "Heroes" books, which are very for newbie players to grab as one's first book to buy.

 

[bbjore]

1. DMing 4E is so, so, easy. I've mostly stopped using any sort of monster manual and just make up most monsters on the fly in five minutes before an encounter.

2. The game is balanced and focused on the party. Every role gets a chance to do something on their turn that makes them feel like they're contributing, and builds that completely take over the spotlight are a lot harder to find.

3. It's way more friendly to new players, making it a lot easier to trap new friends, family members, girlfriends, wives... into my obsession.

3. It's still Dnd, there's still dungeons, there's still dragons, and I still have a group of friends sitting around the table ready to kill imaginary things, take their imaginary stuff, all while telling an exciting and often silly story in the process.

 

[Pickles JG]

I made a big list a while ago as I am a huge fanboy. A lot of these have negatives associated with them eg
Class power levels are harmonised <> the classes are too homogenous though these have mostly been addressed - here see PHB3/Essentials

This is not the place for these points though

Monsters are built to be cool
Class power levels are harmonised
Paragon Paths are just about right
Healing Surges, Healing from 0, Bloodied, Death & Dying rules
Martial at wills with riders
Short skill list
Defences not saves, overall cleaner mechanics
Character Builder ( )
Simplified status effects
No long term buff stacking
Minions, Elites & Solos
Forced movement effects
Action Points
Refluffing powers as you like them
Racial Differentiation
Point buy built in
Class roles
A good experience throughout the levels
Embracing the principle of saying Yes

 

[Stumblewyk]

4e makes it simple to evangelize the game. I've recruited more new players since 4e came out than I did the entire time I was DM'ing 2e/3.5e. The fact that every role is clearly defined makes it easy for someone new to sit down at the table and see exactly what the fighter is supposed to be doing, what the rogue is supposed to be doing, what the wizard is supposed to be doing, etc. That makes players feel truly special when they do something cool that their role/class is designed to do. And I suspect that makes them want to come back.

 

[Pbartender]

Every class is fun to play in its own way, and everybody always has something fun or interesting to do (unless they're stunned ) in combat.

 

[tuxgeo]

Positive things about 4E

1. PCs have a much lower possibility of dying on the first hit. (I like that.)
2. Streamlining dice rolls: FORT/REF/WIL as defenses, not saves; Passive Insight & Perception for simpler play by avoiding active rolls in some situations.
3. Consolidated Skills list.
4. More Feats per PC. (Yes, the power of Feats had to be toned down in order to accomplish that. No problem.)
5. DDI in the form of the Compendium. (Genius lookup ability.)
6. Two ways to mix Classes--basic Multiclassing for most uses; and Hybrids for making PCs that are even more different.
7. Skill Powers: another way to deviate from the rigidity of Class structure.
8. Essentials: proof that they do listen to the customers. (Did we ask for Wizard "Schools"? Cleric "Domains" with actual effects? Fighters without Daily powers? Druids that could heal? I think I saw stuff about those issues on ENWorld; I know I personally contributed some of it.)
9. Essentials: marketing into Target and Walmart! Included cardboard tokens (along with dice) so customers can have everything they need to play right away in the one boxed product they buy.
10. Encounters. Continuing weekly support for the Friendly Local Game Stores that run it. This is not a feature of 4E itself, but was introduced during 4E's period of currency, so that's good enough: it's a feature of the current version of the game.

 

[Almacov]

-Characters and monsters feel special. With the system being built around exceptions, and that library of exceptions having grown so much, it's very easy to whip up a combination of effects that feels unique. It's also pretty easy to design those effects yourself. Monsters in particular are gloriously simple to customize.

-Environments feel special. The movement & positioning heavy nature of the game, along with other tactical nuances, make the place in which a fight breaks out matter a great deal. Hazard effects and area properties are nearly as blissfully simple and pleasant to tinker with as monsters are.

-As a consequence of being less common and harder to use, non-combat magic in the forms that rituals now have domain over feels special. Magic of that magnitude can be a strenuous, long task to perform. Damage? A man with a rock can inflict damage. A ritualist of sufficient power and possessed of the proper lore - can walk on water, travel through planes, and move mountains.

-Action points and daily powers give you a lovely layer of control over the pace and flow of encounters, and can act as very nice tools to enhance drama in pivotal moments.

-XP being used directly as a balance currency for encounters is really intuitive. I like giving myself a budget and being able to very rapidly pick and choose monsters I want to fill it.