D&D 4E "How to play 4E now"

[Oldtimer]

Drop the 5' step rule

I don't think that's a good idea to implement on its own. The fights will get even more static.

Diagonal movement cost 10' per square

I hate it and hope it's not in 4e. The worst rule in all of SWSE.

Reverse saving throws. The attack rolls a d20 and adds spell level and modifier to roll, and has to beat the characters saving throw bonus plus 10.

This is very good and simple to implement. I'm already using it in my games.

Additional suggestions:
No iterative attacks. Add BAB to damage to compensate.

Two-weapon wielders can use both weapons in a standard action, but with -10 on both attacks. The feat TWF lowers that to -5, ITWF to -2, and GTWF to no penalty. If the off-hand weapon isn't light, these penalties worsen one step (-20, -10, -5, -2).

 

[Plane Sailing]

per day/per-encounter spells (guessing)
---------------------------------------
For caster classes, your highest level spells can be used once per day, and you have to re-prepare them as per normal to use them again.

Your next two levels of spells down can be used per encounter, and it takes 1 minute each to re-prepare them before they can be used again.

Spells three or more levels below your top spells can be used at-will.


Saves
=====
Base save is 10 + level + class bonus for Fort, Ref and Will.

The class bonus is a one-off bonus at 1st level. If you multiclass, you take the higher of the class bonuses.

e.g.
Fighter +2 Fort, +0 Ref, +0 Will
Rogue +0 Fort, +2 Ref, +0 Will
Ranger +1 Fort, +1 Ref, +0 Will
Cleric +1 Fort, +0 Ref, +1 Will
Wizard +0 Fort, +0 Ref, +2 Will.

Magic Attack Bonus
-------------------
There is also a MAB (Magic Attack Bonus). For full caster classes it is 1/1, for half caster classes (bard, ranger, paladin) it is 3/4 level, for non caster classes it is 1/2 level.

If you have a +x magic staff, it adds to rolls against Fort defence. If you have a +x magic wand it adds to rolls against a Ref defence. If you have a +x magic orb it adds to rolls against a Will defence.

multiple foes
-------------
If targeting multiple foes, one magical attack roll is matched against all of their saves together.


Melee
=========
Full attacks disappear. Instead you add + half level (rounded down) to damage with all attacks.

Movement
----------
Charge attack is a standard action

Withdraw is a move action that doesn't provoke an AoO.

Crits
-----
Critical hits are scored on a 20 and do double damage. No confirmation roll required

Second Wind
------------
Once per day a character can gain 'second wind'. Recover hit points equal to either your Con score or 1/4 of your total hp, whichever is greater.

 

[Mustrum_Ridcully]

per day/per-encounter spells (guessing)
---------------------------------------
For caster classes, your highest level spells can be used once per day, and you have to re-prepare them as per normal to use them again.

Your next two levels of spells down can be used per encounter, and it takes 1 minute each to re-prepare them before they can be used again.

Spells three or more levels below your top spells can be used at-will.

I would add the "siloing" part somewhere there.
Attack (anything that deals damage, kills or charms, or summons monsters and allys)
Defense (anything that increases AC, DR, Energy Resistance, Spell Resistance, Banishments)
Utiltity (Anything left)

Characters can use only one Attack, one Defense and one Utilty spell per encounter, and they must prepare at least one of each. (Possibly: You may add a second one of any of these three, deciding each day wether you favor offense, defense or utility) (that's a big guess on how it is supposed to work)

 

[wedgeski]

Diagonal movement cost 10' per square.

Ouch! This is in SAGA? Ah well, I guess if movement in general is more generous then it could be okay, otherwise this is my first bona-fide I HAT THIS RULE for 4e... assuming it finds its way in of course.

 

[nightspaladin]

Instead of plus 20 hp at the first level, use max triple hit dice plus con bonus. So a fighter starts with 30 + con bonus, a wizard with 12 +con bonus. This is what Saga did.

The big one that I think everyone is overlooking is the bonus feats. Assuming that the classes work like they do in Saga, every level gives you a talent or a bonus feat, alternating between the two. Since class features in 3.5 are the "functional" equivalent of talent trees without options, then all you need to add is a bonus feat at every even level for every class.

Also, Saga gives out attribute points in groups of 2 +1s every 4th level. You can't spend them both on the same attribute per increase though.

Here is the complete list that I am considering

Triple Hit dice at start
Flipped Saves
1/2 level to all attacks
Caster level = Heroic Level
Bonus Feats every 2 levels
No Iterative Attacks - Feats for this option, plus the feats that let you do extra die damage
Conversion of per day abilities to per encounter/per will/per day.(Not sure how to do this but the suggestions here seem to be a good start)
Crits on 20, x2 damage no confirmation
Magic Attack Roll
Second Wind
2 +1 to attributes on the multiples of 4 levels
Action Points
Charge as a standard action
No 5' Step
Withdraw is a move action

Any other glaring ones that I have seemed to miss?

P.S. If you are going to give out bonus feats every 2 levels, you have to consider very hard what to do about Fighters. You really have 2 options, let them have these extra feats and the ones in the book, which means they get a silly number of them, or simply outlaw the class and let them play Warblade instead. Warblade with a bonus feat every 2 levels might be a really close approximation of what 4e Fighter are going to look like anyway.


P.P.S if anyone is looking for a decent way to simulate the wizards per will "Arcane Strike" that seems to be describe and alluded to in the play testing results, look to the Arcanist in Iron Heroes They have a class feature that lets them create a ball of force and hurl it at their opponents whenever they want. With Mearls being a major designer of 4e, it may also be a preview of something similar.

 

[Odysseus]

Drop skill points and replace them with a character level modifier, and a -5 penalty for non class skills.

Change darkvision to ignore penalties/concealment/total concealment from darkness; cannot perceive colors in total darkness.

 

[Henry]

Change the three saving throws. Fortitude becomes equal to 10 + character level + (2 for characters with good saves, +1 for characters with medium or poor saves). Characters causing these saves need to roll that number on a 1d20 + their Challenge Rating.

That's a rough approximation, but it may well get the job done for "testing the waters."

 

[Wulf Ratbane]

Melee
=========
Full attacks disappear. Instead you add + half level (rounded down) to damage with all attacks.

I prefer Morrus' version-- +1d6 instead of the iterative attack. This retains that "big bump" sense of accomplishment.

I should state, up front, that I don't generally find rolling dice to be "needlessly complex" and that I wouldn't be designing for beginning players.

Crits
-----
Critical hits are scored on a 20 and do double damage. No confirmation roll required

Another simplification that does not, in my opinion, improve the game. I could go either way on the confirmation roll-- I understand the feeling of "losing" when you fail to confirm a crit, but on the other hand I also like the suspense of rolling for it: The whole table snaps to attention and everyone is cheering you on.

But specifically, I like the mechanical variance among weapons-- expanded threat ranges and crit multipliers for Martial (and Exotic) weapons are a good way to set Warriors on scale above.

 

[Paraxis]

What if we say all attacks crit again on natural 20's with no confirmation. But the effect of the crit can vary by weapon.

20 (x2)= Double Damage
19-20 (x2) = Double Damage +1d6
18-20 (x2) = Double Damage +1d8
20 (x3) = Triple Damage
20 (x4) = Triple Damage + 1d6

Or something like this, don't think that is very balanced but it expresses the idea I had.

 

[nightspaladin]

I prefer Morrus' version-- +1d6 instead of the iterative attack. This retains that "big bump" sense of accomplishment.

Saga actually does both. It adds 1/2 of your heroic level to all damage and then it has a series of feats that represent multiple attacks.

one feat lets you "swing faster" and you get -2 to hit and +1 dice of damage. Another feat lets you "swing harder" same effect. The feats also explicitly state that they do not stack with each other.

Alos there is a feat that let's you full attack with two and three swings respectively. The prereqs are the exact same as iterative attacks are in D&D, (+6 Bab and +11 Bab) Except that when you do them, it makes all your attacks -5 or -10 instead of just the extra ones as D&D does.

The combination actually makes for lots of damage. For example, a 6th level fighter with 16 str and a +1 magic longsword would do 2d8 +7, at +8 to hit as a standard action. So you can move and do that instead of being the stationary lump you are in 3.5.