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Message: <blockquote data-quote="WayneLigon" data-source="post: 2135234" data-attributes="member: 3649">Well, it was a surprise finding it out so soon and it's already been partially revised to boot. The frontpeice talks about how Collins just felt it was better to go ahead and go with the 4.1 release rather than have it come up next year. The Wayne Reynolds cover is good, very good; dragons, fighters, spells going off, etc; very evocative. Some high points: Notice I didn't say 4.1 PHB or DMG or MM. All in one book. We'll get to that in a minute.Full color slick paper throughout.Manga-sized softback, with collectible hardcover out for Xmas. Don't worry; it has that funky 'lay flat' binding so you can't break the spine.A CD with the character creation program and the compelte text of the book, all the tables, etc. At least it says this in the book. Um, I can't use it yet, because I have to find a CD drive it'll fit in. It's about 30% smaller than a normal CD. And it's kinda blueish. I don't know what's up with that. The price: $25.99, 250 page softback. The system: It's, well... it's changed. The rules-light people will like it and it certainly does save space.The classic Attributes are gone. Classes are gone. Hit Points are gone. Armor Class is gone.  There are four attributes: Attack, Defend, Move, Sense. You get 10 points (that's rated as 'Average Heroic' in the Tool chapter) to split between those. Everything else is handled by what feats you take. I haven't read everything yet, but it looks like this 'feat chain' thing kinda replaces classes. As in, I can have a character with Attack Action->Light Melee->Specialized Melee Attack-Fast melee Attack, Medium Endurance (Endurance kinda replaces hit points), High Skill Points->Extra Skill Points->Extra Skill Points->Specialized Training, and the Acrobatics package and call him a 'Rogue'.  Several examples are given, which also includes 'Named Chains' which are like packages of optomized feat chains to save space and time. The 'Mounted Knight' Named Chain, for example, has the chains for higher endurance, mounted combat chains, and is heavily melee oriented. there are about fifty of these to use as archetypes. Feats occupy about half the book.There are no spells, per se. All spells are done with a feat combo plus the Arcane Training feat. Thus, Magic Missle becomes Arcane Training->Ranged Arcane Attack->Multiple Attack->Targeted Multiple Attack->Damage Type: Fire it says 'Arcane' but that's probably a holdover from older editions. There is no mention of different magic types. You use only the d20 unless you use the optional damage/Hit point rules. Your typical 4.1 statblock is: Ryn: Medium Humanoid; A5 D2 M2 S1; Endurance: Superior; Feats (Chains): Warrior, Experienced Warrior, Exotic Weapon: Giant Axe, Superior Endurance, Superior Attack. Skills: Climb 5, Jump 4, Influence (Intimidate) 3 (6), Ride 4 After the chapter on building spells and a magical tradition, about a quarter of the book is devoted to various monsters and traps.</blockquote>

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