I'll get to try out 4e this weekend, advice?

[Voadam]

My brother's 4e group is having a gaming weekend up near where I live and I'm going to pop in to play one of the characters who can't show up, a 6th level evil shadar kai wizard patterned after Richard from the web comic Looking for Group.

I've played a ton of 3e and AD&D but this will be my first 4e. I've skimmed my brother's PH, I own and have read the DMG, and I've read most of the fast play guide that WotC put out with Keep on the Shadowfell.

I've seen the online character sheet which only seems to have descriptions of the PH powers and he's got a lot of non PH stuff like multiple summon abilities and fire shield.

I've got a couple basics down tactically in my head, stay away from melee and use ranged magic. At will scorching burst for area damage and magic missile for single targets with 1/day fireball, dispel magic, flaming sphere, and acid arrow for big bads. I'm not sure what my encounter powers are. The sheet lists what powers are standard versus move versus minor type actions but not what are daily or at will or areas etc except on links to PH only powers which have full descriptions.

The character has been described as fun, close to the exemplar character, but not tactically the sharpest, for instance helping out when the rest of the party is surrounding and pounding on a wounded kobold in melee by throwing in a fireball because he really wants to fry the little guy. So I'm not worried that my tactical inexperience with 4e will drag down the party significantly and it is an existing character so I have no character design choices to make.

Anything I should keep in mind for playing 4e for the first time? Quirks about the wizard class in particular to be aware of?

 

[vagabundo]

It will be tough, it is close enough to 3.5e in terminology to be confusing. And wizards are one of the more complicated classes - especially if they have the expanded spellbook feat.

I'd suggest relying on your fellow players for tactical advice in combat, the rest of the systems are similar enough that you will pick up stuff. But it can take time to get to know how best to use your powers.

The CB sheets are pretty straight forward, if you can get a copy before the game you can read up on the powers and hopefully hit the ground running. As a group it took us several months to get to grips with 4e and we had played 3e for eight years straight.

I've got a couple basics down tactically in my head, stay away from melee and use ranged magic. At will scorching burst for area damage and magic missile for single targets with 1/day fireball, dispel magic, flaming sphere, and acid arrow for big bads. I'm not sure what my encounter powers are. The sheet lists what powers are standard versus move versus minor type actions but not what are daily or at will or areas etc except on links to PH only powers which have full descriptions.

All the info should be on the sheet - if it is a Character Builder sheet. You should get enough info on each spell to run it. Watch out for dailies, wizards can choose between two (or three if thy have that feat) per level.

 

[weem]

Anything I should keep in mind for playing 4e for the first time? Quirks about the wizard class in particular to be aware of?

If you have good friends who enjoy the game, they will make sure you get it figured out - my only suggestion would be to forget about 3e and consider this something totally different. Approach it that way with an open mind, and don't try and compare it to what you are used to as far as what it does better or worse. Sit back, enjoy the game in the moment, and process the differences later

 

[tyrlaan]

First rule, always kill everything you can. Second rule, act completely innocent after commiting atrocities. You're playing Richard after all right?

That aside, weem's advice above is golden.

 

[Meek]

my only suggestion would be to forget about 3e and consider this something totally different. Approach it that way with an open mind, and don't try and compare it to what you are used to

This to me is the best advice. If you go in looking for the return of 3.5 you won't find it. Try to understand 4e on its own terms and keep an open mind. One of the major things about 4e is that it is laden with abstractions. Understand that and try to have fun with it.

 

[diaglo]

Anything I should keep in mind for playing 4e for the first time? Quirks about the wizard class in particular to be aware of?

go in with a clear mind. it ain't like any previous edition.

if you don't you will end up being underwhelmed.

 

[Thanlis]

My top ten stumbling blocks for 3e players are here:

3E to 4E: Stumbling Blocks « Claw/Claw/Peck

 

[renau1g]

Voadam, I'm sure you're fine from an RP POV and tactical POV (after all you took on a dragon atop a bridge drawing it away from your allies) so it's just the rules that will be a bit of a stumbling block.

One thing wizards have is a lot of sustainable powers (usually their dailies), so make sure you can sustain them with a minor, else they go *poof*. Try and use all your actions each turn (minor/move/standard), oh and as a wizard, try and kill the minions. Might be metagaming, but if the DM puts 4-5 of the same looking mini (or same named token) on the board, he's probably a minion.

Oh yeah, open mind, it is much, much different than prior editions. I think if you don't compare it, but rather try and play it with a blank slate, it'll be better.

 

[avin]

One more thing: 4E Wizards aren't the massive area damage dealers they used to be. Now they are the guys who mess up with all tactics the DM has planned

 

[Herschel]

A few things (one mentioned before):
1: look for keyword "sustain" and make sure you have a minor for it if you need it.
2: Always look to burn Encounter (red) Powers because you get them back next encounter and they're usually a bit better than just burning straight At-Wills.
3: Don't be afraid to burn Daily Powers if needed. If everyone saves them, they may not get a good chance to use them or have too few resources left to make best use of them.