I'll never live long enough to experience all of 4e

[doctorhook]

I'd probably be more excited for 4E if I was younger and knew I had seemingly limitless time to play around with the different character classes and such. As it is now, I feel overwhelmed both by the amount of classes and the number of powers each class has. I miss the old fighter where I would just walk and hit. Now I need to look at the mat (never played with miniatures before 4E) decide the best move (can't play my character to anything but their full potential) and then wonder whether this is the time to use my Encounters, maybe even Dailies. As I get older I want simpler, 4E and 3E to the same extant are too much. But if I were 13 again I would love this system, so much that can be done. I think I'm turning into a curmudgeon. By the way I don't think this is an anti-4E post, since that's all I can play now and I do enjoy playing it. It's just overwhelming to me, it's ASL writ RPG.

Alas, one of 4E's only downsides (and a debatable one at that!) is that it's more tactics-based than previous editions, generally speaking; by this I mean that it's tough to play without some accurate graphical representation of combat. FWIW, you'll find that you'll soon have a good grasp of applying tactics with your character, and it won't be nearly the chore that it might seem like now. 4E tactics don't have to be complicated to be successful.

OP: I hear ya, bro! Also, I'm now curious what Senor Threadcrapper said that he got banned for...

 

[I'm A Banana]

As it is now, I feel overwhelmed both by the amount of classes and the number of powers each class has.

Part of this is why I wish there were more options for systems other than the powers system.

Vancian everything definitely isn't for everyone, and I'd be happier with more options for ways to manage resources and use abilities. Unfortunately, that's one area where 4e only offers one choice and isn't likely to get more diverse.

There's a lot of variety within that boundary, but it's a boundary I'd be happier to have alternatives to.

 

[mach1.9pants]

Necromancy is the answer to all your problems

Sorry but you are badfun-wrong!

3.5 is the same way.

There are multiple lifetimes worth of options and adventures available.

With Pathfinder, 4E, and the Old School Renaissance, it's a really good time to be a D&D player.

You, Sir, are GoodTotalAwesomeFun-CORRECT!

 

[Windjammer]

There are multiple lifetimes worth of options and adventures available.

This. I've still only experienced a fraction of the adventures out there, and I'd like to experience them with as many different PCs as possible - using one of the bazillion options in 4E.

Right now, I've prepped a handful of PCs I want to run in a friend of mine's 4E Al-Qadim campaign (based on Paizo's Legacy of Fire). I'm so excited about both the campaign AND the diversity of character classes. So I promised to myself to lunge head first into danger so as to increase my chances of having a go at as many different PCs as I can. Minotaur battlerager and elven (pursuit) avenger will go first. Yep, it's gonna be the suicide-squad this time. Character death never felt so sweet!

 

[EATherrian]

Well this may be a matter of experience more than anything else.

I vaguely recall in my youth the number of options open to me under 1e were overwhelming. But, as you gain experience with the game over many years, the better options become well known, and you gain the ability to use them without dependence on a character sheet or battle board.

So, maybe in 9 more years, you will instinctively know when to use an encounter or daily, what distance you are from a foe, and what powers to use in any given position described by your DM.

Actually years of gambling have taught me how to read the people I play with well, and I'm starting to get the hang of when to use which type of power. Plus I've actually only hit once with my Daily in about 100 uses lol. It still seems like each class has so much connected to it, and I don't have to time to play with the character system itself like I used to. Heck, in my teen years I could spend hours making random characters for MSH and Traveller. I don't have the time or the patience for it anymore. Plus in 9 years I'm hoping I at least have a group for A Song of Ice and Fire, I so want to play that game and I bet it rocks as a campaign.

 

[Kzach]

The current PC's that go on adventures are 'active members'. Old PC's fade into 'inactive duty'. They're assumed to be carrying out less dramatic League business, practicing their various arts, hanging around the headquarters, and cleaning up after the pig god (don't ask).

Hmm... I actually quite like this idea. I might pitch this to my current group.

Plus I've actually only hit once with my Daily in about 100 uses lol.

The thing I find with dailies that most people don't consider is that you can set up a daily through teamwork to provide bonuses to hit. If you want to use a daily, let the other players know and ask for assistance, like through flanking and leader-granted bonuses or just assists.

 

[EATherrian]

Hmm... I actually quite like this idea. I might pitch this to my current group.



The thing I find with dailies that most people don't consider is that you can set up a daily through teamwork to provide bonuses to hit. If you want to use a daily, let the other players know and ask for assistance, like through flanking and leader-granted bonuses or just assists.

It's become a joke in my group. If anyone needs to roll a one I just need to announce I'm about to use a daily.

 

[MichaelK]

4e was never much of a gamble, naysayers and edition wars aside. WoTC knew their product would sell before they ever made it. This gives them a remarkable freedom to work on everything at once and invest large amounts of money knowing that they would see a good return. They probably could have released all of these books the same day 4e was released if they thought that would have sold better.

It says good things about the hobby of D&D and how it's going that WoTC can do this. I think we'll see D&D continue on for a while under the proud banner of 4th edition and I'm glad of that. It means lots of new players coming into the hobby now and as the years go by.

And then those new players can learn 3rd edition to play in my games... I'll never live long enough to experience all 3e has to offer, but I'd like to try. I'm glad that the hobby will remain active thanks to new blood and new products in the meantime. Thankyou WoTC. I may not buy your books anymore, but I sure am glad you're releasing them.

(hell, I never experienced all 2nd edition had to offer. OD&D... well, maybe if I'd stuck with it all this time I would have, it was a smaller game.)

 

[N0Man]

3.5 is the same way.

There are multiple lifetimes worth of options and adventures available.

With Pathfinder, 4E, and the Old School Renaissance, it's a really good time to be a D&D player.

This is true.

I don't mean to be contrary or dismissive of the possibilities, but I think you can make similar statements about 4E, 3.5, AD&D and 2E.

However, pointing out that this is true with 3.5 struck a particular chord with me. The reason is that so often I've contemplated the vast number of options, possibilities, and materials still out there for 3.5 when the death of the version is mourned. I just keep wondering, "how many more classes, feats, spells, and monsters do you need!?" ;-)

 

[MichaelK]

The reason is that so often I've contemplated the vast number of options, possibilities, and materials still out there for 3.5 when the death of the version is mourned. I just keep wondering, "how many more classes, feats, spells, and monsters do you need!?" ;-)

Classes, feats, spells and monsters are all pretty good. I think people are more worried about published adventures and campaigns.

Thankfully... pathfinder. So that worry has been neatly solved. Now we can all live in peace with one another and celebrate that our hobby is going well.

Right? ...Right? *suddenly realizes he's a 3e supporter well into 4e territory and runs, some kind of wolves with at will abilities baying at his heels and all of his vancian spells exhausted*