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General Tabletop Discussion
D&D Older Editions
Inquiry: How do 4E fans feel about 4E Essentials?
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<blockquote data-quote="MwaO" data-source="post: 8434885" data-attributes="member: 12749"><p>There were three basic problems with Essentials:</p><p>Each book looks like a cash grab — cheaply produced paperbacks that reprint half the same content in each player-facing book. Yes they were cheap, but why do I need half of Rules Compendium in 4 separate books? Remember, I'm potentially a new player to the game and have no real idea what the cost structure of D&D is normally. Or I'm wondering why I don't just get say 8 new classes instead of 4.</p><p></p><p>They solved the math problem of +1/2/3 to hit/defenses per tier by creating feats. Which were so incredibly valuable by 11th, that every 11th level PC had to have 2-3 of them or be suboptimal. This led to a lot less interesting build diversity at the table and annoyed players of 4e. When they could have just said, look, everyone gets +1/2/3 feat/item bonus to hit & defenses! Yay! And then made feats for specific weapons that would be interesting — "Flail Expertise, you slide a target and they're prone." "Superior Will: +1 untyped to Will & make a save vs Daze/Stunned at start of your turn." Etc...and that would have fixed problems that existed at the table with stacking bonuses, too.</p><p></p><p>Someone had to sit R&D down and explain to them that multi-attacking exists(which happened during Next) and makes it a lot easier to balance out a PC's power over 1-20/30 if the goal of that PC is to do damage. And the problem with that is most of the strikers in Essentials don't hold up past mid-paragon, because they just don't output enough damage unless they're doing specific things with basic attacks that are already a bit problematic. Doing charge packages or having a leader who grants everyone basic attacks.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="MwaO, post: 8434885, member: 12749"] There were three basic problems with Essentials: Each book looks like a cash grab — cheaply produced paperbacks that reprint half the same content in each player-facing book. Yes they were cheap, but why do I need half of Rules Compendium in 4 separate books? Remember, I'm potentially a new player to the game and have no real idea what the cost structure of D&D is normally. Or I'm wondering why I don't just get say 8 new classes instead of 4. They solved the math problem of +1/2/3 to hit/defenses per tier by creating feats. Which were so incredibly valuable by 11th, that every 11th level PC had to have 2-3 of them or be suboptimal. This led to a lot less interesting build diversity at the table and annoyed players of 4e. When they could have just said, look, everyone gets +1/2/3 feat/item bonus to hit & defenses! Yay! And then made feats for specific weapons that would be interesting — "Flail Expertise, you slide a target and they're prone." "Superior Will: +1 untyped to Will & make a save vs Daze/Stunned at start of your turn." Etc...and that would have fixed problems that existed at the table with stacking bonuses, too. Someone had to sit R&D down and explain to them that multi-attacking exists(which happened during Next) and makes it a lot easier to balance out a PC's power over 1-20/30 if the goal of that PC is to do damage. And the problem with that is most of the strikers in Essentials don't hold up past mid-paragon, because they just don't output enough damage unless they're doing specific things with basic attacks that are already a bit problematic. Doing charge packages or having a leader who grants everyone basic attacks. [/QUOTE]
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