There are several perceived and actual problems with 4e. I consider myself a fan of the system but I won't claim that it is perfect. Instead of whining about it, I decided to do something about it. I investigated, researched, discussed and concluded a solution that, whilst I don't claim that it will work for everyone, works for me. And so I decided to share it.
1 - Use Only MM3 Updated Monsters
This is a big one which is why it's first. The new format combined with lower hit points and higher damage as well as more interesting powers & abilities, make a substantial difference to the enjoyment and pace of combat encounters.
Another solution is to further reduce monster hit points. Personally I think MM3 is in the sweet-spot but then I tend to encourage optimised parties so if you find combat is taking more than five to six rounds on average, then reduce monster hit points accordingly.
The same goes for damage. If you find players are cake-walking every encounter, increase the damage output of monsters by 1 or 2 points. It might not sound like a big increase, but it makes a substantial difference because monsters rarely come in packs of one.
2 - Use Inherent Bonuses
This is where we start getting into the bread & butter of the solution. A lot of people claim magical items are boring. I blame that partly on a lack of imagination, but also on the fact that many people concentrate on the Core 3 (neck, armour, weapon/implement) to the exclusion of all else. By getting rid of bonuses and subsuming them into the core system, suddenly the focus of magical items shifts solely to their powers and properties.
It may seem like a subtle change but the repercussions are quite significant. When the focus is on what the item can do, people start thinking that the item is what it does moreso than when it has a bonus, because the secondary effect is usually something people are looking for as an afterthought (unless you're into charopping).
Another change you might want to introduce, is random magical items instead of the 'give the players what they want' system. It might sound harsh, but I really believe that planning out your character to the point where you expect to get certain items really spoils the enjoyment and interest in what the item is and does. Instead, look at the property of an item and try to think of a fun and interesting way to describe its effect rather than just saying, "You get Eladrin Boots."
3 - Adopt a Math Fix Solution
A lot of people claim that they have fun and that the math doesn't matter. And good for them. But the fact of the matter is that the math can get really out of whack, especially at higher levels. It can get to a point where a character only has about a 20% chance to hit and monsters have a 90% chance to hit. Now, if you think that's fun, again, good for you, but most people would find that a frustrating drag and an almost guaranteed TPK.
But there are relatively easy ways to fix this. I'm presenting one means of doing so however it is not the only means so I encourage people to do the research and find what works for them.
My solution is as follows:
Every character gets a +1 feat bonus to hit and to Fortitude, Reflex and Will at 5th-level. This bonus increases to +2 at 15th-level and finally to +3 at 25th-level. In addition, every character gains an untyped bonus of +1 to Fortitude, Reflex and Will at 21st-level.
All characters gain a +2 feat bonus to their lowest Non-AC Defence (NAD) at 1st-level. This bonus increases to +4 at 11th-level and +6 at 21st-level.
Epic NAD booster feats BANNED!
All characters gain the feat “Melee Training” for free, using their highest non-Strength statistic.
Masterwork weapons and implements are available. These items confer a +1 item bonus to attack rolls when used for an attack. Masterwork weapons and implements are not always magical, however magical weapons and implements are always masterwork.
1 - Use Only MM3 Updated Monsters
This is a big one which is why it's first. The new format combined with lower hit points and higher damage as well as more interesting powers & abilities, make a substantial difference to the enjoyment and pace of combat encounters.
Another solution is to further reduce monster hit points. Personally I think MM3 is in the sweet-spot but then I tend to encourage optimised parties so if you find combat is taking more than five to six rounds on average, then reduce monster hit points accordingly.
The same goes for damage. If you find players are cake-walking every encounter, increase the damage output of monsters by 1 or 2 points. It might not sound like a big increase, but it makes a substantial difference because monsters rarely come in packs of one.
2 - Use Inherent Bonuses
This is where we start getting into the bread & butter of the solution. A lot of people claim magical items are boring. I blame that partly on a lack of imagination, but also on the fact that many people concentrate on the Core 3 (neck, armour, weapon/implement) to the exclusion of all else. By getting rid of bonuses and subsuming them into the core system, suddenly the focus of magical items shifts solely to their powers and properties.
It may seem like a subtle change but the repercussions are quite significant. When the focus is on what the item can do, people start thinking that the item is what it does moreso than when it has a bonus, because the secondary effect is usually something people are looking for as an afterthought (unless you're into charopping).
Another change you might want to introduce, is random magical items instead of the 'give the players what they want' system. It might sound harsh, but I really believe that planning out your character to the point where you expect to get certain items really spoils the enjoyment and interest in what the item is and does. Instead, look at the property of an item and try to think of a fun and interesting way to describe its effect rather than just saying, "You get Eladrin Boots."
3 - Adopt a Math Fix Solution
A lot of people claim that they have fun and that the math doesn't matter. And good for them. But the fact of the matter is that the math can get really out of whack, especially at higher levels. It can get to a point where a character only has about a 20% chance to hit and monsters have a 90% chance to hit. Now, if you think that's fun, again, good for you, but most people would find that a frustrating drag and an almost guaranteed TPK.
But there are relatively easy ways to fix this. I'm presenting one means of doing so however it is not the only means so I encourage people to do the research and find what works for them.
My solution is as follows:
Every character gets a +1 feat bonus to hit and to Fortitude, Reflex and Will at 5th-level. This bonus increases to +2 at 15th-level and finally to +3 at 25th-level. In addition, every character gains an untyped bonus of +1 to Fortitude, Reflex and Will at 21st-level.
All characters gain a +2 feat bonus to their lowest Non-AC Defence (NAD) at 1st-level. This bonus increases to +4 at 11th-level and +6 at 21st-level.
Epic NAD booster feats BANNED!
All characters gain the feat “Melee Training” for free, using their highest non-Strength statistic.
Masterwork weapons and implements are available. These items confer a +1 item bonus to attack rolls when used for an attack. Masterwork weapons and implements are not always magical, however magical weapons and implements are always masterwork.
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I take off one point in heroic and two in paragon. I haven't run or played in an epic game.
