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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Alaxk Knight of Galt" data-source="post: 4422210" data-attributes="member: 4129"> <ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">AD&D:  Did not play </li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">2nd - AD&D:  Setting and Kits.  It really was a cool time for different settings;  Dark Sun, Spelljammer, Planescape, and on and on.  After you got out of settings, character options were very light.  Kits,WP and NWP provided some customization, but a fighters were pretty like all other fighters (mechanically speaking). </li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">3rd - D&D:  Character Build and Tactical Combat.  With feats, skills, class powers, prestige classes, and X/day powers, your character had a ton of options.  Managing these options took a great deal of planning. </li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">3.5 - D&D - 3.5:  Rise of the Adventure Path.  The character options were turned to 11, but the big shift was the 1-20 adventure paths that began to become popular;  Shackled City, Age of Worms, Savage Tides, War of the Burning Sky, etc.  </li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">4th - D&D:  Combat and Combat Role.  More then anything, the focus of 4th edition is on combat.  Almost all class powers are focused around it.  Building on the combat oriented nature of the rules, each class is told (at least in broad strokes) what it should be doing in battle and is given the tools to perform this function:  <ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Defenders mark (Combat and Divine Challenge)</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Strikers add extra damage dice to attacks (Sneak Attack, Hunters Quarry, Warlock Curse)</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Leaders (healers in disguise) allow uses of Healing Surges or virtual healing surges (Healing and Inspiring Word)</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Controllers are the area of effect masters.</li> </ul></li> </ul>Its interesting to see the evolution of the game.  From 2nd to 3rd, you saw the idea of character customization explode and the idea of tactical combat as the standard begin.  Kits are gone, replaced by a plethora of character options with feats, multi-class options, prestige classes, and a skill point system.  Attacks of opportunity, movement, flanking, and battlefield management became staples of DnD combat.From 3rd to 4th, you see the character options take a step back while the focus on tactical combat is really enhanced.  The skill system is vastly reduced, multi-classing is now minor, the prestige classes stop defining characters, and feat (individually) are reduced in power.  Battlefield roles define most powers and are at the core of the class.  A fighter will always be a defender, even if he multiclasses into Wizard.</blockquote>

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