I would like to respond to one of the subtopics regarding wizards and fighters over the past few pages, more as a general impression and reaction rather than something directed at any one individual. Class mechanics and class fantasy are often tied together but over the editions, both of these things have obviously changed for fighters and mages. And these mechanical changes, I suspect, reflect a shift in D&D culture that has been both for the better and worse for the wizard and fighter. And these changes have some fairly large impacts in the sort of play issues that we have been discussing. (Not entirely, but some.) Through the editions, fighters have lost a number of their advantages at the same time that wizards (and most other magic users) have lost their disadvantages or have had their advantages increased.
Fighters no longer gain followers and keeps. Both of these things are means by which the PC fighter could potentially exert a greater control over the breadth of the narrative world. It reflects them gaining secular (martial) power and resources at their disposal, much as the wizard gains cosmic power.
In contrast, wizards (and sorcerers) have bumped up from a d4 to a d6 HD at the same time the game has become less punitively lethal overall. Their slower leveling progression has been normalized with other classes without any offset losses. In 3rd Edition, they gained a ridiculous amount of bonus spells. Though this was taken back in 4-5e, spellcasters also gained rituals at this time. Spell failure in armor and such mostly stopped being a thing. AoOs are less of an issue. A number of groups I have played in or read about forget about spell interruption and such. Concentration is the primary spellcasting issue, when remembered. The primary losses are Save-or-Die and some spell nerfs. Spellcasting has on the whole become much easier and far more lucrative.
While some may rightfully say "yes, but when the game is played correctly...", I place greater value in praxis here. How are games commonly being played? I find that more informative. Because this does and will impact the reception of the game and its trajectory going forward.
Now, the justification for "improving" the ease and reliability of spellcasting was for the sake of fun. I think that's fair. And I do find it enjoyable myself. But these burdens were often explicitly used in the past to justify the scope of their cosmic power and "win button" limited resources. And there has not really been anything that offsets the loss of these burdens. The increased technologizing of magic - its industrial automation? - has overwhelmingly favored spellcasters in this game. Meanwhile, the fighter... (see above).
Just to be clear, likely to the disappointment of [MENTION=29398]Lanefan[/MENTION]
, I am not advocating here a return to the normal of 1e and AD&D. But I do think that the shift in the class fantasy, class mechanics, and advantages/disadvantages between spellcasting classes and the fighter over time do reveal an imbalance of consideration with the respective classes. And these changes do impact the sort of narrative control options at the disposal of the wizard and fighter across editions. 4e was undeniably a controversial autocorrective regarding this imbalance, but few would dispute that it presented the most even playing field over any edition. So I am at the very least sympathetic to 4e for what it accomplishes in that regard.
