D&D 4E Non-combat 4e stuff

[MerakSpielman]

I haven't been following the 4e news that closely. Read the rules primers, a bit here and there...

It seems most of what has been leaked so far has been the combat stuff. Which of course has set of choruses of "4e is a combat-oriented slugfest" in a couple of places. Well, I'm sure the developers worked hard on the mechanics and were itching to show them off.

But the real test of 4e is, in my mind, how much non-combat stuff is included. Utility spells, skills, social rules (loose ones of course, but I want a framework of some sort), and so on.

Have any of those things been leaked or hinted at?

disclaimer: If this is badly retrodden ground, please forgive the post! I just want to fill in anything I've missed, NOT start another "4e is a combat-oriented slugfest" debate!

 

[EricNoah]

I think there is a lot to be learned in the non-combat arena...

... what is the MM mix of creatures -- from a world-building point of view?
... what's the deal on rituals -- there could be plot/adventure-creation, world building and other considerations here.
... do we really know what is going on with alignment? And could it easily be replaced by an "alegiances" or similar system?

 

[FireLance]

This thread has some details on the 4e skill system previewed at D&D XP.

 

[AZRogue]

Here's the key:

The previous versions of DnD have supported both the "kick in the door" style of play as well as the "deep-immersion" style of play, as mentioned in the 3E DMG. Most people fall somewhere in the middle.

Will 4E support the deep immersion side of things? Not from what we've seen so far. Not by several orders of magnitude. But that's because we've mostly seen the kick in the door style highlighted in playtests and at the convention. This doesn't mean that it's all there is to the game. I don't think it's time to sound the air raid sirens, but it would go a long way towards making people feel better if WotC revealed something from the "immersion" end of the spectrum.

Are you there, Scott? Could The Rouse arrange for a blog post or article or something that highlights how and in what way 4E supports "Deep-Immersion Storytelling", as previous editions did?

 

[I'm A Banana]

I don't think it's time to sound the air raid sirens, but it would go a long way towards making people feel better if WotC revealed something from the "immersion" end of the spectrum.

Yes.

Dungeon crawls and combat are essential and important, but where's the rest of the game?

 

[fafhrd]

Yes.

Dungeon crawls and combat are essential and important, but where's the rest of the game?

Where was the rest of any other version of the game? I don't get it.

 

[I'm A Banana]

Where was the rest of any other version of the game? I don't get it.

Did I say anything at all about any other version or any other game?

I want the rest of 4e. I don't believe this is all there is. If it is, I will be pretty disappointed, and I'll be looking for a different game that better fits my needs.

 

[Kabol]

This is what alway s confuses me ... I hear time and time again that 4E doesn't support a "role-playing" ..

I don't get that at all, see - Me, and my group never needed rules to role-play, you don't need charts or rolls.. or wtf ever else it is you guys seems to think you need to have "deep immersion"

Please someone explain to me how having a solid combat system has anything to do with every other part of the game ... Where you don't need rules. Or how having rules, where you need them - some how means that they don't care/want you do play the parts where .... again, you don't need rules.

It just seems silly to me, all you guys geting all bent out of shape cause the combat rules are the main focus of the book. Combat is really the only place you need rules - everywhere else, they are not needed.

 

[Guild Goodknife]

This is what alway s confuses me ... I hear time and time again that 4E doesn't support a "role-playing" ..

I don't get that at all, see - Me, and my group never needed rules to role-play, you don't need charts or rolls.. or wtf ever else it is you guys seems to think you need to have "deep immersion"

Please someone explain to me how having a solid combat system has anything to do with every other part of the game ... Where you don't need rules. Or how having rules, where you need them - some how means that they don't care/want you do play the parts where .... again, you don't need rules.

It just seems silly to me, all you guys geting all bent out of shape cause the combat rules are the main focus of the book. Combat is really the only place you need rules - everywhere else, they are not needed.

QFT

And could someone please elaborate how previous versions of D&D supported "Deep-Immersion Storytelling" mechanically?

 

[fafhrd]

Did I say anything at all about any other version or any other game?

I want the rest of 4e. I don't believe this is all there is. If it is, I will be pretty disappointed, and I'll be looking for a different game that better fits my needs.

We've seen a small glimpse of the combat system. We've gotten some reports on the skills contest system. We know that there will be rituals to facilitate 'peace time' fantasy features. Everything else has always resided in the head space of the players. What are you hoping to see?