D&D 4E Not enough options in 4e?

[samursus]

As I have read through many different posts I have repeatedly come across the belief that there are not enough powers/feats/weapons/rituals/classes/races/magic items etc ... that there is not enough customization in 4e.

People must remember that the core rules are only the first set of core rules that will be coming out. There is just only so much they have room for in the first set of books.

Yes it would have been nicer to have more builds for each character, more Racial Feats, more potions , as in previous editions, some of these areas were much more populated. I think people have gotten used to the wealth of products that exist in 3E. This is a new edition rules set. They are mainly to provide a balanced place to start from.

4e is completely revamping many 3e concepts, so you cannot go in expecting "more 3e, just better". This is mainly (from others comments, I myself dropped 3.5 shortly after it came out) because 3e can't be fixed.

3e is a great game for many out there still, but it would have killed D&D as successful product line. Based completely on anecdotal evidence from the boards, most players these days are 30+. D&D is dying slowly but surely as the core demographic ages and fewer younger players join in. Plus add to the fact that many 30-somethings like myself left after 3.0/3.5 because we didn't have the time to invest that 3.5 required to DM. D&D used to be be HUGE with teen-agers and twenty-somethings. Nowadays there is competition from console-games and MMO's. The time-consuming, detail-based 3.5 just doesn't generally appeal to the short attention span of younger gamers.

I definitely understand why many are upset with the changes, but fortunately, the 3.5 edition will still live on, due to the the ton of stuff already released as well as the Pathfinder system and other 3PP's who will support it.

I am happy with 4e, as the changes have made it possible for me to play again (yes, I have play-tested the rules and find it WAAAAYYY easier and quicker to DM). And I am happy that D&D may now be around long enough for my nephews to enjoy it well into their 30's.

 

[Andur]

The "not enough options" comes from most classes having bottleneck of only 2 power choices for some levels.

Splat books should be to expand on core, not be necessary for diversity...

 

[Cadfan]

It has a lot to do with what types of options you're talking about. The people who say there aren't enough options in 4e usually fall into one of two categories.

1. Those making unfair comparison between 4e now and 3e at the height of its releases.

2. Those who are concerned about weapon/class/ability score pairings, rather than things like "how many different ways can I play a rogue?"

The first can be ignored. The second have a point, in that a ruleset where you can play a rogue who sneak attacks with a greatsword does have one option that 4e does not, but I think they're missing the forest for the trees.

 

[Rechan]

Each class has two "builds". A build is an ability stat is keyed off the power. (For instance, TWF keying of Strength, vs Archery keying off Dex).

Each "build" has two powers. (Two TWF powers, two Archery powers).

So you could have Four Different characters in the same class, who have picked different abilities.

The lack of choice comes to feats. Or how some classes don't have enough power differentiation (Wizards having more direct damage vs. controlling abilities, few powers that key off Wisdom, etc).

 

[Ktulu]

The "not enough options" comes from most classes having bottleneck of only 2 power choices for some levels.

Splat books should be to expand on core, not be necessary for diversity...

I guess I just wonder how many options existed before hand? I mean, with a ranger, you can do two weapon fighting or archery..in both 3.5 and 4. In 3.0 & 2e, you only did two-weapon fighting.

Spellcasting classes got the most options, but most took the same spells, anyway.

Same with the fighter, you could take all manner of feats, but the most common was greatsword w/ power-attack.


Ktulu

 

[drjones]

It depends what you need 'diversity' for. If you are having trouble making exactly the type of pc you want then more diversity in power choice would be nice (or you might just be being a grumpy-gus and looking for ways to cause problems) but if you just want to roll up 18 different varieties of thief to play with builds and exercise your rules mastery you will probably have to wait for quite a few more books to come out.

 

[malraux]

From what I've seen, some elements of the game feel more like a sample plater than a full meal. Certainly the epic destinies, somewhat the magic items, certainly the feats, especially the racial ones, the artifacts, etc. That said, I don't think that WotC is wrong to leave themselves room to expand. The game seems playable with the core books, there should be enough info to expand beyond the core books without more purchases, but future books will fill a specific niche rather than just redo what's already been done.