Now that 4e is out, are you into it or sticking with a prior edition?

[Mercurius]

When 3e came out, I don't remember lots of 2e hold-outs; it seemed that the general, if not complete, consensus was that 3e was superior to 2e in almost every way, and represented a significant upgrade in the core game structure (especially seeing as D&D had, finally and inevitably, evolved changed to a core mechanic). But now, with 4e out, I have noticed a lot of resistance. It seems that more folks are sticking with the previous edition this time around than last.

So what about it? Are you happy to move on with the flow of D&D evolution? Or do you see 4e as a step in the wrong direction, and are sticking with 3e? Or did you never stop playing 2e or 1e, or have decided to go back?

I'm also interested in hearing the whys and whats. I am buying 4e, but haven't played in a few years--I didn't upgrade to 3.5e--but am tentatively thinking about getting a game together some time in the future, if my life permits it. So while I want the latest edition of D&D, I'm trying to get a sense of how 4e differs from previous editions (partially 3 and 3.5), mainly through why some people aren't changing with the times.

Polls can be misleading, but I'll throw one in here just to get some numbers to look at.

 

[Piratecat]

Sagiro's 3.5 game is sticking with 3.5. We're 17th level, and the campaign has another 3-5 years of life left in it even though it started back before 3e was launched. 4e conversion is too tough for our heroes, though, so for that game we're sticking with 3.5.

My 3.5 game (also started back in 2e) is drawing to a close, with maybe ten or fewer session left now. My next campaign will be 4e.

 

[Fallen Seraph]

I am going with 4e. 3e and 3.5 I only DMed/played reluctently since it was what the majority of the group wished to play. I found it hard to make up characters (especially when it came to skills and multiclassing) and the rules in general just felt to bogged down, or lacking options in other areas.

Now with 4e, I can actually design the characters I want (especially thanks to the changes in skills and multiclassing) and now that the rules are much more properly put together and evenly spread out, I find it much easier to design adventures.

Skill Challenges alone, are wonderful for highly-tense and dramatic scenes.

 

[Brennin Magalus]

I am remaining within the realm of 3e.

 

[Samurai]

Our current campaign will most likely be sticking with 3.5 for now. I may suggest running a 4.0 game as well, though the other players in the game didn't seem very eager for 4.0 before it came out, and I'm not even sure how many will end up buying it. I think it'll probably be several weeks before we decide whether to start a 4.0 game parallel to the current campaign or not. If we did so, it'd mean putting the Star Wars game on hiatus.

 

[stonegod]

Finished running Age of Worms after 2.5 yrs in 3.5. Playing Savage Tide in 3.5. That game will keep going.

Next game I run likely be 4E, and a new DM in town is running 4E.

So, a bit of both.

 

[korjik]

The fact that it is not back compatible means I will be sticking with 3.5 for at least a while.

Even after I clear out the current campaigns, I am still not excited about 4e. My first impressions of 4e are not good.

 

[Mercurius]

(Weird: there were three replies before I even finished the poll--I didn't know you could do that).

A two-part question for anyone: My sense is that 4e levels are more evened out, with characters starting at a higher power level but not advancing quite as quickly? Secondly, what if you want "off-the-farm" type characters? It was barely possible in previous editions, but what about 4e? Are they going to resurrect 0-level characters?

(Remember that from the original Greyhawk Adventures, the first 2e-compatible product if I remember? One of the greatest covers ever, btw).

 

[jdrakeh]

I'm sticking with Basic for now but the only reason that I'm not playing 4e too is that I can't afford the rule books, currently. I hate being unemployed! I saw a whole rack of the core books today and, for the first time in over a year, I can't afford to buy a single RPG book

 

[Fallen Seraph]

(Weird: there were three replies before I even finished the poll--I didn't know you could do that).

A two-part question for anyone: My sense is that 4e levels are more evened out, with characters starting at a higher power level but not advancing quite as quickly? Secondly, what if you want "off-the-farm" type characters? It was barely possible in previous editions, but what about 4e? Are they going to resurrect 0-level characters?

(Remember that from the original Greyhawk Adventures, the first 2e-compatible product if I remember? One of the greatest covers ever, btw).

While they do start off technically "higher power" I think this is purely subjective. 4e parties are still routinely slaughtered by bands of kobolds and goblins, so they certainly aren't ones that laugh at death and kill everything around them.

If your someone who is less welcoming of powers that sound less-ordinary, then I'd say simple refluffing would work, ie: Fey-Step, simply becomes a long-distance shift, with the Eladrin being able to run fast and dodge blows that come their way.