Oh wow. Countdown to Essentials

[fanboy2000]

There's a new article available to everyone (not just DDI subscribers), Countdown to Essentials that has some very interesting things to say...

Taking a cue from Player’s Handbook 3, we broke down the basic math of character classes in a similar manner. This time, though, we looked at eliminating daily powers and simplifying encounter powers. That approach would allow us to create a character class that is simpler to use while still offering a compelling array of choices during play.

We decided to embrace something similar to the old sub-class concept from bygone editions. The classes presented in Essentials are different takes on existing classes, ones that share a similar place in the Dungeons & Dragons world but that use different mechanics. By embracing this approach, we could produce a “new” fighter with new mechanics without having to change the existing fighter class. After all, plenty of people already play and enjoy the current fighter. Why mess with that?

We’ll go into more detail on the classes later. For now, think of the new approach as a tool that allows us to produce different progressions of powers and features within the same class.

Wow. I had thought that Wizards was simply going to give players "new builds." I.e. mostly new powers with some reprints of feats and such from other PHBs. Wow, was I wrong.

 

[OnlineDM]

Yes, this is going to be the topic of much speculation and concern for the next few months. I'm not worried about this ruining the game or anything like that, but I'm certainly curious to see what they come up with.

The business about making Wizard encounter powers deal damage on a miss is interesting, though. I guess they think the Wizard is underpowered, though I'm not sure why. The Wizard I played in my last campaign seemed fine - though I'll admit that I hardly ever used the encounter power I had chosen for him.

 

[chitzk0i]

We very carefully designed the new classes and added more options to the races in such a way that existing characters remain unchanged.

Emphasis mine. Stat choices confirmed?

 

[Aegeri]

Yes, this is going to be the topic of much speculation and concern for the next few months. I'm not worried about this ruining the game or anything like that, but I'm certainly curious to see what they come up with.

Same.

This basically made me go from utterly uninterested in essentials to curious. We are getting previews of essentials classes this month as well, so we won't be entirely left in the dark and the first is this Friday (The essentials Cleric). So we'll get a look at what they are changing.

 

[ppaladin123]

"This time, though, we looked at eliminating daily powers and simplifying encounter powers. That approach would allow us to create a character class that is simpler to use while still offering a compelling array of choices during play."

So, some (sub)classes won't even have daily powers anymore. This is a pretty large change.

 

[Katana_Geldar]

Yay! Dailies should be for casters, anyway!

 

[UngeheuerLich]

Maybe martial characters have some powers that can be augmented to dailies...

 

[Victim]

Considering that the power point system was one of the worst parts of PHB 3, I can't say that I'm enthused about further mechanics to change the mechanical structure of characters. I haven't seen too much praise online for the system where most characters will be using the same 'encounter powers' from level 1 (7 for battleminds) to 30.

Wizards already seem pretty strong without Miss stuff on their encounters. OTOH, it mentions changes to one category of wizard spells. Maybe they're only adding the Miss stuff to some of the generally weaker powers that only did damage.

 

[joebobodo]

Wizards already seem pretty strong without Miss stuff on their encounters. OTOH, it mentions changes to one category of wizard spells. Maybe they're only adding the Miss stuff to some of the generally weaker powers that only did damage.

I'm pretty sure that the encounter powers are the "category" that they are referring to. Sounds to me that all wizard encounter powers will be affected, but that that is the only big fundamental change to any existing class as is.

 

[Peraion Graufalke]

Considering that the power point system was one of the worst parts of PHB 3, I can't say that I'm enthused about further mechanics to change the mechanical structure of characters. I haven't seen too much praise online for the system where most characters will be using the same 'encounter powers' from level 1 (7 for battleminds) to 30.

That's a problem with the powers themselves, not the power point system which is fine in my experience. (I'm playing a level 10 ardent in a campaign.)