Rules bits we already know

[Mark]

Updated with the latest gossip from the D&D seminar. Included links for that, and I'll try to be more thorough in the future in that aspect, though it's more work than it seems.

Someone's the Man!

 

[Atlatl Jones]

Although two PCs may serve the same role, they may do it in different ways. (Like fighters with different styles.) The roles are geared towards combat; a PC's non-combat aspects can differentiate him further.

He used a great analogy from 3e to explain what they mean by "roles." In 3e, the cleric is the only character who's really good at healing. He's part of the archetypal 4-character adventuring party. If you don't have a cleric, a bard or druid could make do as the party's healer, but wouldn't be nearly as good at it. In 4e, each class fits one of the major roles, and they're making sure that each fits that role equally well.

 

[Plane Sailing]

Another item from one of the threads that Someone linked to that is potentially very, very interesting

The PHB is due out in May; in April, we'll get Keep of Shadowfell, the preview adventure. It will have quickstart rules and pregens, so you can start playing right away. It will focus on how 4E will approach encounters differently, including noncombat encounters, social encounters, and dynamic battlefields.

4e approaching noncombat encounters?
4e approaching social encounters?

Bring it on! I've always felt that 3e really shortchanged all the encounters except for combat encounters; it will be very interesting to see what rules they may have come up with to support these things.

Cheers

 

[TarionzCousin]

It was mentioned that the sorceror will remain and will be quite 'different' from the mage / wizard.

I am thinking that that sorceror will kill the warlock and take his stuff. Warlock is the byproduct of dark powers or pacts, the sorceror is the by-product of dragon/outsider/whatever bloodlines. Sorceror just knows magic intuitively, the warlock has eldritch blast 'intuitively' as an 'at will' ability. In many ways, it makes sense to merge the two classes.

I hope so. That would be my character of choice...and a tiefling too (without a Charisma penalty, though).

But ultimately I agree with Oryan. I too DM Planescape, but I don't see the need for tieflings or aasimar as core races. Gnomes, however, were only barely cool when they were Eberron-style. Otherwise, they should just be holding up lanterns in front of dark houses.

 

[Gargauth]

Perhaps Warlock replaces Sorceror?

I've always thought this was why Warlocks were designed to begin with.

 

[Someone]

Bring it on! I've always felt that 3e really shortchanged all the encounters except for combat encounters; it will be very interesting to see what rules they may have come up with to support these things.

Cheers

I always felt that the obsession for twinked, combat monster characters was because in 3.X there's amost only combat. If the rules and publised adventures encourage other kind of encounters, I expect that people won't give so much importance to damage dealt per round, given that there'll be other opportunities to shine.

In fact, one of the reasons they moved away from resource management and spells per day was to make possible that every combat is meaningful - several monsters and mooks, environment having an important role, and making each battle a difficult challenge, etc. Hardly we'll ever have one of such combats in every dungeon room, so I expect a new take on adventures, with more challenges than just killing the orc with the pie - in fact, it's what Ive been trying to do for years, but the lack or shallowness of rules on anything else than killing made it dificult. I hope that changes with the new edition.

 

[Someone]

Updated with a bit of info from Mouseferatu's blog.

 

[RFisher]

4e approaching noncombat encounters?
4e approaching social encounters?

Yeah. I very much liked the sound of that as well.

 

[Someone]

Updated with info from last Design and Development: Monsters.

 

[qstor]

I think its certain that if the SW SAGA rules are a guide for 4e then skills points will disappear.

Mike