WayneLigon
Adventurer
I don't think we've had quite this same thread before. This is not for what you wish for in D&D 4E (or 3.75 or whatever the next major iteration of the game is called). This is what you think WOTC will put in it. What are the most likely changes?
Some form of revised actions-in-a-round mechanic, since they have created Swift and Immediate actions now; I think all that will be looked at again and simplified.
Some simplification of actions will occur. AoO will be dropped or made an optional rule. On the whole, I think we'll see the return of the 'optional rule' boxes from 2E, which offer simplified rules to speed play and character creation while leaving in the option for complicated rules to satisfy the gearheads and rules-lawyers.
How one makes magic items will be changed, and their prices will probably drop again. I suspect that many stat boosting items will be either much more expensive, harder to make, or might even disappear completely. I think we'll see a vastly simplified means of creating items; each spell will probably have it's 'item properties' in the spell listing itself for one-shot manufacure like scrolls and spells; the actual enchantment process will be about making that item permanent or charged.
Metamagic will change to some kind of more unified mechanic for manipulating the parameters of a spell; hopefully it will be more like Arcana Unearthed with it's ability to split and merge spell slots and the like. I strongly suspect that only Wizards (and perhaps Cleric) will get this ability.
Skills will be consolodated some. I think we'll see a Mearls-like skill-class buy system, or abandoning skill ranks ala the new Star Wars system (or that being brought forward as an option in the core book).
Classes
I predict that prestige classes will either disappear or be so radically changed that they might as well disappear. If I had to guess, they'll be replaced by the Organizations method we've seen recently, or dropped for an entirely different system. I don't see the concept (but very likely the implementation) being dropped entirely, since it is a way to fill up a book.
I think we'll see much, much more in the way of substitution levels or - perhaps - a means of changing out 'equal level' class features. We'll see many class features turned into feats or feat-like systems. Some may be restricted, some might not be. Every other level you'll get a 'class feature' you can add. A rogue might add 'Sneak Attack' or he might add 'Acrobatic Genius' (+3 to all Acrobatic Skills, ability to bypass some form of barriers or rough terrain, etc) or 'Silver Tounge' (+3 to all Diplomatic skills, +10% for reselling items, etc). Stuff like that. You'll have class-restricted (yes, I think we'll still have classes, since this is a list of what we'll probably see rather than what I'd do ) options, and some wide open. I think that some previously protected class abilities will be open to the general populace.
I don't think we'll go all the way to 'talent trees', but we'll have more ways of substituting one class ability for another (like we see in PHB II; for instance, a paladin can substitute his ability to gain a mount for the ability to add to his Smite Evil damage.) This might spell death for the Barbarian (since the major difference between him and a fighter or ranger is that Rage ability and the hit dice), as well as several of the secondary classes. Substitute a Ranger's spell ability for [x number of certain abilities] and you have the Scout].
I see people getting more feats. Maybe not a feat-a-level but I think certainly every other level is anot beyond the realm of possibility.
I think we'll see the death of the d4 hit die. Fighters will have d12 and maybe some other add to hit points or defences to make sure they stay the pre-eminant melee class.
In other words, we'll see even more in the way of options and customization than we have now. We'll also see prebuilt level 1-20 class archetypes for people who want some beer-and-pretzel dungeon bashing on a rainy afternoon rather than a real campaing. Character creation for those, start to finish: 5 minutes. It basically devolves to the decision 'do I take climbing gear or a mule?'.
Spells
I think we'll see a complete, total reworking of any form of shape-changing or shape-assumption that basically nerfs it to the point that nobody will ever bother with it ever again. People will make fun of druids that can only turn into perfectly normal animals at a quarter their normal hit ponts.
I think that we'll see the complete end of 'no save' or 'always hit' spells except modified perhaps as some exceptionally powerful Class Ability ('Spellcaster Class Ability, 15th level - Mind Mastery: All your Mind Affecting spells add +10 to the DC'). Everything will have a way of being resisted or deflected, though even those will be changed; there won't be any more 'absolute defences' either (Martial Artist Class Ability - Iron Mind: Add +5 to resist all Mind-Affecting Spells). I think we'll see some other mechanic introduced to replace anti-magic shell, dispel magic, and similar meta-magic abilities.
I think we'll see the end of spell components as we know them. Arcanists will have an 'arcane focus' like a dagger or staff, much as a cleric has a 'divine focus'. Some spells may still require components above and beyond the basic, but they'll be rare.
I think we'll see some major changes to monsters, even more so than in 3.0/3.5. The shape and extent of those, though, I can't guess.
Some form of revised actions-in-a-round mechanic, since they have created Swift and Immediate actions now; I think all that will be looked at again and simplified.
Some simplification of actions will occur. AoO will be dropped or made an optional rule. On the whole, I think we'll see the return of the 'optional rule' boxes from 2E, which offer simplified rules to speed play and character creation while leaving in the option for complicated rules to satisfy the gearheads and rules-lawyers.
How one makes magic items will be changed, and their prices will probably drop again. I suspect that many stat boosting items will be either much more expensive, harder to make, or might even disappear completely. I think we'll see a vastly simplified means of creating items; each spell will probably have it's 'item properties' in the spell listing itself for one-shot manufacure like scrolls and spells; the actual enchantment process will be about making that item permanent or charged.
Metamagic will change to some kind of more unified mechanic for manipulating the parameters of a spell; hopefully it will be more like Arcana Unearthed with it's ability to split and merge spell slots and the like. I strongly suspect that only Wizards (and perhaps Cleric) will get this ability.
Skills will be consolodated some. I think we'll see a Mearls-like skill-class buy system, or abandoning skill ranks ala the new Star Wars system (or that being brought forward as an option in the core book).
Classes
I predict that prestige classes will either disappear or be so radically changed that they might as well disappear. If I had to guess, they'll be replaced by the Organizations method we've seen recently, or dropped for an entirely different system. I don't see the concept (but very likely the implementation) being dropped entirely, since it is a way to fill up a book.
I think we'll see much, much more in the way of substitution levels or - perhaps - a means of changing out 'equal level' class features. We'll see many class features turned into feats or feat-like systems. Some may be restricted, some might not be. Every other level you'll get a 'class feature' you can add. A rogue might add 'Sneak Attack' or he might add 'Acrobatic Genius' (+3 to all Acrobatic Skills, ability to bypass some form of barriers or rough terrain, etc) or 'Silver Tounge' (+3 to all Diplomatic skills, +10% for reselling items, etc). Stuff like that. You'll have class-restricted (yes, I think we'll still have classes, since this is a list of what we'll probably see rather than what I'd do ) options, and some wide open. I think that some previously protected class abilities will be open to the general populace.
I don't think we'll go all the way to 'talent trees', but we'll have more ways of substituting one class ability for another (like we see in PHB II; for instance, a paladin can substitute his ability to gain a mount for the ability to add to his Smite Evil damage.) This might spell death for the Barbarian (since the major difference between him and a fighter or ranger is that Rage ability and the hit dice), as well as several of the secondary classes. Substitute a Ranger's spell ability for [x number of certain abilities] and you have the Scout].
I see people getting more feats. Maybe not a feat-a-level but I think certainly every other level is anot beyond the realm of possibility.
I think we'll see the death of the d4 hit die. Fighters will have d12 and maybe some other add to hit points or defences to make sure they stay the pre-eminant melee class.
In other words, we'll see even more in the way of options and customization than we have now. We'll also see prebuilt level 1-20 class archetypes for people who want some beer-and-pretzel dungeon bashing on a rainy afternoon rather than a real campaing. Character creation for those, start to finish: 5 minutes. It basically devolves to the decision 'do I take climbing gear or a mule?'.
Spells
I think we'll see a complete, total reworking of any form of shape-changing or shape-assumption that basically nerfs it to the point that nobody will ever bother with it ever again. People will make fun of druids that can only turn into perfectly normal animals at a quarter their normal hit ponts.
I think that we'll see the complete end of 'no save' or 'always hit' spells except modified perhaps as some exceptionally powerful Class Ability ('Spellcaster Class Ability, 15th level - Mind Mastery: All your Mind Affecting spells add +10 to the DC'). Everything will have a way of being resisted or deflected, though even those will be changed; there won't be any more 'absolute defences' either (Martial Artist Class Ability - Iron Mind: Add +5 to resist all Mind-Affecting Spells). I think we'll see some other mechanic introduced to replace anti-magic shell, dispel magic, and similar meta-magic abilities.
I think we'll see the end of spell components as we know them. Arcanists will have an 'arcane focus' like a dagger or staff, much as a cleric has a 'divine focus'. Some spells may still require components above and beyond the basic, but they'll be rare.
I think we'll see some major changes to monsters, even more so than in 3.0/3.5. The shape and extent of those, though, I can't guess.
