Should 4th ed be point and level based?

[Vigilance]

But those things aren't necessarily good things as automatic advancement of bab, saves and hit points is one of the things that is usually under attack from people who want NPCs who are skilled at something but don't have lots of hit points or bab.

And I contend that the people who complain about those things are not D&D's target audience anyway.

I think the problem is that many d20 players have picked up on the vibe of Ryan Dancey's dream, that d20 would become the "one system to rule them all".

I personally like point based systems when Im in the mood for a really complex game where the characters should defy archetypes, and when I get in the mood for them, I grab my GURPs Time Travel book and play GURPs.

I have no more desire to see d20 become more GURPs-like than I would like to see GURPs become more D&D-like.

Why can't we just let the games be what they are with their own strengths and weaknesses, rather than blending all systems together into a bland mash that has none of the strengths of ANY of the games it borrows from?

Chuck

 

[Geron Raveneye]

Why can't we just let the games be what they are with their own strengths and weaknesses, rather than blending all systems together into a bland mash that has none of the strengths of ANY of the games it borrows from?

Chuck

I simply have to agree with this.

 

[Aus_Snow]

..and it is, "lack of money".

Availability also comes into it. I have to specifically order d20 System books.

Here's the thing: I know that there are good d20 System books. (I am endlessly frustrated that my FLGS seems incapable of ordering Necromancer Games products). However, bad experiences with the d20 System books I have been able to get have made me extremely cautious about getting more.

If I lived in Melbourne, I'd have a better collection.

Ah, gotcha. Yeah, Melbourne's got the lot.

Unfortunately for me, my FLGS has mostly WotC and nWoD books, plus bulk miniatures of various flavour. Hrm, and little else RPG-wise. They do get the odd other thing in, particularly Mongoose gear. Their reasoning is beyond me, given that quite a lot of the books they do stock don't sell. . . at all.

I tend to buy books from a particular publisher (rather than author) because I find the editing and development side of things is quite important.

Same here, though not necessarily always for the same reasons. And probably not often (if ever) the same publishers, but hey, I know basically where you're coming from here.