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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Riastlin" data-source="post: 5513247" data-attributes="member: 94022">Like it or not, Essentials wasn't a new edition, but rather an add-on to the current edition.  It was designed to work fully with the current edition, meaning that it was a lot easier, and quicker, to design than a full blown new edition. That being said, I do think its likely that if they have not actually started on 5th ed. yet, that they are at the very least getting ready to.  I'm sure that a lot of what they are doing right now is trying to gather opinions and feedback on essentials as well as 4ed "Original" and using that feedback to determine where to go from here. Getting back on point to the OP though, I do like the idea of more general powers.  I see no reason why a Fighter should be able to Cleave but a Barbarian cannot.  Perhaps there are Barbarian specific powers (or maneuvers or whatever you want to call them) that are preferable to Cleave, but I certainly think certain powers could be rolled into a general pool.  In fact, I think this would be a good way to redefine the power sources.  I think that the whole "power source" concept of 4ed is more or less failure as for the most part it doesn't mean anything.  Sure there are a few feats, PPs and ED's that are power source specific, but for the most part, there's no real reason for them in 4ed.  With the new edition, each power source could have its stable of standard powers/attacks/whatevers that any character with access to that source can use or pick from.  Each class then would also have its own class-specific powers as well.  Commander's Strike seems perfect for a warlord, but not so much for a rogue for example.   While I would love to see a reduction in bloat, I just don't think it will really happen (other than that at first there will obviously be fewer options).  The fact of the matter is that WotC (and Hasbro) are in the business of making money, and one of the best ways to accomplish that is to keep coming out with new products -- be it DDi updates, new hardcovers, softcovers, whatever.  DDi (in theory anyway) becomes a lot less valuable if it only brings you the VTT (which a lot of groups don't need) and the other e-Tools as opposed to bringing you Dragon and Dungeon articles that will invariably include new feats, powers, etc. I personally would like to see a codification of the old craft/profession type skills from 3.x.  I think 4ed kind of did a disservice by eliminating them completely with the saying "if you want to be a blacksmith, then you are".  However, I think the better way to approach these would be to create a separate pool of skills points/trainings for these in addition to the more standard skills that we have.  In 3.x a lot of players were hesitant to invest too much in something like Perform or Profession because realisitically, it was unlikely that these skills would come into play more than a few times per campaign.  Skills like Perception, Insight, Stealth, Arcana, etc. though are almost sure to be regular features in most campaigns.  As a result most players would concentrate on those because they get a bigger return on investment.   Other than that, I think those are my main wishes.  I think 4ed did a lot right.  I like the broader array of choices for all characters.  I like that the classes are much better balanced now.  I like that the standard combat for the standard group includes 5 monsters or more rather than 1.   There are minor tweaks needed to combat of course, but those are fairly minor.  I do like conditions, but I agree that perhaps we could combine a few and make it easier to remember and identify them.  Solos still need work (primarily with dealing with status affects), and minions could use some added beef (not a lot, but a little).  I don't even really mind hour long combats so long as the combats remain interesting throughout.  The new monster damage has gone a long way toward addressing this, so even this issue is better than it use to be.</blockquote>

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