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Message: <blockquote data-quote="DracoSuave" data-source="post: 5045190" data-attributes="member: 71571">Well, the simplicity of 4e has proven to be a winner, in my opinion.Before, it took a long time before 3e could put out new and interesting classes.  With the exception of psions and psionic warriors, there really was nothing at all until Oriental Adventures--the ball didn't get rolling until 3.5e came out with the Complete books.Fourth Edition, however, started bringing new classes out right away.  As a result, you have 18 different distinct classes in print, with more coming on the way.  As well, the Role system means that there's no need for specific classes on a team; each role has three or more different distinct options to fill it and so even if you're 'stuck playing the Leader' you have a lot of leeway on how to fill that role.Plus, some of the classes are very new and quite refreshing.  Warlord showed they were willing to stretch the system beyond the old confines of 'Martial characters deal melee, divine characters heal stuff, and arcane characters blast stuff, and bards suck at all three.'  Swordmage was an awesome way of making a gish unique and have its own shtick rather than being a hybrid that was ineffective if cool (I'm looking at you, duskblade).  Avenger is a concept that we haven't seen since Al-Qadim!  Warden, a nature tank Rawr!And the way that other classes work have proven to be full of flavor and made them distinct in a way 'rage 1/day' couldn't.  Barbarians, Bards, Sorcerers, Paladins, soon Monks and Assassins, they're no longer classes that are 'like this other class, but do the same thing different, but still the same.'  Now they do their own different thing, and revel in their uniqueness.How was all this possible?By making the system simpler, they made it modular.  Instead of marrying five different systems and hoping it all balances out, they simply used one system to resolve what you wanted to do, and made the differences in classes be 'What do you want to do?' rather than 'What game mechanic do you use to do what you want to do?'Easier to balance, and easier to create new stuff.That said, I did like, and still like 3rd edition.  However, 4th edition is a natural step in its evolution.  3rd edition was about unifying the core mechanics, and giving the players control over their character's abilities.  4th edition is about further unification, and giving DMs power over encounters.  While, as a mathematical study, 3rd edition's monsters are very intricate and interesting to examine... you can see how they got to each and every number!... 4th edition's monsters are more focused towards their goal in the game; challenges for players to defeat.  4th edition is more geared towards the experience of the game, rather than the mechanics of how to get there.</blockquote>

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