Stealing from 4e to use in other editions

[mhensley]

Even though I don't like 4e as a whole, there are some good ideas that I think are worth mining. For example, I like that most things can't see in the dark. That's easy to port to 3.x - just change dark vision to low light vision for most creatures. I also like that spells dealing with alignment are mainly gone. Again, that's pretty easy to implement as well - just remove spells like Detect Evil. What ideas have you stolen from 4e to use in earlier editions?

 

[Remathilis]

http://www.enworld.org/forum/genera...g-back-3-5-any-ideas-d-d-4th-edition-ify.html

 

[Plane Sailing]

I know that I would use

1. death/dying and death saving throw rules
2. critical hit rules
3. trained skill rules
4. 2 ability increases per four level rules

Cheers

 

[ExploderWizard]

I like the concepts of passive perception and insight. Its a great way to convey information to the player based on the capabilities of the character.

 

[avin]

- death/dying and death saving throw rules:
- critical hit rules
- trained skill rules
- 2 ability increases per four level rules

I would do these changes, too.

 

[mhensley]

- death/dying and death saving throw rules

I could see using something like that.

- critical hit rules

I've used these kinds of crits in basic D&D for a long time.

- trained skill rules

Could somebody explain these rules to me? I've only played 4e with the quick start rules and don't remember this.

 

[mhensley]

http://www.enworld.org/forum/genera...g-back-3-5-any-ideas-d-d-4th-edition-ify.html

Thanks, I didn't see that before.

 

[StreamOfTheSky]

It means there only difference between being trained and untrained is a +5 bonus, with no further levels of differentiation available, save increasing the stat the skill is based on or taking Skill Focus. Oh, and gaining levels, since you add half your HD.

I liked that in 3E you could be low level with a high modifier if you maxed ranks and took feats to improve a skill, high level with a poor modifier if you completely ignored the skill, and everything in between. It was also nice that level and ability score weren't of dire importantance out of the total modifier. I actually wish they were even less important still. If you like these things, you probably won't like 4E skills. If you don't like them and just want skills simplified (or dumbed-down, and yes they are!) 4E rules may be for you.

 

[TerraDave]

I know that I would use

1. death/dying and death saving throw rules
2. critical hit rules
3. trained skill rules
4. 2 ability increases per four level rules

Cheers

Also

-general feats every other level
-enough feats, or other options, for non-spellcasters
-"at will" options for spellcasters at level 1
-add con to hp for charecters at level 1
-some kind of self-healing (maybe reserve points or healing surges)
-de-mechanized alingment
-3.0 weapon sizes
-cut back on buffing items
-increase duration of some buffing spells
-remove other buffing spells
-don't die on save or die (1 hp, 0 hp, something else)
-ignore most monster spell-like abilities and traits
-make sure each monster has a few signature moves,
-more hp for "non-minion" low level monsters (maybe not full con)

 

[Janx]

Iron Heroes and 4e seemed to have a feature where the magic user could cast an attack spell repeatedly (no limits) in much the same way a fighter could keep swinging his sword, or an archer could keep shooting arrows.

The gist was, a mage could cast magic missle 1-3 times per day for 2-5 damge, then be screwed. Whereas everyone else could keep doing things in their domain of cool.

To improve this, I'd consider a rule where a magic user can choose a spell of "rapid" casting time, that they can cast without limit (1 per round, we're talking no daily limit). If it wasn't too unbalanced, I'd consider letting the magic user choose 1 spell per caster level (thus at 3rd level, have 3 unlimited spells).

By "rapid" I mean spells with instant casting times (within the round's action). This should lock it down to useful spells, hopefully not too abusive.

Math would need to be done, to test how comparable the best spells being cast every round would be to a fighter of the same level..etc.

However, something in the vein of more spell casting of certain types would help wizards, especially at low level.