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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Remathilis" data-source="post: 5001279" data-attributes="member: 7635">Agreed. While I like (in concept) the option of covering a weakness with a strength (so a low-wis fighter doesn't have to be charm-bait) the scores are not balanced enough to make viable choices. Unless a score is prime/secondary, Con (Hp/Heal surges) trumps Str (melee basic), Dex (Init, range basic) trumps Int (knowledge skills) and Wis and Cha battle for redundancy (Intuition skills vs. Social skills). Yeah, while its much easier to track effects when they begin/end at the start/end of combat, it feels a bit like an old Final Fantasy game where the screen-shifts to "combat mode" and the whole game perspective changes. (I still can't figure out why I couldn't use a Phoenix down on Aeris, I did in combat 5 minutes ago...)What happened to magic items though, esp wondrous items and potions, is a travesty. The books were dry, boring lists of powers (class powers, magic item powers, monster powers, etc). Only the DMGs, IMHO, reach any level or readability. While spells and magic items have never really been all that readable, they didn't feel like they bulk of the book (even if they were), there was plenty of other interesting things to read.Kudos though for making things (mostly) clear. Too bad its at the cost of quirky charm and readability.The First is something that hurt my heart. While I know D&D has changed from 1974 to today, for almost all the years I played it (1992-today), certain things felt "familiar". Saving Throws (My Jesus Saves and Takes Half-Damage joke is now obsolete), Fireball d6/level, nine alignments, rolled Hp/level, Cure Light Wounds, even the concept of "spell slots" felt odd to be without. The latter seems tied to the concept of 4e's pacing. Earlier D&D searched slow and fought fast. 4e runs on the opposite; expanded set-piece combats punctuated by some minor dungeon-fluff in between. I especially hated WotC's "An encounter in every room" method of designing modules. Some of the best 4e adventures I ran was when there was one combat and lots of exploring, RP, and problem solving (most of which could be done in any edition). When I tried to run 4e by the spirit of the modules (lots of combat, skill challenges, and a dash of story) it felt hollow and boring. The above, with a few other arguments I won't get into here, is what ultimately drove me away from 4e.</blockquote>

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