What 4E is to me - my opinion - no you don't care! ;)

[Mathew_Freeman]

4E seems like the thou shalt edition to me.

The D&D gods say: Thou shalt forget spells....spells are no more. The long tradition of designing, or combing source books for unusual powers. The tradition and source of endless inspiration and creativity.....in the history of D&D you could count on the community creating 3 things, in all 3 editions: Monsters, Classes, Spells - not anymore, which I find a shame.

This I don't get. I see a whole bunch of spells for Wizards, and powers for other classes. I also see a House Rules forum full of people designing new spells, classes, monsters and other things - because now we have an excellent framework in which to set them that's easy to understand and balance from.

]The D&D gods say: Thou shall accept the clunky, arbitrary, and off-putting concept of the milestone. Yes it will encourage people to do "one more room", yes it makes people think in a metagame sense, which actively discourages an aura of fun, and flexibility that action points should encourage.

I thought the milestone was a good way to encourage gamers to keep going, rather than stop after a single encounter or two, personally. YMMV.

The D&D gods say: yes to exception based design, which can be fine, but in terms of monsters is what lead to the vast hordes of redundant monsters. Flinds were created because people did not feel there was a way to give gnolls special weapons....Lizard Kings were created because someone wanted a more powerful & evil boss lizard man. Both in 3e are completely unnecessary.

Again, not following you. 4e is, as far as I can see, MORE flexible in terms of creating new monsters - the DMG has a whole chapter on it.

Want flinds that have different powers to gnolls? Go for it! Create them!

Want a tougher Lizard man? Use the guidelines and create him?

Or are they unnecessary because they're already there? Not sure what you're driving at.

3E for all the people's complaints about rules lawyers, could really handle any effect you wanted to add. Template, class levels, CR bump up for special ritual, power replacement, Stat alteration...you name it.

Yes, it could. So can 4e.

4e feels very arbitrary.....it is because I say so.....which does not inspire me creatively. Maybe that will change. Perhaps I am too much the Nietzschian, because I do not like " Thou Shalts".

I think that you're confusing arbitrary with "focus on the fun and on enjoying the function of the game". I think we're coming back to the simulationist vs gamist discussion again - 4e concentrates on being a GAME first, and puts the PC's at the centre of the game, so that everything revolves around them. This is a huge shift from 3e, which emphasised system mastery and 'rules for everything'.

Personally, I like 4e much better - and it IS D&D, to me.

 

[vagabundo]

4e is definitely DND.

The differences between editions are minimal.

 

[howandwhy99]

Isn't this entire thread against the month long warning we were given?

And if you really have to ask, I don't consider anything with a d20 label D&D.

 

[Wormwood]

Okie doke.

Your opinions have been noted and filed.

Thank you,
the Internet.

 

[useridunavailable]

The D&D gods say: Thou shalt only be able to use thy magic items a limited number of
times a day, in a decision that while it may be balanced mechanically kills a more emotional sense of magic, and hurts those people that like a lot of little less powerful, but more quirky magic items.

If you read the magic items section and rules more carefully, you'll find that this is a mistaken impression. The rules say that you can only use magic item Daily powers a limited number of times per day. However, several (and I mean pretty many) of the magic items in the PHB have less powerful At-Will powers - probably along the lines of what you're "missing" - that can be used any number of times per day. Heck, a carpet of flying allows you to fly 6 as a move action at will. There's also nothing preventing you and your group from designing items that have in-between Encounter powers to emulate those you wish the game supported (and which it probably will at some point anyway).

 

[Ruin Explorer]

For ME, 4E is not D&D. And thats a shame.

I can understand that feeling. For me, 4E is "D&D", but it's not AD&D (which 3.XE, imho, was, despite it's name). It's similar enough to the original game and the basic feel and ideas to count as a "Dungeons and Dragons" game to me, but it's definately the same SORT of game that 1e-3.Xe were (imho! Will not flamewar!).