D&D 4E What Changes Do You Hope They Make To The 4E Rules?

[TerraDave]

One change that could happen, should happen, and is in SAGA:

3.0 weapon sizes.

And if they do that, it will tell me they are doing other things right.

 

[Thornir Alekeg]

I'd much rather see a "per encounter" system of spells rather than "per day"

Please no! I would much prefer a spell point system over something that is so obviously oriented to combat. Please don't forget that not every spell is cast during an "encounter."

 

[Kunimatyu]

Please no! I would much prefer a spell point system over something that is so obviously oriented to combat. Please don't forget that not every spell is cast during an "encounter."

I'd be okay with a hybrid MP/expended powers thing, but the simplest route is probably MP.

Also, I really hope a lot of the higher level spells get nerfed or simply disappear forever. Improved Invisibility, for example, is vastly more powerful than most things you'd ever see in a CRPG, and makes it almost impossible to properly balance fighters and magic-users.

 

[Lord Zardoz]

My wishlist

- Tactical scale chase rules
- Integration of Swift and Immediate Actions
- Less reliance on magical items (characters should be able to improve on their own)
- less need to rest after every fight just because Blaster Mc Magic user blew his wad.
- Small characters with Movement of 30
- Better handling of size differences (small weapons from 3.5 are not very good)
- Better multi-classing for spell casters (Bab, Hp, and Saves work. Caster level does not)
- Reserve feat equivalent to core rules to allow casters to benefit from not burning all spells.
- Better Turn Undead rules
- More use of opposed rolls for skills
- Less reliance on persistent buffing
- Less bonuses to high level attacks and saves to allow the randomness range to matter
- Upscaling of damage rolls from weapons rather than flat bonuses (I would rather see a longsword master doing 3d10 damage than 1d8+20 as an extreme example)
- Cross Class skills (let each class choose their own class skills. Is it really game breaking for a Fighter to have a maxed Hide / Move Silently skill?)

Things worth keeping
- Attacks of Opportunity
- Bab / Ac system
- Touch AC

END COMMUNICATION

 

[Greg K]

I'm just the opposite. I don't like a lot of base classes. However, one option would be to have one "class" with 1/2 BAB and 1d6HP or whatever, and all special abilities would take the form of feats and talents. However, feats and talents would cost you things like hit points and BAB. So fore example, to cast spells, you'd need to get the right feats and talents, which would cost you HP, BAB, and maybe your Fort save.

Or something like that. It's a neat idea, but it'd be complicated too.

See, I was thinking six classes

1. Adept: Choose a style of casting arcane, divine, nature, spirit

2. Expert

3. Warrior:

4. Physical Adept: an expert/adept combo (e.g., bard, beguiler): choose style of casting

5. Warrior Adept: a warrior/ adept combo (paladin, ranger, battle sorcerer, duskblade)choose style of casting

6. a class that combines expert and warrior (e.g, scout, swashbuckler, martial artist)

 

[Greg K]

Please no! I would much prefer a spell point system over something that is so obviously oriented to combat. Please don't forget that not every spell is cast during an "encounter."

Completely agree. I dislike per encounter just as much as per day

 

[Aus_Snow]

Just these, thanks: Adept, Rogue, Warrior. I truly hope they go that way.

Or Mage, Priest, Rogue and Warrior, if they feel irresistibly compelled to do so.

 

[Hjorimir]

As the hours pass, I've thought more on what I'm hoping for:

- Stats as modifiers (ala True20); why go through the trouble of converting 23 to +6, just call it a +6.
- Spell levels should reflect the level at which you can cast them; kill the 0-9 cow, make fireball a 5th-level spell, which would be far more intuitive
- Flatten the power of spellcasters (bump up power at low levels, tone down power at high levels)
- Make the rogue (or whatever you want to call it) a more capable fighter; I think rogues/bards should be 2nd-string fighters instead of the 3rd-string they are now (behind clerics and druids)
- Tone down the buffs and up the fun magic
- Kill, kill, kill PrCs; just expand talent trees (I'd be happy with fewer classes overall)
- Armor as DR
- Fold the skills; I'm optimistic of the SWSE skill system being used
- Less of a dependency on magic items; I love some of the ideas being tossed around for magic items (removing raw bonuses, a cost to activate, etc.) and I'd love to see magic items that grow with characters or behave differently based on the owner's level (ego, etc.)
- A stronger economic model (as others have said)
- I know WotC has already commented on it, but I want to say I'm very excited about any reduction of prep time; Less Work, More Fun!

 

[stonehill_troll]

It sounds like I just might get my wish (http://www.enworld.org/showthread.php?t=203395 ) since I want Dungeons & Dragons 4th Edition = Star Wars Saga Edition.

Yep it looks like a lot of you folks got your wish. I have no love for the ruleset within SW Saga, simplified skills, tougher 1st level, etc. not for me.

I "initially" very much liked Tome of Battle..., but once I got a chance to play it and seen it in play in the games I DM, I found it overpowered. Balance per encounter rules are not to my taste and thus it appears that 4th edition will not appeal to me. I very enjoy the challenges of resource management that is presented within 3.5.

I agree that the game needed some changes. Been DMing for almost 27 years, within 3.5 ruleset I found that game became awful to run around 10th level. It becomes a superhero game beyond that and worse at epic. I very much prefer grim and gritty type of game, thus the low-levels were ideal for my games. Uber powered PC at 1st levels no, that just starts the power escalation that much faster.

It appears to me that my D&D days end with 3.5.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

The thread title says it all. What changes do you hope they make to the 4E rules (compared to the 3.x rules)?

Familiars that don't suck.

Rules that don't unduly punish spellcasters who dare to multiclass.