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D&D 4E What Changes Do You Hope They Make To The 4E Rules?
- Thread starter Olaf the Stout
- Start date
Sundragon2012
First Post
Simia Saturnalia said:
I nearly spit my coffee all over my monitor reading this. Funny Sh*t!
I agree by the way.
Sundragon
aboyd
Explorer
Hear, hear! I want to do a single d20 roll, apply modifiers, and succeed or fail!jeffh said:
Would you (or anyone else) be kind enough to explain this to me? What is it, and why is it better?TerraDave said:
THANK GOD. SWSE seems to have been a recurring theme in this thread. I hope WotC doesn't lose sight of that as it finalizes the books, but I also hope that basing some gamplay aspects on SWSE doesn't restrict additions/improvements that make sense.WotC_Dave said:
Dougan Axehammer
First Post
(This would save me a bunch of hassle.)
Overhaul the economic system in D&D, basing prices on average trade value instead of demand or occupation (would be nice to see some values for natural resources such as land, leather or wood; or "recipes" and difficulties for the craft checks)
Add some flavor items to the equipment lists (e.g. herbs and spices, color pigments)
Move profession to the list of feats (many professions require or include various skills)
Move weapons to the skill list as weapon groups (e.g. one-handed swords) for better customization
Use rules for skill specialization, so that character with 3 ranks in one-hand swords could specialize with long swords (as seen in the DnD Archive website; no link sorry folks)
Change cooking and brewing (could be subbed for alchemy) to separate craft skills
Create new skill mechanic for harvesting crops (or something similar)
Divide survival into navigation and tracking (do away with the tracking feat)
Challenge ratings, encounter levels, and experience rewards for non-combat situations; not every "experience" needs to involve attacking someone or disarming a trap
Determine hit-points by race instead of class, and use a level-based damage reduction determined by class (similar to BAB)
Eliminate or reduce level-based wealth and treasure rewards
Use armor as a means of damage reduction instead of armor class; heavily armored knights should be easier to hit the wearer, but harder to damage
(Shields could be used for both armor class and damage reduction)
Mainstream armor hit points to make craft-skills more fundamental
Replace arcane spell failure by applying the check penalty to spellcraft as well as other skills
Make weapons with piercing as a subtype (e.g. picks) more versatile by allow armor penetration to overcome damage reduction
Change spellcasting to use spellpoints instead of spells per day; determine spells known with the same mechanic used for wizard's spellbooks (i.e. a few cantrips, a first level spell or two and bonus spells from his Int mod)
(Alternatively, you could use skill points to "buy" spells per level with lower spells as prequistes, like feats)
Use Cha/Pre as the ability modifier for spellcraft
The feat Spell Preparation (read: Arcane Preparation) allows the caster to prepare "unknown" spells from books and scrolls that he possesses (which could make spell books valuable again)
Use Domains as feats in the style of UA wizard domains (e.g. conjuration) and add Domain Power feat to get powers based on the domains
Use mechanics for Honor, Taint, and Insanity instead of Alignments
Switch to a hex-based tactical map
KEEP
Base attack bonus
Saving Throws
Attacks of Opportunity
Facing
Immediate Action, Partial Action and Full action
Rotating Initiative
Overhaul the economic system in D&D, basing prices on average trade value instead of demand or occupation (would be nice to see some values for natural resources such as land, leather or wood; or "recipes" and difficulties for the craft checks)
Add some flavor items to the equipment lists (e.g. herbs and spices, color pigments)
Move profession to the list of feats (many professions require or include various skills)
Move weapons to the skill list as weapon groups (e.g. one-handed swords) for better customization
Use rules for skill specialization, so that character with 3 ranks in one-hand swords could specialize with long swords (as seen in the DnD Archive website; no link sorry folks)
Change cooking and brewing (could be subbed for alchemy) to separate craft skills
Create new skill mechanic for harvesting crops (or something similar)
Divide survival into navigation and tracking (do away with the tracking feat)
Challenge ratings, encounter levels, and experience rewards for non-combat situations; not every "experience" needs to involve attacking someone or disarming a trap
Determine hit-points by race instead of class, and use a level-based damage reduction determined by class (similar to BAB)
Eliminate or reduce level-based wealth and treasure rewards
Use armor as a means of damage reduction instead of armor class; heavily armored knights should be easier to hit the wearer, but harder to damage
(Shields could be used for both armor class and damage reduction)
Mainstream armor hit points to make craft-skills more fundamental
Replace arcane spell failure by applying the check penalty to spellcraft as well as other skills
Make weapons with piercing as a subtype (e.g. picks) more versatile by allow armor penetration to overcome damage reduction
Change spellcasting to use spellpoints instead of spells per day; determine spells known with the same mechanic used for wizard's spellbooks (i.e. a few cantrips, a first level spell or two and bonus spells from his Int mod)
(Alternatively, you could use skill points to "buy" spells per level with lower spells as prequistes, like feats)
Use Cha/Pre as the ability modifier for spellcraft
The feat Spell Preparation (read: Arcane Preparation) allows the caster to prepare "unknown" spells from books and scrolls that he possesses (which could make spell books valuable again)
Use Domains as feats in the style of UA wizard domains (e.g. conjuration) and add Domain Power feat to get powers based on the domains
Use mechanics for Honor, Taint, and Insanity instead of Alignments
Switch to a hex-based tactical map
KEEP
Base attack bonus
Saving Throws
Attacks of Opportunity
Facing
Immediate Action, Partial Action and Full action
Rotating Initiative
JoeGKushner
Adventurer
1. Elimination of cross class skills.
2. More skill points.
3. More options from the core book in terms of what characters can and can't do with explanations being used in part role playing terms (background) and mechanical terms (what the abilities actually do.)
4. Elimination of % to stablizie.
5. Turning rules that follow rule #3. Turning shouldn't need feats to become specialized. It's a power source. Now what can be done with it from the core book?
6. Armor as DR. Despite the use of various types of armor class including touch, flat footed, and regular, it seems odd.
7. Hit Point negatives that change as your rise in level. No reason that a 20th level fighter should die at the same negative total that the 1st level fighter does.
8. Very simple list of core weapons with a few pages of 'equivilent' weapons so that GMs can quickly customize the weapon lists for their own game without needing pages and pages of game stats.
9. Moving of 'game breaking' spells to higher levels in the new 1-30 range (teleport, raise dead, etc...)
10. DMG must open the game system so that it supports multiple types of game play from high fantasy with low magic (Wheel of Time, Elric) to Sword and Sorcery style games (Conan, Fafrd, Historical) without needing complete redux for monster CR assumptions and magic item assumptions.
11. Elimination of random rolled hit points as default.
12. Elimination of random rolled game stats as default.
13. Higher survivability for low level characters. No pet, like a house cat, should be able to kill a 1st level mage.
14. Utility for low level characters. Low level characters should not get hit by a battle axe and have to rest for the day. They should not cast one spell and have to rest for the day.
15. Better explanations of starting character levels for various levels of gaming. The core rules have a very much "start at first level" feel. The DMG has to go into pages and pages of how to start characters at higher levels.
16. Make combat a skill.
17. Do something with saving throws. The game has many problems in the spell casting area where spells sometimes require a to hit roll, and a saving throw, and reduced effects, etc.... If you're hit by a fire ball, sucks to be you. Hope that armor protects you. You don't get to magically avoid the fire because you made a saving throw.
18. Core book builds on bogus fantasy by eliminating bard, druid, monk classes or makes those options you can build on the martial/skilled type characters.
19. Monsters that are simple to use and simple to understand. Monsters that professional designers can get right the first time to streamline the amount of screw ups that are fairly standard.
20. Reducation/elimination of different bonuses. Great idea in theory but never keept to a small enough pool to be very useful. "holy, luck, circumstance, etc..." blah. Either make them additive up to double the initiatl bonus or make it higher bonus with other bonuses coming in after durations expire.
21. Action Points that are meaningfull all the way to 30th level with abilities that increase as you raise in level with options to do more things with them but give players who 'hoard' them a reason to do so. (minor xp bonus, ability to turn them in when changing levels, etc...)
22. Elimination of the CR = XP. "Players should advance in levels every 13 challenging encounters or when the GM feels that they need to be a higher level to progress in the story." The time wasted adding xp, divinding by character levels, etc... is just that, wasted. True 20 did things right there.
23. Elimination of stats that follow a fomula for all stats and all classes or elimination of the stat and just the bonus. Why bother having a 3-18 scale when it could be a -4 to +4 scale? Less math = more fun. There is no reason going forward why WoTC shouldn't ape True 20 on this. "What's my bonus? I have a 17 strength. Is that +3 or +4. Well, -10, then divided by 2, then round down..." No. I have a +3 strength. What's my bonus? +3? Damn, that's simple!
24. Strength does not effect to hit rolls. To damage rolls, sure.
25. Favored Character Class: This becomes something that gives you a bonus when you stay it in, not encourages you to multiclass into other classes because you don't get an XP penalty. Stat bonuses in primary abilities, feat trees that require you be a certain level in the favored character class, etc...
26. Elimination of attacks of opportunity. Put them in an 'advanced' appendix alongside grappling, hit location tables, and other potentially useful, but game slowing mechanics.
27. Establish NPC classes that do not use the same rules as characters if the story doesn't call for it with rules on training for NPCs to explain their higher skill rolls, or provide numerous examples of how low level characters can be 'the best in the land' without being high level in terms of circumstance bonus, taking 20, skill focus feats, etc...
28. Redistribution of feats. No feats should obviously suck. Toughness, I'm looking at you. Dodge, I'm looking at you.
29. Talents/Birth Abilities: Only taken at first level gives the character a little 'oomph' in his field. Think Background options from Rolemaster.
30. More feat aquisition. One of the most annoying things about d20 is that that are thousands of feats but unless you're playing fifty characters at a time, you'll only get to use a handful of them.
31. More material on role playing and role playing styles in the Player's Handbook. Not in the Dungeon Maste'rs Guide. Not in some Dummies book. Not in the Player's Handbook II. In the core Player's Handbook. Provide numerous examples of such.
32. In terms of #10, alignments should go away and be retained as an option for 'classic' flavor. The game currently has far too many factors built into it to allow easily elimination of it. A new edition could provide alignment as option rules. So many game systems don't have alignment, and while it has it's charms, it's a lazy GM's tool to keep the players in line as opposed to the dreaded tools of psychological disadvantages or just trusting the players to trust each other.
33. Board Game Support: Basic D&D had several adventures that had great maps to go with them. I want some board games that come with adventure maps, all the necessary miniatures and customized GM screens for that adventure. I want it to serve double duty for my other fantasy games, and I want to be able to use them for my D&D miniature games.
34. Don't screw up the electronic support. Yeah, lots of big talk now but hell, I had a 3.0 PHB. I had the little demo disk that came with it. WoTC screwed the pooch on that one. Lots of promise, lots of potential with no good resolution and a lot of 3rd party support of various quality.
35. Electronic/PDF releases of books should cost 50% of the hardcopy of the book. They should also be updated frequently with errata, FAQ, and rules revisions, not relying on the original purchaser to make due or buy a compendium for the changed versions.
36. Restructure the way size works in the game. A horse is not a 10 by 10 creature. The miniatures for trolls, ogres, hill giants, fire giants, frost giants, etc... should not almost be identical in size. Dragons should not have to be made to look like they're taking a dump because if they were sized to fit on their base they'd look too small. Come up with new ways to work these tools.
37. Cross-reference your own books. GMs should not see five different feats that ALMOST do the exact same thing. WoTC has no problem repritning swift and immediate actions, don't worry if you reprint the luck feat instead of having the luck feat, the luck of the gods feat, the rogue's luck feat, etc... where each one does somethign different.
38. Cross-reference your own books Part II: Be aware of what's come out an be helpful editors and writers and put side bars into the books to note what 'mash ups' can result from what books and what should be disallowed based on flavor text, mechanical results, etc... Don't act like players are not potentially min-maxers and that GMs are wise sages there to handle WoTC inability to keep their own game straight.
39. Spell Resistance: Similair to saving throws. It's too huge a blanket and effects too much of the game. Provide ways for monsters to get around the 'big' effects that can get rid of them quickly without nerfing them. Fire giants for example, immune to fire. Works in it's own way. Something like DR for spells as opposed to an all or nothing and then the inevitable saving throws?
40. With the understanding that an abiliity is an ability is an ability, elimination of the whole ECL vs level vs CR vs racial hit dice. Some type of restructuring where playing a powerful monster doesn't cripple your options. Got the ability to use your power multiple times a day? Great. So does the monk, fighter, rogue, and other classes. They are not considered an ECL + hit dice effort.
2. More skill points.
3. More options from the core book in terms of what characters can and can't do with explanations being used in part role playing terms (background) and mechanical terms (what the abilities actually do.)
4. Elimination of % to stablizie.
5. Turning rules that follow rule #3. Turning shouldn't need feats to become specialized. It's a power source. Now what can be done with it from the core book?
6. Armor as DR. Despite the use of various types of armor class including touch, flat footed, and regular, it seems odd.
7. Hit Point negatives that change as your rise in level. No reason that a 20th level fighter should die at the same negative total that the 1st level fighter does.
8. Very simple list of core weapons with a few pages of 'equivilent' weapons so that GMs can quickly customize the weapon lists for their own game without needing pages and pages of game stats.
9. Moving of 'game breaking' spells to higher levels in the new 1-30 range (teleport, raise dead, etc...)
10. DMG must open the game system so that it supports multiple types of game play from high fantasy with low magic (Wheel of Time, Elric) to Sword and Sorcery style games (Conan, Fafrd, Historical) without needing complete redux for monster CR assumptions and magic item assumptions.
11. Elimination of random rolled hit points as default.
12. Elimination of random rolled game stats as default.
13. Higher survivability for low level characters. No pet, like a house cat, should be able to kill a 1st level mage.
14. Utility for low level characters. Low level characters should not get hit by a battle axe and have to rest for the day. They should not cast one spell and have to rest for the day.
15. Better explanations of starting character levels for various levels of gaming. The core rules have a very much "start at first level" feel. The DMG has to go into pages and pages of how to start characters at higher levels.
16. Make combat a skill.
17. Do something with saving throws. The game has many problems in the spell casting area where spells sometimes require a to hit roll, and a saving throw, and reduced effects, etc.... If you're hit by a fire ball, sucks to be you. Hope that armor protects you. You don't get to magically avoid the fire because you made a saving throw.
18. Core book builds on bogus fantasy by eliminating bard, druid, monk classes or makes those options you can build on the martial/skilled type characters.
19. Monsters that are simple to use and simple to understand. Monsters that professional designers can get right the first time to streamline the amount of screw ups that are fairly standard.
20. Reducation/elimination of different bonuses. Great idea in theory but never keept to a small enough pool to be very useful. "holy, luck, circumstance, etc..." blah. Either make them additive up to double the initiatl bonus or make it higher bonus with other bonuses coming in after durations expire.
21. Action Points that are meaningfull all the way to 30th level with abilities that increase as you raise in level with options to do more things with them but give players who 'hoard' them a reason to do so. (minor xp bonus, ability to turn them in when changing levels, etc...)
22. Elimination of the CR = XP. "Players should advance in levels every 13 challenging encounters or when the GM feels that they need to be a higher level to progress in the story." The time wasted adding xp, divinding by character levels, etc... is just that, wasted. True 20 did things right there.
23. Elimination of stats that follow a fomula for all stats and all classes or elimination of the stat and just the bonus. Why bother having a 3-18 scale when it could be a -4 to +4 scale? Less math = more fun. There is no reason going forward why WoTC shouldn't ape True 20 on this. "What's my bonus? I have a 17 strength. Is that +3 or +4. Well, -10, then divided by 2, then round down..." No. I have a +3 strength. What's my bonus? +3? Damn, that's simple!
24. Strength does not effect to hit rolls. To damage rolls, sure.
25. Favored Character Class: This becomes something that gives you a bonus when you stay it in, not encourages you to multiclass into other classes because you don't get an XP penalty. Stat bonuses in primary abilities, feat trees that require you be a certain level in the favored character class, etc...
26. Elimination of attacks of opportunity. Put them in an 'advanced' appendix alongside grappling, hit location tables, and other potentially useful, but game slowing mechanics.
27. Establish NPC classes that do not use the same rules as characters if the story doesn't call for it with rules on training for NPCs to explain their higher skill rolls, or provide numerous examples of how low level characters can be 'the best in the land' without being high level in terms of circumstance bonus, taking 20, skill focus feats, etc...
28. Redistribution of feats. No feats should obviously suck. Toughness, I'm looking at you. Dodge, I'm looking at you.
29. Talents/Birth Abilities: Only taken at first level gives the character a little 'oomph' in his field. Think Background options from Rolemaster.
30. More feat aquisition. One of the most annoying things about d20 is that that are thousands of feats but unless you're playing fifty characters at a time, you'll only get to use a handful of them.
31. More material on role playing and role playing styles in the Player's Handbook. Not in the Dungeon Maste'rs Guide. Not in some Dummies book. Not in the Player's Handbook II. In the core Player's Handbook. Provide numerous examples of such.
32. In terms of #10, alignments should go away and be retained as an option for 'classic' flavor. The game currently has far too many factors built into it to allow easily elimination of it. A new edition could provide alignment as option rules. So many game systems don't have alignment, and while it has it's charms, it's a lazy GM's tool to keep the players in line as opposed to the dreaded tools of psychological disadvantages or just trusting the players to trust each other.
33. Board Game Support: Basic D&D had several adventures that had great maps to go with them. I want some board games that come with adventure maps, all the necessary miniatures and customized GM screens for that adventure. I want it to serve double duty for my other fantasy games, and I want to be able to use them for my D&D miniature games.
34. Don't screw up the electronic support. Yeah, lots of big talk now but hell, I had a 3.0 PHB. I had the little demo disk that came with it. WoTC screwed the pooch on that one. Lots of promise, lots of potential with no good resolution and a lot of 3rd party support of various quality.
35. Electronic/PDF releases of books should cost 50% of the hardcopy of the book. They should also be updated frequently with errata, FAQ, and rules revisions, not relying on the original purchaser to make due or buy a compendium for the changed versions.
36. Restructure the way size works in the game. A horse is not a 10 by 10 creature. The miniatures for trolls, ogres, hill giants, fire giants, frost giants, etc... should not almost be identical in size. Dragons should not have to be made to look like they're taking a dump because if they were sized to fit on their base they'd look too small. Come up with new ways to work these tools.
37. Cross-reference your own books. GMs should not see five different feats that ALMOST do the exact same thing. WoTC has no problem repritning swift and immediate actions, don't worry if you reprint the luck feat instead of having the luck feat, the luck of the gods feat, the rogue's luck feat, etc... where each one does somethign different.
38. Cross-reference your own books Part II: Be aware of what's come out an be helpful editors and writers and put side bars into the books to note what 'mash ups' can result from what books and what should be disallowed based on flavor text, mechanical results, etc... Don't act like players are not potentially min-maxers and that GMs are wise sages there to handle WoTC inability to keep their own game straight.
39. Spell Resistance: Similair to saving throws. It's too huge a blanket and effects too much of the game. Provide ways for monsters to get around the 'big' effects that can get rid of them quickly without nerfing them. Fire giants for example, immune to fire. Works in it's own way. Something like DR for spells as opposed to an all or nothing and then the inevitable saving throws?
40. With the understanding that an abiliity is an ability is an ability, elimination of the whole ECL vs level vs CR vs racial hit dice. Some type of restructuring where playing a powerful monster doesn't cripple your options. Got the ability to use your power multiple times a day? Great. So does the monk, fighter, rogue, and other classes. They are not considered an ECL + hit dice effort.
Mighty Halfling
Explorer
While I know most decisions have already been made, here's my list:
Buff spells — Any spell that offers a temporary boost to a character's key stats. Why not put them as a class feature?
Dispelling — Right now it's really tough. I'm not sure if it should be, but that action needs to be looked at.
Customizable Spells -- Instead of a fireball, make it an "energy burst" and let the caster pick his perferred elemental type. Then add things like "energy ray," "energy weapon," "energy wall," "energy grapple" and so on. You'd eliminate a third of your spells that way.
Familliars -- Boy do they suck. How about letting them be something besides decoration. You could have them be an option for replacing spell components, for example. Or, as with Animal Companions, have them scale with the user. Not neccesarily as a fighting beast, but as an assistant to spell casting.
Magic items — Another class feature idea: Let a wizard be able to create a certain number of items per level. Nix the experience point drain for creating them.
Scaling magic items — Let characters keep their magic items and make them scale up as they level. Maybe they need to do something to activate that scaling ability, such as dip it in a magic pool, or slay a particular beast.
HP curing spells — Allow Clerics to heal a flat amount of hit points per day per level. Don't make this part of their spell list.
Armor — Make it deflect damage (Damage reduction), rather than make it harder to hit the armor bearer.
Shields — Keep the shield abilities presented as feats in the various supplements.
Feats — Feats totally rock. They improve customization opportunities. Please keep them!
Saves -- I love how they work in 3.5e. No changes needed IMHO.
Half-orcs — Keep them, add more flavorful race abilities (such as Iron Stomach). Also, please, please, please put the Orcish shotput into the core suite of weapons. It's odd and very flavorful.
Weapons suite — The more the merrier. The 3e weapon selection was damn good. Make it even better.
Druids — It took 3.5e to make druids cool. Let's keep that coolness flowing!
Monks — I want to like them, but they still suck for 3.5e. I don't have any idea how I'd fix them, but they should be included.
Curing diseases — Diseases in D&D are supposed to be a neat mix of character development and character hinderance. Make them tougher to cure by spells. You can include caster-level checks and bizarre components in this mix. No instant "OK, you're fine now." How about a spell that reverses the effects over time?
Damage Resistance — I like it in general, but the one thing I hate is when it requires a specific "plussed weapon" or higher to hit, it's just silly. Just remove that part.
Attacks of Opportunity — I love this aspect of the game, but I know it's been house-ruled out by a lot of people. Please keep this tactical bit of greatness.
Special Attacks — Grappling, sundering, disarms, trips and parries desperately need to be fixed. Sure they work OK, but the mechanics involved make them clunky.
Sneak Attacks — Another great addition to the game for 3.5e. I love them and all the reasons you get to use one.
Mounted Combat -- Yeah, when your getting hit by fireballs, it sucks to be riding a horse. The problem is that the image is too awesome to let it go. Figure out some way for mounted combat to work.
Chase rules -- One of the biggest ommissions in 3.5e.
Elves and gnomes — Make them fey because this adds flavor to them. Secondly, gnomes and half-elves would be my first-to-dump races.
Halflings & Dwarves — Please keep. They both finally rock in 3.5e.
Tieflings — Not terribly interested in these guys. I would have preferred an elemental flavored race, such as the Mephling.
"Good monsters" — Please keep them, but assign them a specific duty that makes them actually useable and something that's worth interacting with. My suggestion would be to have good monsters serve as protectors of magic sources, magic weapons and nature.
"Humanoid monsters" — All humanoid monsters should have scaleable powers that increase with their level or hit dice.
NPC classes — Keep NPC classes, but make adventurers transition from an NPC class to an adventuring class.
NPC levels — Allow NPC classes to gain more skill points by living their life and overcoming obstacles, not killing things. This could be reflected in a level change that doesn't include hit points.
Ceremonies — Some spells should be reconfigured so they are essentially lengthy ceremonies that require heaps of material components or additional participants. That gives clerics a reason to serve their god's worshippers.
Domains -- Please keep. They make the cleric a fun character. However, Domains shouldn't just be extra spells. Focus on the domain abilities too.
Story rewards -- Offer a chart/rules that give real EXP for good role-playing. Make it part of the rules, not just suggestions.
PDF publishers — Please make sure you allow the small-time PDF publishers to work in the game, even if you don't trust their content. Maybe they have to pay a fee if the work is converted from PDF to to a non-POD print.
Online initiatives — These are fine, but don't make them a requirement for play. That would be a true dealbreaker for me. I want time to hang out with my friends, not sit at a computer after I sit at a computer at work.
Buff spells — Any spell that offers a temporary boost to a character's key stats. Why not put them as a class feature?
Dispelling — Right now it's really tough. I'm not sure if it should be, but that action needs to be looked at.
Customizable Spells -- Instead of a fireball, make it an "energy burst" and let the caster pick his perferred elemental type. Then add things like "energy ray," "energy weapon," "energy wall," "energy grapple" and so on. You'd eliminate a third of your spells that way.
Familliars -- Boy do they suck. How about letting them be something besides decoration. You could have them be an option for replacing spell components, for example. Or, as with Animal Companions, have them scale with the user. Not neccesarily as a fighting beast, but as an assistant to spell casting.
Magic items — Another class feature idea: Let a wizard be able to create a certain number of items per level. Nix the experience point drain for creating them.
Scaling magic items — Let characters keep their magic items and make them scale up as they level. Maybe they need to do something to activate that scaling ability, such as dip it in a magic pool, or slay a particular beast.
HP curing spells — Allow Clerics to heal a flat amount of hit points per day per level. Don't make this part of their spell list.
Armor — Make it deflect damage (Damage reduction), rather than make it harder to hit the armor bearer.
Shields — Keep the shield abilities presented as feats in the various supplements.
Feats — Feats totally rock. They improve customization opportunities. Please keep them!
Saves -- I love how they work in 3.5e. No changes needed IMHO.
Half-orcs — Keep them, add more flavorful race abilities (such as Iron Stomach). Also, please, please, please put the Orcish shotput into the core suite of weapons. It's odd and very flavorful.
Weapons suite — The more the merrier. The 3e weapon selection was damn good. Make it even better.
Druids — It took 3.5e to make druids cool. Let's keep that coolness flowing!
Monks — I want to like them, but they still suck for 3.5e. I don't have any idea how I'd fix them, but they should be included.
Curing diseases — Diseases in D&D are supposed to be a neat mix of character development and character hinderance. Make them tougher to cure by spells. You can include caster-level checks and bizarre components in this mix. No instant "OK, you're fine now." How about a spell that reverses the effects over time?
Damage Resistance — I like it in general, but the one thing I hate is when it requires a specific "plussed weapon" or higher to hit, it's just silly. Just remove that part.
Attacks of Opportunity — I love this aspect of the game, but I know it's been house-ruled out by a lot of people. Please keep this tactical bit of greatness.
Special Attacks — Grappling, sundering, disarms, trips and parries desperately need to be fixed. Sure they work OK, but the mechanics involved make them clunky.
Sneak Attacks — Another great addition to the game for 3.5e. I love them and all the reasons you get to use one.
Mounted Combat -- Yeah, when your getting hit by fireballs, it sucks to be riding a horse. The problem is that the image is too awesome to let it go. Figure out some way for mounted combat to work.
Chase rules -- One of the biggest ommissions in 3.5e.
Elves and gnomes — Make them fey because this adds flavor to them. Secondly, gnomes and half-elves would be my first-to-dump races.
Halflings & Dwarves — Please keep. They both finally rock in 3.5e.
Tieflings — Not terribly interested in these guys. I would have preferred an elemental flavored race, such as the Mephling.
"Good monsters" — Please keep them, but assign them a specific duty that makes them actually useable and something that's worth interacting with. My suggestion would be to have good monsters serve as protectors of magic sources, magic weapons and nature.
"Humanoid monsters" — All humanoid monsters should have scaleable powers that increase with their level or hit dice.
NPC classes — Keep NPC classes, but make adventurers transition from an NPC class to an adventuring class.
NPC levels — Allow NPC classes to gain more skill points by living their life and overcoming obstacles, not killing things. This could be reflected in a level change that doesn't include hit points.
Ceremonies — Some spells should be reconfigured so they are essentially lengthy ceremonies that require heaps of material components or additional participants. That gives clerics a reason to serve their god's worshippers.
Domains -- Please keep. They make the cleric a fun character. However, Domains shouldn't just be extra spells. Focus on the domain abilities too.
Story rewards -- Offer a chart/rules that give real EXP for good role-playing. Make it part of the rules, not just suggestions.
PDF publishers — Please make sure you allow the small-time PDF publishers to work in the game, even if you don't trust their content. Maybe they have to pay a fee if the work is converted from PDF to to a non-POD print.
Online initiatives — These are fine, but don't make them a requirement for play. That would be a true dealbreaker for me. I want time to hang out with my friends, not sit at a computer after I sit at a computer at work.
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ArmoredSaint
First Post
I'm dying to know what changes (if any) were made to the armour mechanics in the game. I know I'm being shallow, but for some reason, whether I'll love or hate this game depends on this one issue...
Olgar Shiverstone
Legend
Me: I hope they keep many of the base concepts that make D&D, well, D&D. The game should still be instantly recognizable as a form of D&D by diaglo.
But they can fix:
1. Turning. Give me a simple mechanic I can remember without having to look at a table.
2. Grappling & special attacks -- all the same mechanic so they're easy to do and more often.
3. Skill streamlining (Stealth = Hide + Move silently, etc).
4. Simplified metamagic & item creation.
5. Better balanced classes and races.
6. Ditch PrCs. No? I can hope ...
7. Easier application of monster/NPC creation and customization ... without losing all the of flexibility we have today to make unique, challenging, and surprising monsters & NPCs.
8. Enough backwards compatibility to make using 3.X adventures easily.
But they can fix:
1. Turning. Give me a simple mechanic I can remember without having to look at a table.
2. Grappling & special attacks -- all the same mechanic so they're easy to do and more often.
3. Skill streamlining (Stealth = Hide + Move silently, etc).
4. Simplified metamagic & item creation.
5. Better balanced classes and races.
6. Ditch PrCs. No? I can hope ...
7. Easier application of monster/NPC creation and customization ... without losing all the of flexibility we have today to make unique, challenging, and surprising monsters & NPCs.
8. Enough backwards compatibility to make using 3.X adventures easily.
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