D&D 4E What I'd Like to See in D&D® 4e

[Plane Sailing]

Just thought of another thing I'd like to see changed (but won't).

10) big reduction in unnecessary complexity.

The biggest thing that slows down 3e compared to every other RPG I've ever played is the way that so many things key off other things and can be changed in combat. e.g. character gets bulls strength and protection from evil and mage armour; he is then subject to prayer, then the bard starts singing, then he is poisoned and loses 3 Str, then he is hit by dispel magic which takes down two of his spells but leaves the others OK, then he is hit by a ray of enfeeblement. Quick, what is his jump check now?

It gets worse if the DM has 8 magicked up NPCs who get hit by an area dispel and a different effect gets dispelled on all of them.

You almost need a bloomin' spreadsheet at the table to keep track of everything.

Without being prescriptive, I'd like to see a mechanism which reduces complexity dramatically. Too many situations modify a primary value and leave you to calculate all the requisite secondary values.

Cheers

 

[Staffan]

I don't know what system AU uses since I don't own the book.

The short explanation: all spellcasters are like sorcerers who can change their spell selection every day, and with spells that are more versatile but slightly lesser-powered.

The somewhat longer explanation: a spellcaster has two sets of spell numbers: Spells readied, and Spells per day. Every day, they can change what spells they have readied, and use their spells-per-day slots to cast them.

There's also a unified spell list, which is primarily divided into three difficulty categories of spells (in addition to the level 0-9 thing): Simple, Complex, and Exotic. This is designed to mirror the way weapons are set up. All spellcasters have access to the whole Simple list. In addition, you can take a feat to learn either (a) all Complex spells of a certain level, or (b) a single Exotic spell. Some classes have expanded spell selection by default: Magisters (being the primary magic-using class, like D&D's wizard) get all Complex spells for free, Greenbonds (not exactly druids, but somewhat similar) get all Complex and exotic spells with either the Positive Energy or Plant descriptor for free, and at 9th level a Witch gains access to all complex and exotic spells with one descriptor (based on what kind of witch she is - a sea witch gains all Water spells, while an iron witch gains access to all Earth spells).

There are two more spellcasting classes: the Mage Blade (who mixes spellcasting with combat prowess) and the Runethane (who makes up for the lack of expanded spellcasting with rune magic). In addition, there are also some feats that let you cast spells with a certain descriptor of one "difficulty" higher than normal (e.g. a Mage Blade with the Psion feat can cast complex spells with the Psionic descriptor, and a Magister with the Fire mage feat can cast exotic spells with the Fire descriptor).

You can also use your spells more flexibly. At the basic level, you can "weave" spells-per-day slots to different levels: three slots of one level can be woven into one slot of the next higher level (not higher than you could normally cast), or you can split one slot to two of the next lower level. Also, almost all spells have a "diminished" and "heightened" version. When you ready a spell, you also get access to these. The diminished version is one level lower, and the heightened version is one level higher. You need to be able to cast the spell at the "base" level to use the diminished version, and you can't cast it heightened until you can cast spells of the next higher level. As if that was not enough, there are also a bunch of feats that let you apply templates to your spells at a certain cost, giving you even more flexibility if you invest a couple of feats. Most of the D&D metamagic (double range, duration, or area/number of targets; remove verbal or somatic components, or increase power by 50%) is also handled by a single feat, which has the at-use cost of using up two slots instead of one.

 

[The_Gneech]

Actually, the Sovereign Stone d20 game has a pretty cool magic mechanic, which is that any given spell requires a certain power threshold to cast, and you get to that threshold by rolling d20 + your arcane modifier (I forget the exact terminology) ... and you keep on rolling and adding until you get there.

Thus, a simple spell might only require a 10, while a big megaspell would require a 50. If your mage has a +5 modifier, casting the megaspell would go something like this:

1st round: mage rolls 10 + 5, total 15
2nd round: mage rolls 6 + 5, + 15 from previous turn, total 26
3rd round: mage rolls 13 + 5, + 26 from previous turn, total 44
4th round: mage rolls 7 + 5, + 44 from previous turn, total 56 -- BOOM!

I haven't tried it in actual play, but I'm guessing it would do a nice job of creating a "build up to power" feel, as well as emphasing the difference between journeymen and archmagi -- somebody with an arcane modifier of +15 and the same rolls would have cast the megaspell in half the time.

-The Gneech

 

[Remathilis]

Some open Ideas...

6 Classes: Warrior (Str/combat), Rogue (Dex/Skills), Monk (Con/Ki powers) Mage (Int/magic), Priest (Wis/Healing) and Bard (Cha/Influence). Each focuses on a particular area of character creation, multi-classing is free. Other classes (paladin, beserker, druid, ranger) are now Prestige/Adv classes. Warriors have the most feats and best BAB. Rogues have the most skills, Monks have lots of special abilities, Mages have arcane spells, Priests have divine spells, and Bards have Charm/Domination and Buffs.

Races: Human, Dwarf, Elf, Gnome, Halfling, Goliath, Raptoran, + an Aquatic Race. Fills all the typical niches. Half - races are a human only feat.

 

[Kanegrundar]

Here's a short list of what I'd like to see with 4E.

1.I'd like to see it be more of a "3.75" than a whole new system. Keep putting out revisions, if WotC must, just don't reinvent the wheel. This game works great, just tweak it a little.

2. Make Turn Undead less clunky.

3. Work on those pesky Metamagic feats.

4. Give us a simple system for monster races as PC's that doesn't involve having to take subpar monster classes or any other form that keeps monster races from getting the shaft in terms of skill points, HD, or whatever. I think a complete reworking of the guidelines of what truly makes a powerful race is in order. Then again...maybe that's too much up to the judgement of individual DM's to truly make a conrete set of rules/guildelines. After all, one DM's +1 LA is another's +0 or +3...

5. Bring Psionics into the Core Rules. I love psionics and I'm tired of seeing being treated as the "red-headed stepchild" of D&D. I know there will be a lot of people that wouldn't like that, but they don't have to use them.

Really, that's all I can think of right now. Mostly, I'm really happy with the game as it is right now. I don't think that a 4th edition is really needed.

Kane

 

[Sir ThornCrest]

ide like to see com re-introduced

charisma just does to much. Why would a good looking guy always be the leader? why couldnt a ugly guy with poor social grace and manners be a powerfull leader? why why why?
We use com in all our campaigns, it equals ettiquette social grace charm allure...charisma is intimidation,command leadership I think there is room for the two.....

 

[Desdichado]

Com? What, comliness? Surely you jest.

 

[Psion]

1) Extensive backwards compatability.

2) NO new magic systems

3) A 2010 copyright date.

 

[VirgilCaine]

1. CHANGE THE MAGIC.

I hate everything about D&D magic, to be quite honest. I'd never play a full caster, and as a GM would at the least strongly, strongly discourage players from playing a full caster if I even allowed D&D magic.

My biggest gripe is that it slows down gameplay. I play with very experienced gamers, yet every spellcaster constantly bogs down combat and even non-combat encounters with reams of book-searching - even with just the PHB spells included. I don't blame my players. There's HUNDREDS of spells in the PHB, about 50% of which are irrelevant variations on the same theme (doing x dice of damage to target y). And those are the simple ones! No one should be expected to memorize or properly note the relevant information from a hundred, often complex, spells.

Memorize loads of spell information? Have you never heard of note cards or anything?

I can somewhat see how a person could have a problem, but how many spells do your players use that you have to look things up constantly? How many spells does each player use?

For me, I want to KEEP THE VANCIAN SYSTEM. It's my holy cow. Every other system uses spell points and well, the other systems aren't D&D.

Separate stats for physical appearance and the rest of charisma.

Other than that...I dunno. Not have anachronistic environmentalist druids?

 

[gamecat]

Personally, I'd like to see the 4.0 manuals cost nothing - i dont have a (29.99 * (3 core manuals + 4 class books + campaign setting)) tree in my backyard that sprouts every three/four years.

I pretty much agree with psion, but im open to a new magic system.