What is missing from 4E

[Shroomy]

Don't spoil it for the poor guy!

I'd agree as well, given the context.

As for what's missing from 4E, the obvious answer is Goddamn Half-Orcs. And don't give me any of that re-fluffing bullcrap! I love me some 4E, but c'mon...we get Eladrin and Tieflings over Half-Orcs. Blargh.

Well, you only have to wait until March; they're in the PHB2.

 

[Fallen Seraph]

The only things I am missing are things that are coming like Psionics. I am hopeful that AV2 will have firearms as well (doing fine with the fan-built ones so far but be nice to see what the official ones are like).

 

[I'm A Banana]

Hahaha, this thread is so schizophrenic, it's hilarious.

Poster A: 4e is missing the raw power of 3e.
Poster B: No it isn't! It's in the characters!
Poster C: It's not in the characters! 4e doesn't have have such unbalanced things!
Poster D: It is in the characters! 4e still has powerful PC's!
Poster E: 4e is filled with heroes!
Poster F: 4e is filled with normal people!

The more accurate position might be that 4e has less raw swingy power, but the PC's are certainly innately superior to "normals" in a way that is more pronounced (such as by having fundamentally separated mechanics).

You can't blow up a planet like you can in any other edition of D&D, but you also can't just be some fishmonger who happened to go on a quest (which, arguably, wasn't well-supported in ANY edition of D&D, including this one).

Whether or not this is a good thing, of course, is going to depend upon your table.

4e is missing raw personal power that earlier editions had. It does this for a reason. It is a little sad that the OP's friend won't be having the same amount of fun as he did in earlier editions because of this. Whether it was worth it or not is pretty subjective.

 

[rounser]

I think what people are trying to say is that 4E has less magical magic by toning that down, and more incredulous, unbelievable "mundane" powers.

The former makes for a less intriguing world of possibility and fantasy, and the latter challenges suspension of disbelief.

These are both unfortunate side effects from trying to balance the game, I think, but the cause was noble enough.

 

[RefinedBean]

Well, you only have to wait until March; they're in the PHB2.

That's not good enough and you know it!

As for the swingy-power thing, I'm definitely not missing it, but I see where people are coming from. Sometimes you like to be able to commit fantastic acts of awe-inspiring madness just by sneezing. Everyone can get behind that.

I don't think 4E is completely missing that kind of power, though. It just doesn't come up as often as it once did, and players have to work a little harder to get to that point. And probably have the Ritual Caster feat, too.

 

[Betote]

Hahaha, this thread is so schizophrenic, it's hilarious.

Poster A: 4e is missing the raw power of 3e.
Poster B: No it isn't! It's in the characters!
Poster C: It's not in the characters! 4e doesn't have have such unbalanced things!
Poster D: It is in the characters! 4e still has powerful PC's!
Poster E: 4e is filled with heroes!
Poster F: 4e is filled with normal people!

And that's because people don't have the decency of clearly stating if they're "pro" or "against" 4e before posting objective observations, therefore infuriating both sides

 

[TheWyrd]

I miss rediculously powerful, painfully circumstantial, non-combat magic items. Seriously.

I want a Lyre of Building.

 

[Shroomy]

That's not good enough and you know it!

Hey, maybe they'll give us a preview in Dragon before then (people suspect that we've already seen a NPC version of the deva in Dungeon).

As for the swingy-power thing, I'm definitely not missing it, but I see where people are coming from. Sometimes you like to be able to commit fantastic acts of awe-inspiring madness just by sneezing. Everyone can get behind that.

I don't think 4E is completely missing that kind of power, though. It's just doesn't come up as often as it once did, and players have to work a little harder to get to that point. And probably have the Ritual Caster feat, too.

I agree, some of those epic destinies and rituals get pretty powerful IMO.

 

[Hussar]

A 4E character can regenerate his injuries within hours.

Yeah, that's different.

A 4E character does posses abilities that no one else in the world has.
ect...

Yeah, like a fighter in 1e with percentile strength. oh, wait...

Of course, that ignores the fact that there are NPC's out there with abilities no PC can have as well.

 

[Gothmog]

And here I thought 4E was supposed to be a "kewl superpowers" game. Or so I hear. Over. And over again.

You're badly mistaken sir. Not only is 4e a "kewl superpowerz" game, but its also an MMO, a card game, a boardgame, a minis skirmish game, a game it is impossible to roleplay in, and a combat-only game. It also causes male pattern baldness, hypothyroidism, as well as constipation and diarrhea (at the same time no less!) And finally, it is rumored 4e is the lycanthropic edition- it can infect other editions with its design goals and ideas! The horror!