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Message: <blockquote data-quote="AbdulAlhazred" data-source="post: 5705753" data-attributes="member: 82106">KD's original suggestions mostly sounded like they hit some decent points, nothing I'd really disagree with there. The whole streamlining conditions and effects thing definitely has to happen. Honestly there should be almost no such thing as lasting effects. It is a condition and can have a duration, or it is an effect and applies immediately, there should be practically nothing else. That way effects can do a whole bunch of things, but they don't require tracking. Then durations can really be reduced to End of Your Next Turn, and Encounter. Saves can be granted-only effects, but they could be granted by an action (IE you can try to douse ongoing fire damage, but you'll not be swinging at me at the same time). This lets you have some interesting decision points but removes tracking from the equation and reduces the number of rolls and thus modifiers that come up.I would cut back on actions. 4 actions are enough, Standard, move, free, and immediate (which is an interrupt and used also for OAs). This limits all OOT nonsense to once a round per character, which is a big speedup at higher levels. Minor actions are unneeded extra paperwork. Sustaining just happens unless you state otherwise, picking things up, etc doesn't need an action. With minor actions gone there's no temptation for designers to turn them into even MORE attacks.Consolidating the design space for powers is a definitely good concept. I'm not convinced I would have powers based on source. It is a theory, but you will never come up with a generic list of powers that are applicable to every role, nor can you base role entirely on class features. I think frankly I would just forget about power source entirely. I can't see anything it added to the game except headaches. It created a lot of the implement mess and is just generally a font of "we added this restriction for the heck of it, so what if it messes up a lot of perfectly good concepts". Fall back to class, and just limit classes to a small number. Really only the 'big 4' basic archetypes NEED to be classes. Then you can construct builds which emphasize specific roles within each class, providing most of the feature mechanics. On top of that you can have something like 'masteries' that let you focus on something like doing cool stuff with an axe, which can supply more features and or a shortlist of powers (similar to a PP or PrC, and not too different from a theme really). The Mastery concept could also be applied to skills. You want to be a good second story man? Well, there's a cat burglar mastery. Go ahead, pick it up. Now you get to do some nice special climey things and some special B&E things, and some special Stealth things. As for Armor, I think I'd just ditch having stat modifiers there. You can beef up your AC by getting heavier armor or better enchantments. Just leave it at that. You're a rogue and you want to be mobile and wear leather? OK, fine, you'll be somewhat easier to hit, but so what? You can have some 'dodge' ability or something that you can pick up, which the big clunking guy in plate isn't going to need. The range between unarmored and plate just won't be all that big. The suggestion of fewer armor steps is good too, and goes with this. SImply have None, leather, chain, scale, plate. Wearing plate is good for 5 points of AC more than the wizard with 'none', and that's just about perfect. I'd basically have one proficiency that let you wear the 3 heavier armors, and keep the small armor penalty as well and just apply that to the 3 heavier armors as well (this stuff can be tweaked).Just plain get rid of the 'untyped bonus', there is no such thing. Provide simple static bonuses from most sources that are +1. You can go stack a bunch of them on your character, and there can be a 100 ways to get each one, so what? Everyone will end up with enough of them. If you don't want the +1 damage from arms slot item, then there's a ring, a sword, and a wondrous item that all give the same item bonus, have fun! All of them are properties and work all of the time.Now, maybe there is one type, probably item, that can be higher than +1, and situational, but such items are very hard to get and you pretty much get to have one at a time. They're not player resources so the whole issue there goes away, and they could also be boons.Many concepts could be merged. For instance boons, rituals, and practices are all basically the same thing. They could all simply provide a character with benefit, you decide how to explain it. The upshot being since it isn't a piece of equipment, you can always use it, under whatever circumstances are prescribed. I don't really think non-combat mechanics are problematic in 4e at all. There can be redefinition of some things, but skills actually work well as-is. I know there are complaints, but frankly if you can show me the system that is actually materially better, then go for it. I've looked and this is about as good as it gets. Fixing bonuses fixes skills, and SCs are OK, just explain them better. Page 42 takes care of the rest.I think you'd find with these kinds of changes that combat will go a lot faster, min/maxing can be reduced. More characters will be able to do more things more of the time, and it will be a lot easier to build a character and to run it.</blockquote>

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