D&D 4E What sort of 3rd party 4e books do you want?

[BlackMoria]

I would buy into third party publisher books on Druids / Necromancers / Illusionists.

If these classes will only see print in the yearly PHB that Wizards is claiming to do, then god only knows when we will see these classes. It is a golden opportunity for some publisher to make his mark, particularly if they can do a version that people prefer even after a official version is finally released by WOTC.

 

[Raven Crowking]

What I intend to do with 4e right now (unless somehow wowwed):

Examine the combat engine and see if there are any imporvements to be made on my houseruled 3.x.

What I would do with 4e as a 3.x product:

As above, plus:

Consider the rammifications of PC core races that are not humanoid. Elves as fey and dwarves as giants are part of my houserules, and it seems that 4e might do some good in that direction.

A gentler power curve, lower-magic version of 3e....rejigger the math so that attack bonus, saves, and AC don't become so extreme. Reexamine spells, putting in some of the penalties for some spellcasting that used to be in the system. Make item creation as accessable but not as universally applicable (in my homebrew, the Item Creation feats give you X number of item types you can create, which increase with level or by discovering "Secrets", i.e., formulae).

Rename the Feywild and the Shadowfell, and use them with 3e.

Consider the Quickplates in Monsternomicon as an ideal level of work to quickly differentiate monsters, and go from there. Keep the potential complexity. All templates should include all information needed to alter a monster; they should not require you to look up charts elsewhere.

Weapon skills. I've posted my system on EN World, and it is pretty easy to use, offering tactical choices without overly slowing combat down.

Ditch the AoO list; shortlist it to "retrieving item, casting spell, making ranged attack". EDIT: And Move-through occupied space, enter reach space with weapon set against charge.

The idea of recovering some damage by resting is a good one; use it.

I'm sure that there is more, but that's what strikes me off the top of my head. Basically, IMHO, create a "version" of 4e that is an actual revision of 3e, rather than its own thing. If there was "bridge" compatability, allowing both 3e and 4e materials to be converted fairly easily, that would be ideal.

RC

 

[CleverNickName]

I'd like to see a splatbook dealing with naval combat, ships, and swashbuckling. Something like the "Seas of Blood" supplement from Mongoose Publishing, or the "7th Seas" game would be perfect.

I would also like to see a book for mass combat, armies, sieges, and so forth. The "Chainmail" system was a good start; I hope they polish it up for 4E.

 

[Grymar]

Some of the classes that didn't make it into the first run of the PHB (druid, bard, etc)

A different take on the magic system. I'm not assuming that I'll dislike the SRD version, just an additional take would be fun.

Other options for taking the game in new directions, like renaissance era rules (muskets, canons, early science).

Tome of Horrors types of books.

 

[amethal]

Do you want 3rd party companies to release "Return to..." style adventures? I mean, WotC put out a sequel or reimagining of a ton of old modules, so why can't the rest of us publishers do that. Though "Expedition to the War of the Burning Sky" sounds a little odd.

Would you want to do that?

I imagine its more fun for you to write a new adventure path, rather than re-hashing an existing one.

And those of us who already own War of the Burning Sky - which seems to be quite a lot of people, at least around here - are, I think, not particularly interested in buying it again when instead we could have another shiny new adventure.

I mean, its not as if I can run my group through it again unless you make radical changes to the plot.

Dammit, that's got me thinking now. War of the Burning Sky with the Ragesians as the good guys, the PCs working for them as they desperately try to stave off the end of the world whilst being hindered at every turn by their suspicious neighbours.

 

[Bryntryst]

Play-tested ones.

A-friggin-men.

 

[Kaodi]

I think that there is a 3rd Edition feel, but we probably won't recognize it as such until we have moved past it...

In any case, why is this a humour thread? Does that mean I am supposed to root for something like, " Esoteric Power Sources: Global Warming " ?

 

[Pinotage]

The very thought actually quite scares me. Having to re-buy the same product that's been updated for the 4e system, I mean. I own hundreds of products and pdfs, including everything EN Publishing has ever made, and I just can't stomach the thought of having to buy everything again just because it's released for 4e. I'd rather try and convert it, if at all possible, although I know that's unlikely.

So, I guess I'm saying I want new stuff. I don't want to buy old stuff converted to 4e. When 3.5e came along I was relatively fine with that, because I knew I could convert the old stuff if I wanted to. Now I'm not so sure. Having to re-buy my pdf collection - ugh! That said, there are classics like Tome of Horrors and Advanced Bestiary that I'd buy, but I can't see myself looking at any old 3e/3.5e product that's not at least spectacular. Then, again, I might not bother with 4e at all.

Pinotage

 

[kennew142]

(Edit removeda quote that I hadn't meant to quote.)

My favorite published setting has to be Arcanis by Paradigm Concepts, but I have to qualify that with a few caveats. I love the background, the stories, the characters, pretty much everything about the flavor, but I am not as fond of the crunchy bits (excepting dark-kin racial feats, val blood-line abilities and elorii racial feats). That said, I would love to have an Arcanis 4e.

 

[EricNoah]

If the feat tree/ talent tree concept makes it in to 4E, I could see that being a profitable area to explore. Do for fighter and rogue-types what books of spells do for spellcasters.