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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Opus" data-source="post: 4936832" data-attributes="member: 79131">IMO, the vancian magic system of AD&D --- 3e was a fundamental part of the feel of D&D.  Magic was mysterious and different. Those that wielded it were set apart from the grunts rolling d8 every round of combat.  4e makes magic users fundamentally like every other class.  I think that was WOTC’s intention and the reason they changed the system.  Using the same basic system for magic as other combat makes it easier to balance the classes.  It also gives wizards the same consistency across levels as the other classes.    I don’t want to sound like a crotchety old man but the current crop of 12 year olds is at least 3 generations removed from the progenitors of D&D.  They were born into a different world.  They are used to instant gratification and simply won’t accept that their low level wizard can’t do the same things as everyone else.  The exponential power curve for 1e AD&D simply doesn't appeal to them.  Removing vancian magic is just a way to try and make their product more appealing to their target audience.   I know that is a generalization but I think there is more truth there than not.   IMO, they removed alignments because they added unintended complications to the game.  My understanding it alignments were intended to identify what was a valid target and what was not, in addition to adding extra challenges and making certain magic items unusable to PCs.  In practice it didn’t work that way and too much time was spent arguing moral issues.   While I personally miss vancian magic and alignments, I understand why they removed theses things and probably would do the same if I was trying to sell games. </blockquote>

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