Why do you keep playing 4e?

[Mustrum_Ridcully]

It's a lot of fun.

One of the primary motivations for the switch to 4E so fast (including converting modules and adventure path) was that it was easier to DM. Because it _really_ is easier. Parsing stat blocks and determining the right tactics in an encounter has become a lot easier.
Creating new monsters is a breeze, too, and one can focus on the "thematic" focus of the monster - instead of dealing with the formulas for HD, BAB, Saves, skills, feats and so on.

As a player, I find the tactical choices more interesting and yet simpler to handle. Finding the synergy between characters and the right way to engage the enemies is enjoyable.
The mechanics are similar for each class, but they still play very differently, even if they share a role. (An extreme example I have seen is Fighter vs Swordmage - The Fighter is always close to his marked foes and keeps striking them, while the Shielding Swordmage tries to get away from them and strike other foes, forcing his mark to choose between dealing less damage or chasing him, while the Swordmage keeps another opponent threatened.)

Both as a player and as a DM I really like the new cosmology - especially the Feywild. I somehow can relate to this better then to the Great Wheel.

 

[Starfox]

But since I saw this and the legion of THIS responses (I now enjoy preparing for sessions), I got to ask why this? The enjoyment of designing an adventure to me comes from the story and personalities I create. The mechanics of a system are totally irrelevant to that. What does 4e give you that makes it fun to create an adventure for? Honest question, not trying to be snarky or a threadcrapper.

What is more fun is not the plot creation - that is largely system-irrelevant. What is more fun is the mechanical side of preparation - you can concentrate on making your plot come real rather than trying to remember every last detail of what happens when you add 4 levels of barbarian to your hydra.

 

[Thanee]

You guys prepare for sessions?

Still playing 3.5 and also playing 4E. Both are fun in their own way!

Bye
Thanee

 

[Mathew_Freeman]

I'm still playing and DMing 4e for two very simple reasons:

1) The game I'm running is a blast - low on immersive story-telling, detailed characters and seriousness but very high on in-game banter, heroic butt-kicking and quick-moving combats.

2) The game I'm playing in is kind of the other way around - low on lightweight villainy and not reliant on fights, but with an excellent campaign atmosphere and a detailed plot and world that just keeps expanding.

To quote a friend - 4e is AWESOME!

 

[vagabundo]

I agree with everything in this thread - minus the threadcrapping...

And I'll add - I feel I can do things off the cuff now, 3e imprinted its mindset on me, but now I sculpt 4e into whatever I want.

Also I feel I have the complete "idea" of 4e in my mind, with 3e I found myself paging stuff in and out of my headspace: sunder out, grapple in.

 

[Thistonius]

4E is fun, quick and a blast.

We have some new people who have never RP'ed before and we started out with 3.5. They didn't like it due to the amount of rules but when we started 4E they loved it.

As a DM I feel like I've been let free to create and do what I want. No more, as many others have said, trying to consider every aspect of a single monster if I include whatever into it. The combat, for me at least, is quick and excellently done and my players enjoy it.

Not done much as a player, but my players have said that they can do so much more than before and that they don't just feel like a secondary character to the mage.

Overall, we're having fun with it and thats all that matters in my book.

 

[jensun]

Because it has been enormously enjoyable.

It has given us what we want in a game at the moment. There is a decent level of interesting tactical crunch, some loose and adaptable rule support for social and exploration stuff and the rest of the system gets out of the way when actually playing the game.

The fact that a group of 30+ gamers who havent played D&D in 6 years could, after one or two sessions of play, not need to refer to the rulebooks even once in a five hour session is also a big plus.

 

[Nebulous]

Making monsters in 4e is sweet. In fact, as more people (designers) get used to the system, i would expect to see some truly amazing monster manuals come out that overshadow the original (which, in my opinion, still needed some work).

DMing 4e is lots of fun, and the DM has a good gauge of how tough an encounter can be. PCs really need to work together to survive big fights.

I've also been using it to update old modules and it's been quite easy.

 

[UngainlyTitan]

I love it, ease of DM'ing expecially since that aspect has persuaded two of my players to run a campaign. Now I get to play as well.
Can run session without looling at a book and I like the Elf/Eladrin split.
I enjoy running this game, which I did not in previous editions.
I like the multiclassing rules.
I like the reduced monster statblocks
I like rituals.

 

[Stormtower]

Also, every night, 4E magically awakens, scampers into the kitchen, and bakes me fresh bread for the morning.

Yes, like the mythical Hand Banana it is both a solid game AND a pastry chef, creating delicious baked delicacies without even being asked.

*Ahem* As others have said, the ease of prep and "easy to learn, hard to master" nature of the game has allowed me to introduce several new players (including a 15-year-old and 19-year-old who have never played TTRPGs before) to the hobby. I may never play 4E exclusively, but it's a darn fine indictment of the game that it engaged the younger set in a way that 3.X never did.