Thoughts on D&D4
Some bad, some good. Mostly good.
I like:
- Defenses instead of saves. Mathematically nothing changes, but it means everything uses the same "attacker rolls vs. defender's DC" rule and things are much simpler.
- Paragon Paths instead of Prestige Classes. Prestige Classes were fun and sexy, but amounted to min-maxing the same way D&D2's Character Kits used to. Paragon Paths are what Prestige Classes should have been: focusing what you do.
- Timed spells and rituals instead of spell slots. Some games used to benefit from the dramatic tension of facing one last challenge with the dregs of your spell-book, but generally they didn't, and it was annoying managing resources. This works much better.
I don't like:
- No multi-classes. Now you have a primary class and can borrow some powers from another class, by spending feats. Loses the versatility allowed by true multi-classing.
- No skill points. I actually understand why - this way sometimes unmanageable skill gap is reduced to a mere strong advantage (consider a level 12 rogue with silly Dex maxed out in Hide and Move Silently, with a Ring of Chameleon Power and the Stealthy feat versus a level 12 fighter maxed out in his cross-class Spot and Listen with an average Wis and you'll see what I mean) but it takes away the fine-tuning capability. I liked to play Rogues, and while I always maxed out in two or three core skills (usually stealth-based), I generally liked to dabble in a dozen other skills rather than over-focus. Can't do that anymore.
- No class Base Attack/Defense differentiation. Again, perfectly understand. Your ability scores, feats, chosen powers and magical items will ensure a perfectly respectable gap between your characters' scores without emphasising it with native training, but that was always the point to me. The wizard shouldn't have a reason to attack hand-to-hand; making it impossible for him to do so was a big part of that.
- Healing surges/full health every day. Makes life a lot simpler for players, who don't have to sleep while their cleric prepares his healing spells all the time, and takes away the vital need for a cleric if nobody wants to play one, but I quite like mucking players around with injuries and difficulties. I know D&D has never been the primary system for that style of play, but at least it used to be possible.
- Class roles. People tell me "well, they're just formalising what was already true," but I disagree. Now it's true: if you're a fighter, you block and deliver aggro, and if you're a ranger, you harry enemies for high damage. But it used to be possible to play most of the classes in other ways if you want to. And they've taken that away.
Broadly, I understand most of their changes. Earlier versions were broken in the degree of differentiation past level 8 or 9, and the new rules take that away. D&D was always a combat-heavy system, so they've gone back to their roots and created a strongly dungeon-stomp based game. But I liked the direction D&D3 was going in, to a more versatile system that could be used in different ways, and this feels like a step back.
Still, Tucker says that the DMG adds a lot, and I haven't got around to it yet.
In general, I like it and will play.
I like:
- Defenses instead of saves. Mathematically nothing changes, but it means everything uses the same "attacker rolls vs. defender's DC" rule and things are much simpler.
- Paragon Paths instead of Prestige Classes. Prestige Classes were fun and sexy, but amounted to min-maxing the same way D&D2's Character Kits used to. Paragon Paths are what Prestige Classes should have been: focusing what you do.
- Timed spells and rituals instead of spell slots. Some games used to benefit from the dramatic tension of facing one last challenge with the dregs of your spell-book, but generally they didn't, and it was annoying managing resources. This works much better.
I don't like:
- No multi-classes. Now you have a primary class and can borrow some powers from another class, by spending feats. Loses the versatility allowed by true multi-classing.
- No skill points. I actually understand why - this way sometimes unmanageable skill gap is reduced to a mere strong advantage (consider a level 12 rogue with silly Dex maxed out in Hide and Move Silently, with a Ring of Chameleon Power and the Stealthy feat versus a level 12 fighter maxed out in his cross-class Spot and Listen with an average Wis and you'll see what I mean) but it takes away the fine-tuning capability. I liked to play Rogues, and while I always maxed out in two or three core skills (usually stealth-based), I generally liked to dabble in a dozen other skills rather than over-focus. Can't do that anymore.
- No class Base Attack/Defense differentiation. Again, perfectly understand. Your ability scores, feats, chosen powers and magical items will ensure a perfectly respectable gap between your characters' scores without emphasising it with native training, but that was always the point to me. The wizard shouldn't have a reason to attack hand-to-hand; making it impossible for him to do so was a big part of that.
- Healing surges/full health every day. Makes life a lot simpler for players, who don't have to sleep while their cleric prepares his healing spells all the time, and takes away the vital need for a cleric if nobody wants to play one, but I quite like mucking players around with injuries and difficulties. I know D&D has never been the primary system for that style of play, but at least it used to be possible.
- Class roles. People tell me "well, they're just formalising what was already true," but I disagree. Now it's true: if you're a fighter, you block and deliver aggro, and if you're a ranger, you harry enemies for high damage. But it used to be possible to play most of the classes in other ways if you want to. And they've taken that away.
Broadly, I understand most of their changes. Earlier versions were broken in the degree of differentiation past level 8 or 9, and the new rules take that away. D&D was always a combat-heavy system, so they've gone back to their roots and created a strongly dungeon-stomp based game. But I liked the direction D&D3 was going in, to a more versatile system that could be used in different ways, and this feels like a step back.
Still, Tucker says that the DMG adds a lot, and I haven't got around to it yet.
In general, I like it and will play.