First thoughts on D&D 4th edition

[Jürgen Hubert]

Originally Posted by sir_pudding

So Jurgen, what do you think about the "hurt/heal" powers? Am I the only one that's bothered by these?

Ask me again tomorrow when I will (hopefully) have the books - so far, most of my knowledge comes from various ENWorld/RPGNet threads.

[Collective_Restraint]

Originally Posted by Jürgen Hubert

"It was only a flesh wound!"

How often does it happen in movies that a hero is grievously injured and by all rights should be out of action for the next few months - and yet struggles on because he's just that tenacious?

I'd say healing surges are exactly like that - they are a second wind for characters who are able to soldier on because they are heroic tough guys.

My concern doesn't come with what Healing Surges could be, my concern is that, unless I'm mistaken, D&D 4e doesn't explain at all what they are ! Which brings me back to say that D&D is now a paper based videogame. At least in older editions, healing was beleivable because it was done using divine magic.

[Anthony]

Originally Posted by Jürgen Hubert

I'd say healing surges are exactly like that - they are a second wind for characters who are able to soldier on because they are heroic tough guys.

And, in fact, the vanilla ability to use a healing surge is described as a second wind.

[Gamer_Zer0]

Does any one acturally plan to play D&D 4e?

[Anthony]

Originally Posted by Gamer_Zer0

Does any one acturally plan to play D&D 4e?

In the world as a whole, lots of people seem to. On this board, I expect to play 4e.

[roguebfl]

Originally Posted by Anthony

To be honest, I wouldn't really object to higher level wizards leaving their low level encounters and dailies in their spell books. However, since there's pretty much never a good reason to prepare those spells instead of a higher level spell, the major effect would be to clutter up the character sheet.

never a good reason for use of low level? then this is a HUGE dispartcher from privous vertion of wizards, even a level 12+ i could never ge enough slots for first and second level spell. shore the combat spells did less in need, but those level were chock full of utility spells the never stopped being useful regardless your level.

[trooper6]

Originally Posted by Flyerfan1991

Sure, it's a hackneyed plot, but the difference in 1st level between 1.0 and 4.0 is pretty darn big these days. At least in 1.0, you could conceivably say that the dude from the farm grabbed his grandfather's old polearm and went off to seek fame and fortune. The fatality rate in old 1.0 1st Level characters bore that out. In 4.0, that person was probably built like a Defensive Lineman and had been groomed for a long while to go out and go kick some serious monster butt.

--Mike L.

All I have to say is that 1st Level characters were way too fragile. 1st level Magic-User? 4 hit points? It was way too easy to die. The fatality rate in old 1.0 for 1st level characters was not a good thing in my humble opinion. 4e seems to try and fix that problem.

That said, I've looked through the books and...seems like it might be fun. I'd play in a 4e game. I still prefer GURPS, but I'd play 4e.

I think I might be interested in reviving that idea I had back in the day (that I did start, but not for long). Running GURPS Cyberpunk where virtual reality is a fantasy world using the D&D system. I think I'd try it out using 4e.

[Anthony]

Originally Posted by roguebfl

never a good reason for use of low level? then this is a HUGE dispartcher from privous vertion of wizards, even a level 12+ i could never ge enough slots for first and second level spell.

It is a change (4e has drastically reduced buffing spells), but you're missing a point here: higher level wizards don't have any more slots -- at level 9+, a wizard always has 3 Encounter and 4 Daily attack spell slots. It's just that, as his level goes up, he can put higher level spells into those slots.

[roguebfl]

Originally Posted by Anthony

It is a change (4e has drastically reduced buffing spells), but you're missing a point here: higher level wizards don't have any more slots -- at level 9+, a wizard always has 3 Encounter and 4 Daily attack spell slots. It's just that, as his level goes up, he can put higher level spells into those slots.

actually i did not miss the point, i very much aware the closed the 3.5 Warlock and Dragonfire Adept than any other edition's wizard/mage. my point is it is ha hue departure. and enough of one that im putt it in the same catgury i now have showdow run in. Not worht my time or money to learn in detail, will not buy the books, but will play if that what the group is playing.

[Flyerfan1991]

Originally Posted by trooper6

All I have to say is that 1st Level characters were way too fragile. 1st level Magic-User? 4 hit points? It was way too easy to die. The fatality rate in old 1.0 for 1st level characters was not a good thing in my humble opinion. 4e seems to try and fix that problem.

That said, I've looked through the books and...seems like it might be fun. I'd play in a 4e game. I still prefer GURPS, but I'd play 4e.

I think I might be interested in reviving that idea I had back in the day (that I did start, but not for long). Running GURPS Cyberpunk where virtual reality is a fantasy world using the D&D system. I think I'd try it out using 4e.

Fragile? Sure they were, especially when a magic user had to roll 1d4 for their HP, so conceivably the magic user could end up with 1 HP (just like the other classes). However the 1HD monsters weren't exactly a paragon of fitness either.

That said, 3.x did fix some things, but 4.0 moves the bar even farther into the "1st level people are heroes" department.

Now, will I play 4.0? I know our 3.0 campaign is going to continue as-is for the forseeable future, so I don't think that's going to change. I've been starting to pull together what I can to get a GURPS: Traveller campaign together (thanks, Ed). However, I think I can fit in some 4.0 stuff here and there, and maybe it'll actually grow on me. If I think of it as something completely separate from older versions of D&D, I'll probably be more accepting of it.

--Mike L.