Fourth Edition front line
May. 22nd, 2008 02:34 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
grinninfooleI spent the evening playing a wizard, trying out the new fourth edition of D&D in the just released adventure Keep On The Shadowfell. Nutshell version: wow, it really is a great new game.
Somewhat longer version:
Roleplaying is roleplaying, and the new rules system doesn't change the experience of getting into character and creating a story with friends. What it does change are the crunchy bits where the rules matter, i.e. primarily combat. So, we had one combat encounter, and I noticed a few things.
1) All six characters were able to do cool things, and make a difference in all three rounds. I got to try out all three of my at will powers, and each was tactically effective, and I was able to husband my 1/encounter and 1/day powers against future need.
2) Even though we were all first level, it was clear that we could have soldiered on after the first encounter and spent the whole evening just battling, which is a big improvement over earlier versions. All characters start with 20 something hit points, so even the wizard can take a couple of shots before going down.
3) Combat is more fluid. Characters moved around more, and it changed the flow of the battle when they did. Related to this, fighters have become seriously bad news in melee, and now really do serve as meat-shields. They have, or can have, a power that means that anyone who could melee with them but who chooses to evade them or attack someone else triggers a free attack, so it quickly becomes dangerous NOT to fight your way through the fighter.
4) The new emphasis on racial powers to emphasize racial differences works, and makes the game more fun. It's already clear that halflings are different from dwarves or humans at first level, and that they'll remain so at 10th, whereas in 3.5 edition it wouldn't much matter.
5) The new rules are more streamlined, and that speeds play. E.g. critical hits. Nat 20 = crit = max damage. No need to roll to confirm or extra damage (or any damage.) Just make or take the hit and move on. The reduction of crunchy book-keeping will, I think, allow folks who don't dig that to enjoy the game more, but the expansion of character building choices will allow players like me, who enjoy character tinkering and finding rules to reflect the role, to still have our special fun.
All in all, I'm thoroughly sold on the new version, and I look forward to playing it. But I won't be chucking my 3.5 books yet, either.
Somewhat longer version:
Roleplaying is roleplaying, and the new rules system doesn't change the experience of getting into character and creating a story with friends. What it does change are the crunchy bits where the rules matter, i.e. primarily combat. So, we had one combat encounter, and I noticed a few things.
1) All six characters were able to do cool things, and make a difference in all three rounds. I got to try out all three of my at will powers, and each was tactically effective, and I was able to husband my 1/encounter and 1/day powers against future need.
2) Even though we were all first level, it was clear that we could have soldiered on after the first encounter and spent the whole evening just battling, which is a big improvement over earlier versions. All characters start with 20 something hit points, so even the wizard can take a couple of shots before going down.
3) Combat is more fluid. Characters moved around more, and it changed the flow of the battle when they did. Related to this, fighters have become seriously bad news in melee, and now really do serve as meat-shields. They have, or can have, a power that means that anyone who could melee with them but who chooses to evade them or attack someone else triggers a free attack, so it quickly becomes dangerous NOT to fight your way through the fighter.
4) The new emphasis on racial powers to emphasize racial differences works, and makes the game more fun. It's already clear that halflings are different from dwarves or humans at first level, and that they'll remain so at 10th, whereas in 3.5 edition it wouldn't much matter.
5) The new rules are more streamlined, and that speeds play. E.g. critical hits. Nat 20 = crit = max damage. No need to roll to confirm or extra damage (or any damage.) Just make or take the hit and move on. The reduction of crunchy book-keeping will, I think, allow folks who don't dig that to enjoy the game more, but the expansion of character building choices will allow players like me, who enjoy character tinkering and finding rules to reflect the role, to still have our special fun.
All in all, I'm thoroughly sold on the new version, and I look forward to playing it. But I won't be chucking my 3.5 books yet, either.
