I’m going to be honest here. I haven’t really done that much research into the new 4th edition of Dungeons and Dragons. Personally I thought that the leap to 3rd edition was awesome, despite the slap in the face of converting characters from 2nd edition to 3rd. OF course those characters are long gone. They didn’t last too long in 3.0.
My first thought about 4.0 was that it was just a cash grab by Wizards of the Coast. My only research in to 4th edition D&D was a conversation with a the guy that works at the comic store. He tried to explain to me that 4.0 would focus more so on miniatures and combat. So my first thought was:
‘great, more min maxing combat characters, and less actual character and roleplaying. They are turning D&D into World of Warcraft on paper’
The kid at the store talk my ear of for 2 hours (didn’t he have something to be doing, like helping customers?), and kept pronouncing ‘Blackguard’ as ‘Blaggard’ I really could not get out of there fast enough. This whole experience put a sour taste in my mouth (or maybe it was the Root Beer Banana Slurpee) made me think that their was no need to upgrade to Dungeons and Dragon 4th edition.
I found a site that specialized in providing info about 4th edition I spent some time on the site just reading through, and there definitely some interesting changes to 4.0. Of course I kept bouncing between reading the site and looking at my bookshelf chock full of 3.0 books. I’m not sure if I can justify rebuilding my collection of DnD books…I don’t think 4.0 is that awesome. I may pick up the Players Handbook and have a look at the changes.
The main benefit of this new Dungeons and Dragons 4th edition is that all of the 3.0 books will be super cheap as gamers start to unload their used 3.0 materials on Amazon.com. So for all you dorks that don’t want to invest in all new 4.0 books, just keep and eye on Amazon for some awesome deals on used books.
A lot of 3.0 D&D books are only around $20 for new, and even less for used. That’s a serious discount since talk of 4.0. On my next paycheque I plan on some major shopping. Check it out:
3.5 books will = less $$$
then maybe Mike Mike will stop asking to borrow our books for months on end!
After playing 4th edition and flipping through the books they had, I am wholly unimpressed. While there are some nifty aspects to it (second wind being the best of these) overall it seems to rob the game of a lot of the flavour it had before. Simply put, you don’t have to play the game as much; it’s already played for you.
We were talking with a few people while flipping through the Players Handbook, commenting on a lot of the changes.
Robin: Jesus, you don’t role for hit points anymore??
Psoriasis dude: Well the DM can always add that rule in.
Chris: There’s no more critical misses?
Man-woman: You can play ones as critical misses if you want to, that’s up to the DM.
Fraser: Fuck me, you don’t role for stats anymore?
Danny Devito lady: You don’t have too, but your DM could rule in favour of that.
See the pattern? If the DM can add all these rules and make all these changes, what’s the point in shelling out cash for all the new books? DM’s are free!!
The only possible good thing I see coming out of this is the online support of it. It looks like they are adding some nifty aspects where you can create unique character skins and build battle maps based on your campaigns. But I’m sure they’ll fuck this up somehow.
Playing 4th edition is like watching some dude fuck a hot chick for you.
I think 4th edit is primarily geared towards new players, the younger generation, and girls who have never played a paper and pencil roleplaying game.
It is stream-lined like a video game just as the White states. The action in the game and even the skills are a bit button like. For example things are less feats and more like: look how cool i am, i can do something special every round….wait a minute if i can blast off the same spell or ability every round is that really special….hmmm maybe not…. well ill blast anyway, since im on this square and have nothing else in my brain and thats all that the game gives me for commands. [see] press (y) button, press (x) button, whoops im out of buttons to press, now WTF do i do.
Maybe the sumation is that a (Game) [read. DnD] that is supposed to be all imagination and thinking outside of the box, sort of stunts your desire to think for yourself [read. 4 th edit].
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/blackguard
You know, “blackguard” is pronounced “blaggard”.
Been playing 4e for a while. Comparing 4e to 3.5 or 3 or 2 or original is pointless; it’s barely the same game. Just as 3e was barely the same game as AD&D. Go into it with that attitude and of course you won’t enjoy it.
There’s still the rewards of thinking outside the box as there always were. My first session I threw a pint of oil and had the mage set it on fire vs some dire spiders. Second session, I ran screaming across a bridge as it collapsed behind me. Third session, our party of level 5 adventurers took down a level 20 tuned to level 18 solo target by shoving her off a cliff (see; retuned Witchfire trilogy from another module).
The point? If you’re expecting the same game, you’ll be sorely disappointed and hardly enjoy yourself. Don’t expect the same game.
I’m so not gonna buy anymore 4th edition! It’s a rip offf! Its basically only abouy models!!