3.9?
Since GenCon I've been chewing over the differences between 4e, 3.5, Pathfinder, and Star Wars Saga. Unfortunately, my conclusion is that if I want an ideal system it will require a lot of work.
I'll start of by saying I'm not a 4e basher... there are plenty of people that have vehement hatred for 4e. While I think that the most vitriolic detractors base their despite of the system in the fact that it is different while others have munchkin rage because the system is so hard to min-max, there are valid issues with the new version.
Meanwhile, Pathfinder is an interesting take on 3.5, but it still fails to address some core issues.
So what to do? Take the best of all of them and kluge together an Ozzenstein hybrid.
Some basics I've laid out in my head:
1) The core 4e combat system is very sound. So I need to not break the math. I like the change of saves to defenses (Fortitude/Reflex/Will). The combat rules themselves don't need much tampering.
2) I don't like the homogeneous new class system. All classes seem the same with just different flavors on the powers. While I like the at-will/encounter/daily system for special abilities, it is overdone.
3) This means a new spell system. I'll be keeping the ritual system, though I'll tweak it to differentiate Mage (arcane), Priest (divine) and Druid (nature) rituals. As for the spell system itself, I'm looking at how Star Wars Saga handled Force powers. I'll probably also be slowing down spells a little because I don't like the videogame effect now.
4) This means talent trees for no-casters. These will have fewer limited use abilities, again looking at SWS for inspiration.
5) Put in valid multi-classing (without breaking the math). Once I get all of the above done, this will actually be easier.
6) Tweak skill system. I've already introduced secondary skills to my 4e campaign to cover things like Craft. I'm also rattling around a background system using the Commoner, Expert, and Aristocrat NPC classes as a basis.
7) I need to *not* make significant changes to monsters. I need to be able to open to a page in the MM and go.
This may give me some real content to put on lordoz.com, assuming I can stay out of LOTRO enough to work on it. And assuming I don't get in the Mines of Moria Beta.
I'll start of by saying I'm not a 4e basher... there are plenty of people that have vehement hatred for 4e. While I think that the most vitriolic detractors base their despite of the system in the fact that it is different while others have munchkin rage because the system is so hard to min-max, there are valid issues with the new version.
Meanwhile, Pathfinder is an interesting take on 3.5, but it still fails to address some core issues.
So what to do? Take the best of all of them and kluge together an Ozzenstein hybrid.
Some basics I've laid out in my head:
1) The core 4e combat system is very sound. So I need to not break the math. I like the change of saves to defenses (Fortitude/Reflex/Will). The combat rules themselves don't need much tampering.
2) I don't like the homogeneous new class system. All classes seem the same with just different flavors on the powers. While I like the at-will/encounter/daily system for special abilities, it is overdone.
3) This means a new spell system. I'll be keeping the ritual system, though I'll tweak it to differentiate Mage (arcane), Priest (divine) and Druid (nature) rituals. As for the spell system itself, I'm looking at how Star Wars Saga handled Force powers. I'll probably also be slowing down spells a little because I don't like the videogame effect now.
4) This means talent trees for no-casters. These will have fewer limited use abilities, again looking at SWS for inspiration.
5) Put in valid multi-classing (without breaking the math). Once I get all of the above done, this will actually be easier.
6) Tweak skill system. I've already introduced secondary skills to my 4e campaign to cover things like Craft. I'm also rattling around a background system using the Commoner, Expert, and Aristocrat NPC classes as a basis.
7) I need to *not* make significant changes to monsters. I need to be able to open to a page in the MM and go.
This may give me some real content to put on lordoz.com, assuming I can stay out of LOTRO enough to work on it. And assuming I don't get in the Mines of Moria Beta.
posted by Oz at 12:23 PM
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