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More Details on Dungeons and Dragons Fourth Edition

Posted by Zonk on from the just-don't-ask-him-about-a-cauldron dept.

Gamespy had a chat with Chris Perkins, story manager for Dungeons and Dragons R&D, at this year's Gen Con. Though Chris had no more details to offer Gamespy than he did for us at the event, the piece puts a lot of information all into one place on what we can expect from D&D Fourth Edition. "GameSpy: We've been reading a lot about talent trees in 4th Edition ... Christopher Perkins: Talent trees aren't unique to MMORPGs. Wizards has produced other games that use talent trees, such as the d20 Modern Roleplaying Game and the Star Wars Roleplaying Game Saga Edition. The theory of game design, regardless of platform, is constantly evolving. We've taken our gaming experiences over the past decade, as well as player feedback on the games and supplements we've produced in that time period, to build a system for character creation and advancement in 4th Edition that draws inspiration from numerous sources, but isn't exactly like anything that's been done before."

45 comments

  1. Gathered Information by LightPhoenix7 · · Score: 5, Informative

    Yeah, because no site is gathering 4E information, and certainly never did for 3E either. Seriously, ENWorld is the best (and biggest non-WotC) D&D community on the net, and anyone who is a fan of any edition should be posting there.

    1. Re:Gathered Information by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

      Nerd.

    2. Re:Gathered Information by Caste11an · · Score: 1

      I just ran out of mod points, dammit.



      Truer words were never spoken. You could be getting this info straight from some of the horses' mouths. Seriously, many of the industry giants regularly post on ENWorld.



      Go there now.

    3. Re:Gathered Information by sckeener · · Score: 1

      anyone who is a fan of any edition should be posting there.

      one shouldn't always preach to the choir either. Slashdot gets a lot of hits. I know some D&D players that never go looking for new information about their hobby. They are stuck in a rut with their game. Maybe because they do not pursue the new...maybe because of the cost...who knows. The end result, if you care about the hobby, should be to get gaming news out to the heavy traffic sites.

      Sure you can refer them to enworld, like you did, but don't slam the site just because the wording didn't meet your preference. Talk about the subject....I believe it is 4th edition.....

      Let me start....One of the changes is the default setting. It use to be Greyhawk. It will now be nothing....the theme will be "Points of light in a dark world". The most interesting rumor about this that Forgotten Realms will be refresh 100+ years into the future with most of the world destroyed.

      The next news is that Demons and Devils are having to post for their jobs...with the Succubus being changed to a Devil and Erinyes being merged into the Succubus. Devils look human and Demons don't.

      Since alignment is getting stretched in the new addition, some people are waiting to see the finished product before getting upset about the Devils&Demons.

      2 classes are getting Axed in 4ed from core.

      Wizards when they have cast all their spells will still be at 80% of the power...(sounds like they are merging with the warlock...i.e. getting some weaker constant magic spell...like a blaster spell)

      Lots more changes...from what it sounds like they tossed out core D&D concepts and then played...if it didn't feel like D&D they added them back in....

      --
      "Only one thing, is impossible for god: to find any sense in any copyright law on the planet." Mark Twain
  2. Play by the rules, die by the rules. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Insightful

    Seriously, who uses unmodified rules when playing a campaign? Its not like we need some kind of campaign standard because we will change GMs mid adventure.
    Me and my group always play with some heavily modified AD&D planescape settings.

    1. Re:Play by the rules, die by the rules. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Wise man. Screw the 3rd edition Manual of the Planes. It will never hold a candle to the brilliance of the Planescape campaign setting. If TSR^WWotC^WHasbro (or whoever owns it now) was wise they would simply republish the Planescape campaign unaltered except for the updates required for 3rd edition or 4th edition rules. That is the #1 reason my group still uses 2nd edition rules and won't buy the newer books. The #2 reason is Dark Sun.

    2. Re:Play by the rules, die by the rules. by Planesdragon · · Score: 4, Funny

      Screwy berk, you can't chant the new rules? Armor class going up instead of down makin' ya all wobbly?

      Go back to the Prime; real cutters went to d20 almost ten years ago.

    3. Re:Play by the rules, die by the rules. by clem · · Score: 1

      Seek out Planewalker. It has what you're asking for.

      --
      Your courageous and selfless spelling corrections have made me a better person.
    4. Re:Play by the rules, die by the rules. by Asmor · · Score: 1

      Athas.org also exists as the Dark Sun equivalent. There's a spelljammer.org as well.

      I think they're semi-official, in that Wizards acknowledges them and allows them to post their conversion materials, with the stipulation of keeping fluff to a minimum. Basically, you still need the original 2e stuff for the full effect (which are still offered as PDF, as well as being fairly easy to find on eBay and at any hobby store with any sort of collection of old stuff).

      It's also worth noting that, during Paizo's run, they printed not one but three "old-setting"-themed issues, with articles on Planescape, Dark Sun, Spelljammer, Ravenloft, etc. Here's a listing of Planescape-related articles in Dragon. These, of course, are official, but it's worth noting that they also usually contradict the stats published in the websites above.

  3. Obligatory by Arceliar · · Score: 1, Insightful

    The geeks shal inherit the earth, right?

    I for one welcome our polyhedron dice rolling overloards.

    Now mod me +5 Insightful

    1. Re:Obligatory by Spy+der+Mann · · Score: 2, Funny


      Obligatory (Score:4, Insightful)

      Now mod me +5 Insightful

      *rolls 1d6* 4 instead of 5... you lose.

  4. What? by Zatchmort · · Score: 5, Funny

    We've been reading a lot about talent trees in this edition...

    Wait, my character can now gain talents just by shaking certain trees? Score! This will make adventuring much easier!

    1. Re:What? by thorshammer42 · · Score: 1

      So they've made an Animal Crossing RPG?

    2. Re:What? by DreadSpoon · · Score: 5, Funny

      It's going to suck playing a Druid. "Protect the forest? Or beat the crap out of trees to get talents? I use the talentes to protect the forest, so is it justified? But then, I'm not really protecting it at all if I'm harassing all the animal nests to get talents. I should have been a Cleric, dammit."

    3. Re:What? by Nimey · · Score: 1

      Druids are all wannabe clerics, anyway.

      --
      Hail Eris, full of mischief...

      E pluribus sanguinem
    4. Re:What? by SurturZ · · Score: 1

      Dude, so wrong. You've obviously never played a Druid nor seen a Druid in action.

      Fighters are wannabe Druids.

    5. Re:What? by wolfing · · Score: 1

      Clerics beat druids, ask the Order of the Stick if you don't believe me :)

    6. Re:What? by Psiven · · Score: 1

      Oh wow! But does it require friends codes then? Because it's tough enough to get new D&D players as it is.

    7. Re:What? by king-manic · · Score: 2, Funny

      It's going to suck playing a Druid. "Protect the forest? Or beat the crap out of trees to get talents? I use the talentes to protect the forest, so is it justified? But then, I'm not really protecting it at all if I'm harassing all the animal nests to get talents. I should have been a Cleric, dammit."

      Just make him chaotic neutral and your fine.

      --
      "There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy."
    8. Re:What? by Trent+Hawkins · · Score: 1

      you also gain levels by buying new WotC books.

      A new one comes out a week and I hear the top level is above 100.

    9. Re:What? by Jaysyn · · Score: 3, Funny

      That was *so* not in Weather Control's description.

      --
      There is a war going on for your mind.
    10. Re:What? by Macgrrl · · Score: 1

      Just cast barkskin on your enemies before you beat them up.

      --
      Sara
      Designer, Gamer, Macgrrl in an XP World
  5. Druid is the most broken class in the core books. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Interesting

    Says someone who has never deeply examined wild shape or summoning and who thinks that Druids are nothing more than second-class healers. A little more familiarity with the Monster Manuals will net you a truly sick reward for the effort.

    Druid is the single most broken class in the core rule books. Go ask the Character Optimization boards on WotC's site sometime if you don't believe me.

    And this was true even before someone in Eberron development skipped their court-ordered medication and turned out the Planar Shephard Prestige Class for Druids -- which has the distinction of being the single most broken class in the entire game.

  6. Re:sage by TriezGamer · · Score: 1

    GB2/b/

  7. Those weren't talent trees... by patio11 · · Score: 1

    ... those were talent dryads. And now they're pissed talent dryads.

    --
    Help poke pirates in the eyepatch, arr.
    1. Re:Those weren't talent trees... by insanecarbonbasedlif · · Score: 1

      they're pissed talent dryads. Drunk dryads has a better alliterative ring to it...

      I'm sure bards would like to pick up an *alliterative ring*. I wonder what kind of charisma bonus it has?
      --
      Just because I doubt myself does not mean I find your position compelling.
  8. Trees by Velaki · · Score: 1

    Reminds me of the career trees from WH:RPG from many years ago. Nothing new. Might interest some prolog programmers again...you know...goal-seek to the node you want.

    *yawn*
    -v.

  9. Re:D&D is gay. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Mad keen?

    Yeah, D&D is gay.

  10. True MultiClassing by mlauzon · · Score: 0

    I would love to see the 4th edition finally allow you to multiclass properly, yes it can be done in earlier editions, but it is not the easiet thing to do. I love being able to be a Warrior-Mage/Warrior-Wizard, etc...but as I said it's not that easy to do. On another note, would love to see MMORPGs allow you to do the same thing as well, as far as I know...none allow you to yet.

    --
    Michael
    http://s1.sfgame.us/index.php?rec=58163
    1. Re:True MultiClassing by kpharmer · · Score: 1

      > I would love to see the 4th edition finally allow you to multiclass properly

      Then you'll probably want to switch to a different game. Try something like GURPS - where the entire simple concept of classes was abandoned decades ago, and you can easily combine many different types of skills. Of course, how easily you master a skill will depend on your dexterity or intelligence and prerequisite skills - but still, you have total freedom.

    2. Re:True MultiClassing by chelanfarsight · · Score: 1

      screw multi-classing go with a good skill based system like the WestEnd Games d6. that star wars game rocked.

  11. don't worry guys, the frenchman promised us that by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    ze game will remain ze same. ze game will remain ze same!

  12. Re:D&D is gay. by edward2020 · · Score: 1

    Dear Trouser-Stain, Huh? Fin.

    --
    Don't worry about the mule, just load the wagon.
  13. Star wars! by Impy+the+Impiuos+Imp · · Score: 1

    > and the Star Wars Roleplaying Game Saga Edition.

    Try as I might, I never could quite 1-shot the undead guy in the second encounter near the end of the game in KotoR II. Technically if I re-loaded enough, and all my flurries crit'd, it would have, but I never took it that far. 1-almost and a second quick whack, that's enough.

    Yeah, "hard" was a joke, but sheesh.

    --
    (-1: Post disagrees with my already-settled worldview) is not a valid mod option.
  14. Any word on Game Table technology? by wembley+fraggle · · Score: 1

    So has anyone said anything about what kind of platform they're using for Game Table? I for one hope there's a mac/linux client. One of the reasons I play World of Warcraft (besides the addiction) is that I have a Macintosh, and I refuse to buy a PC just to play D&D via the internet.

    1. Re:Any word on Game Table technology? by Kwami · · Score: 1

      According to WotC_DM on the Gleemax forums (he's a staff member): "The D&D game table and the character builder are windows applications driven by a 3D-engine (DirectX based). The character sheet, dungeon builder and encounter builder will be standard windows application." Source: http://forums.gleemax.com/showthread.php?p=13615178#post13615178 Also, when confronted with the possibility that WotC's data about Macs is wrong, "We are aware of the trends in this area, and as I mentioned earlier we are looking if some of our D&DI applications can be used with the more recent intel based mac systems, while keeping in mind our delivery goals and timeline. We also have made our decisions regarding serving the PC platform first based on factual market research data, not estimated data. A lot of our future steps will depend on the success of the first steps." Source: http://forums.gleemax.com/showthread.php?p=13615386#post13615386 Maybe they'll work in WINE? :(

    2. Re:Any word on Game Table technology? by wembley+fraggle · · Score: 1

      Bah, oh well. At least I have a good excuse to not get a subscription to D&DI then. I can just have my friends print out stuff for me.

  15. Not impressed by 4th edition by Spacelem · · Score: 1

    Meh, nothing I've seen about 4th edition has impressed me yet. At best they are fixing some terrible problems present in 3rd edition, and at worst they are ignoring all the incredible game design that has come out in the last 10 years.

    They're still releasing 3 core books and separate background books, when they should be releasing 1 core book containing the rules, character generation and a little basic background. They're keeping levels, which have been hideous from the word go, and force you to wrestle with the mechanics to make your character.

    I'm supporting Warhammer Fantasy for medieval games, which somehow manages to take levels and not make them bad and my overall favourite RPG system is probably the Unisystem (although I secretly like Shadowrun 4th edition too).

  16. This is great new system, check this out: by geekoid · · Score: 1

    You want to level? buy a booster pack to get that level.
    Want a talent, buy a booster pack.

    No not really, but it wouldn't surprise me.

    --
    The Kruger Dunning explains most post on /. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dunning%E2%80%93Kruger_effect
  17. Re:don't worry guys, the frenchman promised us tha by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I wanted to set fire to the guy in that advert.

  18. Skill Trees from Traveller Original? by I.S.Bear · · Score: 1

    Didn't the original Traveller system utilize Skill Trees? How innovative of 4th edition to reach so far back for new ideas.

  19. Slashdot moderation by Max+Littlemore · · Score: 1

    ./ needs a +1 Troll moderation option.

    --
    I don't therefore I'm not.