Dungeons and Dragons 4th Edition

[famousringo]

Kasz216 said:
There anywhere you can see what they've changed like a rundown?

 Oh crap man, too many things to list. I'll make an effort, but I've mostly just looked at the Player Handbook so far.

 Characters:

- Same old basic ability scores and same modifiers, but races provide a bigger boost to stats and stats level much faster as you advance in level.

- Fort, Ref, Will saving throws have been turned into a defense score, effectively like an armor class that enemy spells have to roll against.

- Most defenses and roll bonuses increment by 1 every even-numbered level. This evens the playing field for all classes when it comes to advancing base attack bonus, skill checks, and defenses. Of course, specific feats, race and class features, and other abilities still give people different total bonuses, but the underlying advancement is steady for all.

- There are three tiers of character, Heroic (level 1-10), Paragon (11-20), and Epic (21-30). At each tier, old abilities become more potent and new, more exotic abilities become available.

- All characters gain feats to spend at 1st, 11th, 21st, and every even-numbered level. Some feats have specific race and class requirements, while others are more general. They usually grant a passive bonus under a certain circumstance.

- Every level, you can retrain a single feat, power, or skill in case something with your character didn't turn out as well as you'd hoped.

- Most healing in the game is powered by Healing Surges, of which characters have a limited number per day. How much healing a Healing Surge does scales with the hit points of your character. Healing Surges need to be triggered by certain conditions, such as a use of the Heal skill or particular powers.

Races:

- Gnomes and half-orcs are out. Eladrin, dragonborn, and tieflings are in.

- There's a section of additional playable races in the Monster Manual, with clear guidelines for making them characters, including gnomes and half-orcs.

- Most races provide a +2 bonus to two specific stats and a potent encounter power, along with some other passive bonuses to skills or defenses. Humans are still the most flexible race, and half-elves no longer suck.

- Being small now has very little effect other than restricting the use of larger weapons.

Classes:

- Despite encouraging rigid class roles, classes are highly customizable and might bridge several roles depending on feats and powers selected.

- Barbarian, Bard, Druid, Monk, and Sorceror are out. Warlord and Warlock are in. Warlock is an arcane damage dealer who has made a pact with a mysterious patron power. Warlord is a clever tactician or inspiring leader who supports allies on the front lines.

-  Powers represent almost all combat abilities, and can be used either repeatedly at will, once per encounter, or once per day. Powers tend to scale with level, so they stay relevant even as you add more of them to your reportoire. Some powers are class features, but most are selected from a list available to class, allowing for high character customization.

- At-will powers are typically normal attacks which are keyed to a particular stat and provide a slight bonus if successful.

- Encounter powers typically do about twice as much damage as a normal attack with more dramatic bonus effects.

- Daily powers do about three times the damage of a normal attack, with very dramatic and long-lasting effects. 

- At level 11, you choose a Paragon Path from a selection available to your class. Effectively the new prestige class, Paragon Paths add several new class features and a few exclusive powers to your character as s/he advances through the Paragon tier.

- Multiclassing is done through feats. You can select a single class to dabble in, gaining one of its at-will powers as an encounter power, training one of its skills, and gaining access to its class feats and Paragon Paths. Additional feats allow you to swap some of your class powers for powers from your multiclass.

 Skills:

- Skills have been very streamlined. Most 4.0 skills are amalgamations of two or three 3.5 skills.

- Classes grant in training in 3-6 skills. Racial bonuses and feats can grant training in more skills.

- Any character can make a check with any skill.

- Training grants a +5 bonus to skill checks and sometimes access to higher-level applications of the skill.

- Some encounters are skill-based. Designed to be a series of skill checks rather than a series of attack rolls.

Equipment:

- Magical gear is no longer required to damage some monsters. Magic items in general are more rare and less important to character advancement.

- Armor is divided into heavy and light. Light armor allows you to add Dex or Int modifier to your AC, but heavy armor generally provides a better overall AC. Heavier armor tends to be much less penalizing to skills and movement than in 3.5.

- Spellcasters can now get Implements, which are effectively magic weapons which provide an enhancement bonus to spells.

Combat:

- Combat turn works similarly to 3.5, but there's a new minor action and there are no full-round actions.

- Combat manuevers have been reduced and streamlined (goodbye labyrinthine grapple rules!).

- There is a greater emphasis on mobility and positioning. Game mat highly recommended.

- Modifiers to attack rolls tend to be fewer and less dramatic. Ranged combat doesn't require Pricise Shot to work. :P

- Characters make saving throws at the end of their turn to end ongoing effects. A saving throw is a check against a DC of 10, usually with no modifiers.

Rituals: 

- All non-combat magic has been turned into rituals.

- Rituals are performed by people with the appropriate feat, sometimes with the help of other characters.

- Scrolls or books full of rituals cost a chunk of money to buy, a chunk of time to cast, and appear to be powered by disenchanted magic items.

 

I'd say that's enough info for one post. That's just what's in the Player's.