Re: 4E preview?


Reginald Blue wrote:
Jasin Zujovic wrote:
Well, not really.

But there's the preview for Star Wars Saga Edition:

http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=starwars/article/SagaPreview1

Two interesting points:

* "triple Hit Die" at 1st-level

That is interesting... missed that when I read the article.

I don't understand the point. If you want heroes to be more heroic,
cut to the chase and start them at 3rd level.

* "Defenses Ref 13 (flat-footed 13), Fort 14, Will 12"

I didn't get, at first, what you were speaking about... then I realized,
there's no "AC" rating anywhere. Apparently, this is it.

Interesting. I wonder if this means that there will be a save vs.
damage.

I'm surprised you didn't mention the "condition track" mechanic, which is
something most people complain about in D&D.

I don't understand why the STAR WARS designers are (a) always fighting
against the game being cinematic; and (b) frequently schizophrenic.

The VP/WP system was a classic example of this: Although the designers
claimed this made the game more cinematic, it actually made the game
more lethal. And why would you want to make STAR WARS less cinematic?
It's practically the modern definition of pulp action!

So now you ditch the VP/WP system (thank god), but you replace it with
death spiral mechanics? Why, for the love of god?

I'm also not particularly happy with the "throwing the baby out and
keeping the bathwater" understanding of class systems that WotC's
designers have been demonstrating over the past few years. The only
reason to have a class system in the first place is to simplify the
character creation process: You pick a class and you're good to go.
Skills and feats in 3rd Edition gave you some flexibility within this
structure without losing sight of the basic utility of the class
system.

But when you've got a class system so flexible that you can literally
have two people in the same class who don't share any of the same
abilities, then you've lost the only advantage of the class system.
Now you've got a system with all disadvantages of a class system, but
none of the advantages.

--
Justin Alexander
http://www.thealexandrian.net

.

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