Unearthed Arcana: 4e Preview?

[Fax Celestis]

I mentioned this in another thread, but I think it warrants its own discussion.

Recently, I've been looking through Unearthed Arcana and noticing that quite a few things in there are what 4e looks to be using. Level Based Skills, Weapon Groups, Class Defense Bonus, Injury Status, Players Roll All The Dice, Action Points, and Recharge Magic all seem to be making at least some sort of appearance. Is it just me, or is this really the case?

[Hunter Noventa]

It might just be that those options arepopular enough int he view of WotC to become the norm.

After all, I absolutely love the weapon group feats...players roll all the dice though...not so much. That'll defintiely discourage me from playing a caster.

[Person_Man]

The specifics are all different, but I think you're correct on the general point.

3.0 came out in 2000. 3.5 came out in 2003. Unearthed Arcana came out in 2004, and basically included the kitchen sink of variant rules that designers and the community had been suggesting for four years. At this point, someone in WotC looked ahead on their development schedule, and realized that they'd be running out of meaningful 3.5 supplements to publish around 2006. So they gave the green light to Andy Collins to develop 4th ed. Andy Collins cherry picked the best things WotC had done, including many parts of Unearthed Arcana, and amalgamated them in 4th ed.

[Azerian Kelimon]

You mean, Mike Mearls. Mike is a lead designer for 4th ed, and to be honest, it looks as if it would have been him who would have noticed the good ideas.

I just hope we can use reserve HP for 4th ed. It's too heroic to pass it up.

[Meschaelene]

It might just be that those options arepopular enough int he view of WotC to become the norm.

After all, I absolutely love the weapon group feats...players roll all the dice though...not so much. That'll defintiely discourage me from playing a caster.

Those weapon groups need to be balanced... Can you imagine the lunatic who takes the "sling and dart" weapon group? That makes no sense -- from a balance perspective it's really underpowered, and there is no realistic justification for how a dart and a sling belong in the same category, unless it's named "other".

[Azerian Kelimon]

There is. It's called 2ed dart abuse, hehe.

[Quietus]

Those weapon groups need to be balanced... Can you imagine the lunatic who takes the "sling and dart" weapon group? That makes no sense -- from a balance perspective it's really underpowered, and there is no realistic justification for how a dart and a sling belong in the same category, unless it's named "other".

A halfling, with their bonus to thrown weapons, could easily justify taking that group.

[Dalboz of Gurth]

There is. It's called 2ed dart abuse, hehe.

Yeah one of my players thought he could use dart abuse in 2nd edition, but quickly discovered the rules on encumbrance, and merchant availability shot a dart in his plans.

[Azerian Kelimon]

Refilling enchantment on a case, and let the darts rip. Which is the reason for their cheesyness.