Of course, nothing of what's here is definitive (or even confirmed) given that playtesting still continues.
Races:
Mentioned some race dissapearing from core (bets go for the Gnome), possibly to be included in an early supplement.
Tiefling included, and they look much more demonic than now (almost half-demon)
Changeling from Eberron may be included.
"dwarven resilience, elven evasion, a half-elf’s inspiring presence" mentioned as racial traits.
Classes can be improved by racial feats, in a similar way to how current racial substitution levels work.
All classes have at will, per encounter and per day abilities.
Classes:
Levels go up to 30, instead of 20;
Level division:
1-10 Heroic- foes are orcs and ogres, some giants, small dragons. Adventures tend to be local
11-20 Paragon- on par with the current low to mid teens right now. Bigger threats are faced that might threaten a kingdom
21-30 Epic- World or Planar threats.
The goal is to have the levels play in a similar manner- they don't want a 25th character overwhelmed with 80 abilities. The main differences should be in the story, not how they play.
From
GamerZer0's interview with James Wyatt: There are four "roles".
- Defender: fighter & paladin classes
- Leader: cleric & warlord classes
- Controller: wizard class
- Striker: rogue & ranger classes
Although two PCs may serve the same role, they may do it in different ways. (Like fighters with different styles.) The roles are geared towards combat; a PC's non-combat aspects can differentiate him further. He also said that they are still considering the possibility of there being a class or two that doesn't quite fit the four "roles"
Fighter, Cleric, Rogue and Wizard definitely stay (multiple mentions and examples). Also mentioned Barbarian, Paladin and Ranger. Mentioned that wizard and sorcerer won't merge. Sorcerer will be
different from wizards in more ways than just resource management.
Mentioned that paladins can
be of other alingments other than lawful good
Mentioned a warlord class
Druid
mentioned in D&D's seminar's summary
Backstab mentioned.
Fighter's "powers" depend highly on the weapon they chose as primary - spears have different "powers" available than axes; swords and greatswords are very flexible in terms of said "powers"
Wisdom helps with power selection.
Mentioned a "rain of blows" power or maneuver for swords; mentioned making a choice between taking the abilities "Supreme Cleave" or "Massive Strike".
More on
martial abilities:
"A skilled halberdier can hack a foe with his weapon’s blade and spin around to smash a second foe with the haft. A fighter with a longsword disarms her foe with a flick of her wrist, while a battle hungry axeman cleaves through shields, armor, and bone." "Rogues have a similar relationship with skills. A nimble rogue dives through the air to tumble past an ogre, while a charismatic one tricks an enemy into looking away just before she delivers a killing blow with her dagger. Just as fighters do more with weapons than any other character, rogues push skills beyond the limits that constrain other PCs."
Cleric mentioned creating a
"surge of healing power" alongside a critical hit. This hints (yet unconfirmed) to mechanics similar to some Crusader maneuvers, from Tome of Battle.
Some current base class dissapear; classes yet to be mentioned and therefore good candidates are Monk and Bard. Classes that don't appear in the PHB
will appear in future products
Psionics
not to be included in core, though they'll have support.
Prestige classes
stay
Feats and skills:
Move silently and hide rolled into one
Some of the more obscure or less used skills dissapear (mentioned tailor and rope use)
Mentioned that Sage should be "considered a preview [of the skill system]"
Feats
won't form long chains.
There will be rules akin to the
retraining rules in PHBII - they don't like the dea of people planning their carers from level 1 to 30
Combat and encounters:
Rules for non-combat encounters. The example given was social interaction. Unlike 3E, where negotiation amounts to a single Diplomacy check, it's treated almost like a combat in 4E. I make a skill check, but I also tell the DM what/how I'm doing. The opponent responds with behavior (and a check) of his own. I counter with a new check, and new words. And so forth.
Saves
mentioned
AC
mentioned, apparently with the same function as it has today.
Free, immediate, move and standard actions
mentioned. (it stands to reason Swift actions will be present too)
Critical hits mentioned.
Attacks of opportunity
gone or greatly changed/simplified: a fighter
charges a dragon and no AoO is mentioned.
Grapple greatly simplified.
Confirmation rolls for critical hits possibly go away.
Combat still uses a square grid
Spells and magic:
Vancian system survives, but it's ony a
"fraction" of the magic (or magic options) available to characters: "a wizard who casts all his memorized per day spells should be at about 80% of power."
"Wizards will be able to cast 25th-level spells."
Fireballs
don't deal 1d6/level damage any more. Also, game breaking spells (spells that fundamentally change the gaming scenario, like etherealness, scrying, and save or die effects) "have been addressed as well"
Mentioned a
"ray of freezing cold"
Magic items
Magic item creation
doesn't use XP or require a feat.
Monsters:
The monsters will have
their own roles and their own abilities- the orc will have orc abilities, not fighter or barbarian abilites
Monsters
no longer drain XP (implied no draining of levels?)
Vulnerability to energy likely to
work differently in 4e, with additional effects (like slowing in the case of cold) instead of (or in addition to?) extra damage.
"
The ettin, for instance, has the whole two-heads thing, so it can go twice in one round, and take unrelated actions."
Ancient (red?) dragons apparently now can do
a lot of things:
- An inferno aura, useable as a free action.
- A tail slap attack with an added pushback effect, useable as a free action.
- Two claw attacks, useable as a standard action.
- A fireball spit that sticks to the target dealing extra damage, useable as a standard action.*
- A breath weapon, but we don't get to see what kind of action it normally takes - a free one like the inferno aura, as different uses of the same ability?
- A special action granting an extra standard action.*
- They may take an immediate action to use their breath weapon when reduced blow half damage.
- They may take an immediate action to use their tail slap when about to be flanked.
Said dragon would have around 1000 hit points.
)
![Arcanjo[SK]](/forum/data/avatars/m/10/10942.jpg?1720524844){kind=avatar}
