Looking forward to 5e!

[Dershem]

This was my BIGGEST gripe about 4e, there were some others but this was the biggest.

[dplehwalder]

I have always found 3.5 to be a bit faster in combat then 4.0, but I did not play 4.0 long because I found it way too generic and boring.

My group and I have been using FG for a while now and we are starting to do 3.5 combats faster in FG then in person! When I DM I am finding it to be way faster. That sheet of monsters hit point is gone, replaced by that nice combat tracker that does it all. The larger the encounter the more combat is improved over in person games. A combat with 6 PC's and 20 Monsters runs so smooth in FG. Rolling 20 attacks takes less then a minute, no way I could do that in person.

Loving FG, cant wait for the next update!

[Bleak Midwinter]

With a group of experienced players, I've found (face to face) combats went very quickly. There is the occasional prevarication when someone decides whether the risk of provoking AOOs is worth it to set up combat advantage ... but really, that's the slight price of time in exchange for having a combat system which encourages thoughtfulness and tactics.

It certainly takes longer than a more 'fluffy' system where you don't take positioning into account, but I haven't yet found it to take longer than 3.0 or 3.5 when they also used combat maps. That being said: not tried D&D past level 14.

[Dr0W]

With a group of experienced players you can do alright in tabletop, and lighting fast using FG2.

But I guess many people might have faced the same problem as me, I've even printed combat carts to make the game faster, but whenever it was a players turn they went like "Huh... let's see what I'm gonna do..." and started to look at his own cards. If the game goes like this, no wonder the battle will take hours to finnish.

[Captcorajus]

I had actually just quit D&D outright, in favor of straight role playing on Second Life (that is meterless RP. Not like WOW). However, having recently discovered Castle and Crusades, i'm definitely getting back into it.

I really did not like 4E in the least... it became too much like a video game/ collectible card game, and I know I certainly couldn't keep track of it.

WOTC did not have the same success that they did with 3E... and actually fractured their player base, buy turning their noses up at those of us who have been into it for years, in favor of trying to appeal to the WOW munchkin crowd.

They failed in both efforts... loosing many long time players, and not gaining significant new ones. Pathfinder, C&C, and other games quickly gobbled up those disenchanted with the new rules set.

5E will be an attempt to recapture that fractured base. I wish them well, but I'm not holding out much hope for them as long as Hasbro is pulling the strings.

[Mgrancey]

Very true, Hasbro pushed for a new books every month, which just burned through new content and growth and they will repeat the same thing over again. They should take a look at Paizo and consider think about leaning more towards their model, cause they seem to be doing alot better. My other concern is the Living Campaign, cause if I have to start over again, well I won't be suffice to say, and honestly I am kinda irked about how everything, or at the very least nearly so end up as available even when it shouldn't.

[ShadeRaven]

Ironically, I found 4E combat to be greatly enhanced and quicker using FG2. On a typical night, we should get through 2-3 battles in a two hour period, plus a lot of exploring, RP, and general goofing off.

The key, for me, was to stress that players should be ready on their turn and, at worst, have a favorite power to default to if they aren't sure. No one player's turn should take more than a minute.

As for 5E, I wholeheartedly agree. I hope they continue to move D&D forward to a well balanced, easily managed (as a DM) game, but with more character in the characters and more of the variety of previous editions.

[Valarian]

Personally, I'd like to see D&D go down the lines of some of the d20 OGL modifications I saw. Namely, a fixed Hit Point value set at character generation and increases to a Defence bonus to Armour Class per level. It means that, as you increase in level, you are less likely to get hit. But, when you do get hit, you get hurt. Knowing the AC breakdown can assist with the narration of the combat (so much being dodging the blow, so much being the armour defending you from the blow, etc.).

[ksm]

I will certainly be very interested to see what comes out of 5E, but I will be in no rush to adopt the game.

Too much investment has been made in 4E resources (and FG2), and frankly if I changed systems again, my players would revolt.

Once our 4E campaign is complete (I estimate around 2020 at this rate) I might look at 6E or 7E!

[Fraxture]

I am very curious to see the new material as well.
I have a sickness, where I have to acquire and read all new Table Top RPG resources.