3E/4E Hybrid Statistics Experiment

Even if you hate 4E, there's no denying that there's an elegance to its core mechanics and presentation. Tomorrow I will be releasing a new  Critter Crate monster that is the subject of an experiment of mine; I tried to bring the elegance of 4E to the exhaustive and oft-clunky third edition of our favourite hobby (although I'm not sure if I should even bother, considering that no one but me even likes 3E anymore) :p

The results look a little like this:

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Leap Attack (Ex) [full-round; at-will]

The creature twitches and its many legs send it flying at least 10 feet to land right on top of its target. It bites as a charge and then makes a simultaneous overrun attempt to force its prey to the ground.

   Jump 3.5PH pg.77; +30 to jump check; standing jump take 10 distance is 15 feet.

  Bite +12 melee, 2d6+7 damage and poison; Fort DC 16 or paralysis 2d6 rounds/2d6 minutes; -2 to Crown of Thorns’ AC for 1 round.

  Overrun 3.5PH Pg.157; +11 to strength check; if flat-footed or paralyzed the target cannot take its AoO or get out of the way.

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You'll notice that I even stole the multi-step, multi-effect single action that 4E is so fond of (although in this case it's largely just the normal rules condensed into a "single" attack mechanic).

When set next to a 4E power, well, it still looks a little like a beholder hovering next to Julia Stiles. But if you, like me, prefer a game system with a bit more depth to the mechanics—a game system where there are established, easy-to-use rules for being slammed into by a spiny nightmare creature, potentially bitten and poisoned by that creature, and then to arrest that monster's momentum and kick it off of you—well, then I think you'll find my experiment a big step forward.

"But if only we didn't have to look up all those damned rules!" we screamed. Guess what? This time we don't.

Of course I wouldn't have posted this if I didn't want to know what you think, so please click that comment link below if you have anything at all to say. Do you like it? Do you think it's an improvement, or an impediment? Would it be a welcome change in your 3E game? Let me know.

Comments

[Josh]

I'm having a hard time converting to D&D 4E. I already have nearly every 3.5 publication that was ever printed, and I love 3.5. It's nearly perfectly balanced (with the errata of course), and there is just so much material out there for 3.5 that 4E will have a hard time catching up any time soon.

I love your critter crate, and I think that this particular mob was a great blend of the rules, but it saddens me to see that the critter crate is now overrun by more 4e than 3.5. Anyway, I love the articles on the site, keep up the great work.

[RPG Ike]

I'm with you, Josh.

Before just last night, where I ran my first full-on homebrew dungeon at 6th level in 4E, I was absolutely lukewarm towards it. The session went really well. We had a lot of fun. I still have quite a few gripes aout 4E, some of which wil be addressed as I continue enjoying its most positive points.

I still prefer 3.5, and I haven't forgotten it, but it has lagged behind as 4E critter creation (boring though it can be) is rather easy, and I've been trying very hard to learn the rules as I can't see it going anywhere for some time.

Anyway, I appreciate what you're saying, and I'll see what I can do to lessen the gap between the 3.5 and 4E critters in the crate over the next few weeks.

Thanks for stopping by!