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I like the new ritual rules or, at least, the concept of them. The thing that I like most about them is that anyone, of any class, who has the right skills, can use them. "Failed to pick that lock? Bust out the arcane components and come at it again from a different angle,"
fits my idea of adventuring more than, "Wait for the wizard to make everything all better - and why didn't you just let him Knock it open in the first place?"Divinations, bindings, raising the dead - I've always imagined them as ceremonial and time consuming, so rituals work for me conceptually.
I do like the "20 equals critical, critical equals maximum damage" thing as well. It is simple, streamlined and effective. Rolling to confirm a threat and failing is a let down. Confirming but rolling low damage is depressing. I don't mind that it reduces the relative worth of scimitars, scythes, kukris and their kin. Threatening to critical over and over again just adds a second confirmation roll and a x4 multiplier just asks, again, for more dice rolling. I'd rather count on the maximum and let the next player take his turn. I like pace.
I don't like healing surges. I like Monte Cook's "grace" system a lot though. It's more cinematic and keeps the players up and fighting longer without turning the cleric into a full time healer.
I like modifiers. If the vancian spellcasting system were somehow removed, stats could just be referenced by their modifiers. Writing 12 or 13 in one box and then +1 in another is fine but a simplified "Strength: 4 Dex: 2 Con: -1 Etc: ," would save on time. We know that a +/- 2 to any stat will result in a +/- 1 modifier (hence racial mods being even numbers). Why not streamline it?
Starting hit points equal to constitution score...yeah. That works. Racial modifiers to con would be accounted for, so biggun's and lil' ones are represented well. I don't really like set increases to hit points based on level though. That means that every high level character would end up having hp totals...
First let me say that I bought the 4e books and started a whole new campaign based around this material. Also, I brought in three new players (completely new to RPG's). Having said all that, I really like quite a few things that they came up with. Unfortunately, I also found alot that I just can't go with. Particularly, I have never had as much trouble teaching someone the game as I have had with 4e. With that said we will be going back to some version of the 3.x rules hopefully incorporating some of the items that Michelle has listed above and then some.
1.] Rituals. For all of the reasons you listed, Yes. My players and I both really enjoy the feel that this gives the magic system. There is also the idea (with the right feat and skill) for non-spellcasters to use 'some' magic without having to incorpoate an entire extra class into their character design. Makes for some interesting character concepts. In one form or another we will be bringing this into out 3.x game.
2.] Criticals. I thought, "the players are going to like this!" Man, was I wrong. They hated the 4e style criticals. They like the extra critical damage dice from magic items but that was it.
They also never liked the whole system of roling to verify a critical in 3.x. The excitement of the '20' then the let down of not making the second roll. Also, I was really turned off to this by seeing their disapointment.
We are going back to our old damage x2 with no extra rolls involved. To balance this if you get a '1' then you provoke an attack of opportunity. It made the '1's just as scary as the '20's were exciting while keeping thigs pretty simple.
3.] I like the cinematic concept of the healing surge but not to the extent that it has been implemented in 4e. We are currently looking at making a healing surge an option for spending an action point and bringing it over to our 3.x game.
Michelle, I am not familiar with the 'grace' system. If you, or someone else, could give an overview it would be much appreciated.
4.] Ability Scores as Modifiers. I created my own RPG back in the 80's and I used this concept then. Unfortunately, when my players discovered that I had nothing developed for unarmed combat (they started a fight in a tavern and didn't want to kill anyone) the whole thing just fell by the way side. The next time I saw this used was in the True20 system. I incorporated it into my 3.x game for all the same reasons you listed and my players hated it. I mean, really hated it. Something about seeing that full stat listed on their sheet meant sonething to them that nobody could really explain. We went back to using the full stats...
5.] More hit points at first level is good. It means that I can beat on my players for a longer period of time at lower level.
6.] I also like the Ability Modifier + 1/2 Level concept. It feels smoooth...
The Candlekeep admin moved my post to a different location. Here is the
the new link:
http://forum.candlekeep.com/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=11264
This is my idea of a way to include 4e type powers in D&D 3e rules. Interested in making actions combos like precise powered cleave attacks? Check out my idea in the above link.
Included is also my idea on how to fix the Vancian spell system if you are interested.