Ugh. I have to say it: on the whole, I can’t stand the 4E supporters on theDnD Next forums. They’re hyper-defensive about 4E — the least successful, shortest-lived edition of the game — such that their solution to every question is “Well, just do it like 4E does it!”
Witness, for example, this thread: “I’m a blacksmith”: So how do you represent that mechanically? Skill/Feat/Practice/Background/Theme? My contribution begins here. The point that I’m trying to make — and that I feel is absolutely true — is that 5E will have to design a whole system, not just a Skills system; that skills will be reflected in other places; and that, therefore, the kind of Skills system in place must depend on how much the designers want “character skills” (i.e. non-combat skills) to generate tangible, in-game benefits. But all I’m getting in return is “3E sucked! Look at how 4E does it! You don’t want to role-play, because role-playing begins and ends with imagination!”
I’m not advocating for a 3E system here. I’m trying to get everyone to think forward about what a 5E system might look like. And all I’m getting back is, “But 4E does it this way!” It just makes me want to scream:
“I don’t care! 4E is a failed edition!! 5E is not going to be 4E with a new label on the cover!!!”
But I don’t, because I really don’t want to get into an Edition War. But man, it’s hard to have a conversation that goes anywhere when the only place they want to go is back to 4E.
