Dungeons and Dragons 4th Edition

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For the most up to date information about 4th edition, check out the Players Pre-4th Edition Handbook.

Character Changes
Game play Changes
Spells/Magic
Skills
Powers/Prestige Classes
Feats
Monsters
Races
Classes
D&D Insider
Speculation
Product Release Dates
Worlds and Monsters (4th edition preview)


Character Changes

• Characters will go to 30 levels in the PHB rather than 20.
  These 30 levels are organized into three tiers. 1-10 is called the “Heroic” tier, which is similar to 3e at low to mid levels. 11-20 is called the “Paragon” tier, where characters become more powerful and can begin to take on greater threats (small dragons, etc.) - it’s similar to low to mid teens in 3e. 21-30 is the “Epic” tier, where characters now tackle issues of planary and cosmic importance. One thing WotC mentioned was that the game will play similarly at all tiers, it’s just that the scope of the stories will change.
• The only difference in the classes are their ’special ability’ talent trees. Essentially, every other level you get a new ‘talent’, many of which have prerequisites of other talents. So if you want the ability to reroll an attack roll once per day (a rogue ability) you might need the talent to reroll a skill check once per day. Sneak Attack is a talent, so if you want full Sneak Attack, you have to give up all these special abilities.
• Fighters will play differently based on their primary weapon choice. Examples include swords being allowed to make multiple attacks at lower levels (3rd at highest), hammers being more effective based on Con score, and spears being able to “go past AC” (probably ignoring certain types of AC bonuses).
• Vancian magic system (Spell slots of the current system) will be dramatically changed. A wizard who casts all his spells will only be at 80% power. A wizard will never completely run out of spells. They can run out of their “mordenkainen’s sword, however”. Most spells will will be divided into are to be sorted into at will, per encounter and per day.
• As people have said, the importance of magic items will be reduced. While they’ll still be nice to have, WotC says that what makes a 28th level fighter cool will be the fact that he’s a 28th level fighter.
• Character Building: Less feat trees, easier for characters to swap out abilities much easier and try different things out. Each level from 1 – 30 each character will have interesting character development options to choose.
• Personalizing and specializing your character is amped up, it’s one of the most powerful things about 4th edition. If you’re a barbarian, you’re not a frenzied berserker. If you’re a barbarian, you’re a barbarian for your entire career. The frenzied berserker and bear warrior will be at the very end.
• Even at 1st level, a fighter who uses an axe has a different power selection than a fighter who relies on a flail or a rapier or a pick. In the long run, fighters can diversify and master powers related to a few different weapons, but most will opt to focus on the weapon that suits their personal style, helps their interactions with the rest of the PCs in the group, and carries all the magical oomph they’ve managed to acquire.

Game Play Changes

• The SRD/OGL (Open Game Licence for third party products) will still exist.
• There will be no d20 System Trademark License for 4th edition.
• Encounters are going to be wholly redesigned
• Level advancement - for both PCs and monsters - will be a little more “linear,” meaning DMs should be able to throw a wider array of critters up against the PCs.
• Assumed world that will be “points of light in a dark world.”
• There has been talk of a “Critical to the back” doing large amounts of damage. (Possibly the double roll shown above?)
• Ancient dragons will have possibly over 1000hp and AC’s near 50.
• Elemental Dragons have, elemental resistances which act like stoneskin. Elemental Resistance has a maximum amounts of damage able to be taken before it goes down. Elemental Dragons don’t take extra damage from opposite elements (or another dragon ability)
• There will be a 2 year leap in the story time line.
• There will be roughly 10 encounters per level. This is slightly more then 3.5.
• Traps will go up to level 30.
• Attacks of opportunity will be much rarer. An example of a fighter charging a dragon and there were no attacks of opportunity was mentioned.
• Changes to reach: Some monsters may not be able to make attacks of opportunity with a bite attack past a certain range. (A monster with a 15 ft reach with it’s limbs may only have a 5 ft range with it’s bite attack)
• An example of fighting a Dragon: On the dragon’s turn, the first thing it does is burst out in an inferno of flame, searing every PC within 25 feet—a free action. Then, with a standard action, it slashes out at the fighter and the cleric with its two front claws (even though they’re both 20 feet away). As another free action, it uses its tail to slap the rogue, who was trying to sneak up behind it, and pushes her back 10 feet. It’s getting angry at the wizard, so it uses a special ability to take another standard action: it spits a ball of fire at the wizard, setting him on fire. It has a move action left, which it uses to fly into a better position for its breath weapon. That ends the dragon’s turn.
• XP is staying, and it will be much easier for a DM to build an encounter. For example, a DM can build a level 8 encounter totaling 8000xp just by adding up a group of monsters. Monsters have a level, just like characters. “A group vs. a “group” of 5th level is about the same as an EL5 encounter today.
• XP will not be required to make magic items. There was a vague statement that you won’t have to burn a feat to make magic items and that magic item creation has been loosened.
• I think a bit of Iron Heroes has bled into the game. Not things like Tokens and what not, but the idea of islands of civilization surrounded by a sea of lawlessness and savagery will be big in the “assumed” setting. “Points of light in a dark world,” as JohnC said. There will be no great and powerful kingdoms of goodness and justice to bail civilization out. The average Joe doesn’t stray far from the path, venture out onto the moors, are walk through the fog - there are Bad Things out there.
• The encounter is going to be the basic unit of play and encounter design will receive some sizeable revamping. One thing WotC is looking at having DMs decide how much total xp an encounter should and then “buying” monsters with that xp. In addition, there will be several types encounter, including chases and social encounters. There are going to be some actual mechanics to back these up.
• Skill system will be revamped to get rid of junk skills such as rope use. Skills like Hide/Move Silent will be brought together. It will rarely be a check and done. The new system will have, make a check, and they react to it then a response. Concentration will be eliminated (because it’s a skill sink)
• Bullrush is confirmed.
• Flanking is confirmed.
• Trip attack is confirmed.
• Grapple has been simplified.
• Full attack has been removed.
• Death and Dying: At 0 hit points, you are unconscious. You die if you reach negative Hit Points equal to your Bloodied value (half your hit points). At the end of your turn, if you haven’t been stabilized, roll a d20:
  -9: You get worse. If you get this result 3 times before being stabilized, you die.
  10-19: No change.
  20: You stabilize.
• You can cause falling damage to an opponent by landing on him.
• Combat is still using squares.
• “Boosted healing” has been mentioned.
• Wisdom helps with power selection.
• For massive damage you will have to make a Fort save or suffer penalties for the rest of the day, but you will not die from massive damage unless it drops you to -10.
• Reflex, Fort, and Will saves will still be calculated as d20 + 1/2 level + stat bonus. (Possibly also the same for BaB and Defense)
• Every 10th level character will have a +5 bonus to AC, to hit, and all three saves. Class abilities, feats and ability scores will influence these as well.
• Every character at first level will have a bonus traits (fighters getting +2 to fort save for example)
• Saves have been replaced by defense and have almost totally revamped so that everyone’s saves will be within 2 points of each other (your class save bonus only applies once, and you get the best of all classes that you multiclass in, and then progresses the same for everyone). Likewise, everyone gets a bonus to damage equal to half their class level.
• Aggro will be core. (A creature will want to attack someone more then others)
• Trapped doors are in. (Although may be scarce)
• “Critical failures for skills” was used in playtesting terminology.
• The game will be designed to encourage more movement from one place to another. More powers will reward movement and short ranged teleportation/flight or powers that involuntarily move enemies.
• Ability damage is removed.
• Critical Hits have changed significantly. Confirming a critical hit has been removed and when someone makes a critical hit, all the dice are maximized instead of doubled. A critical hit of 3d6+5 damage in 3.5 is (3d6+5)x2 in 4th edition it will be a flat 23. This allows players to write down their critical hit damage to easily look at when they score a 20 for example. Some weapons add extra damage when scoring a critical hit. (eg, +1 frost warhammer deals an extra 1d6 damage on a critical hit.) Also, some magic items and powers give extra effects when scoring critical hits.
• Proficiency with a weapon is now numeric. A warpick for example requires a weapon proficiency of 2 to use.
• Weapon:War Pick
  • Prof.:2
  • Damage:d8
  • Range:–
  • Cost:15 gp
  • Weight:6 lb.
  • Category:Pick
  • Properties: High crit, versatile
• Combat advantage has been mentioned as a combat modifier gained when your opponent’s defenses are compromised. Flanking is an example. Rogues can sneak attack when they have combat advantage.
• Blooded: When a creature’s HP total drops to half or lower hp, it is considered bloodied. Being bloodied interacts with other attacks.
• Shift: A creature shifts by moving only 1 square. A shifting creature doesn’t provoke an AoO
• The point at which a character is dying (currently 0 to -10) will now be half a characters current hitpoints (120 hitpoints means -60 to die).
• The amount of negative hit points will not be calculated when healing a character. (A character at -5 hp, healed for 12 hp, will be at 12 hp)
• Monsters will die at 0 hp.
• A victim of a life-draining attack no longer suffers from negative levels. Instead, the target is weakened and the life draining creature heals a sizable number of hit points.
• Passive skills like Perception and Insight take no actions (not a surprise), but actively searching or sensing motives is a Standard Action.
• Spiked chains are in.
• Temporary Hit Points, such as those gained by the Paladin’s bolstering strike, CAN exceed a character’s max Hit Points. However, you can only have 1 pool of temporary HP at a time. If you have 3 temporary HP, and then use an ability to get 5 temporary HP, you have 5 extra, not 8. Temporary hit points last until the end of an encounter. Temporary hit points are still used before regular hit points.
• Normal Cover gives enemies a flat -2 penalty on attack rolls, and can prevent adjacent foes from threatening them from attacks. Total Cover (such as firing through an arrow slit) gives enemies a -5 penalty.
• Crawling is a move action. While crawling, a character moves at half its normal speed, and provokes opportunity attacks from adjacent enemies.
• When prone, characters’ attacks suffer a -2 penalty.
• When Dazed, a character may take only 1 action, instead of the usual suite of Standard, Move, Minor, and Free.
• Everything has a constitution score.
• Threatening Reach (3.5 reach) is a property of the monster or character, not a property of weapons. Human guards with halberds might not have threatening reach, but a different monster wielding the same weapon might.
• The Social Encounter rules are generally designed to include a series of skill challenges, and give a lot of leeway to the DM to determine the consequences of success and failure. For example, characters fail the bluff and diplomacy checks, but still escaped the guards.
• Running: You can run as a move action. Add 2 to your movement, but enemies gain combat advantage against you until your next turn.
• Running Jumps: If you can move 4 squares in a straight line before making your jump check, halve the jump DC.
• Tumble: If you want to tumble, you need to take the feat.
• Coup de Grace: If you can Coup de Grace a helpless opponent, you do max weapon damage.
• Lava: in 4th edition, if you fall into lava you die. No save.
• Languages in dnd 4e: Common, Supernal, Elven, Goblin, Dwarven, Draconic, Abyssal, Giant
• Known damage types: acid, cold, fire, force, lightning, necrotic, poison, psychic, radiant, thunder
• 24 Zombie Rotters minions are a standard encounter for 6 level 1 PCs. Since minions die when they take damage, 4e minion encounters like this will be common.

Spells/Magic

• Big spells like raise dead will be rituals. Rituals will be different from normal spells and will cover magic item creation and non combat spells like divination. Long range teleports, restoration effects, abjuration’s long term wards, and all divinations will also be considered rituals.
• Illusions will still be common
• Necromancy type spells will be nerfed
• Alignment specific spells will be removed.
• A Wizard’s fireball doesn’t do 1d6 per level any more. However it’s been said during play testing that you can crit with a fireball. Someone was able to roll two crits with one fireball and instantly killed a tough creature.
• Power sources will be either arcane, divine, or martial. Psi will appear later as a different power source.
• In game play testing a big group of sailors who were clustered up were all slept with one spell.
• Some spells are gone. (Wish and the current form of polymorph)
• Buff durations will be modified. (Perhaps into something like this)
• There will be less save or die spells.
• Magic will be more prevalent to all classes.
• “Bless” is in, but it’s unknown what it does. (cure disease?)
• Ray of frost slows enemies down.
• Magic Item Slots: Armor, Neck, Arms, Feet, Hands, Head, Rings, Waist. Face, back, and one ring have been removed.
• Shields no longer have enhancement bonuses, shields have special defensive effects.
• Magic Items
  Magic items are given recommended levels (so DM’s will have a better idea of the strength of the items they give to their PCs) Magic items cost the same amount to craft as they do to purchase.
  • slippers of spider climbing (7th)
  • +2 staff of the war mage (9th)
  • +2 thundering mace (9th)
  • +2 lightning sword (9th)
  • 2 flaming longsword (10th)
  • Rope of climbing (10th)
  • +3 vicious sword (12th)
  • Boots of levitation (13th)
  • Flying carpet (18th)
  • Implement: +3 rod of dark reward
  • Armor: +3 leather armor
  • Neck: +2 cloak of survival
  • Arms: Bracers of the perfect shot
  • Feet: Wavestrider boots
  • Hands: Shadowfell gloves
  • Head: Diadem of acuity
  • Waist: Belt of battle
  • Wondrous Items: Bag of holding

Skills

• DnD 4.0 will have many of its skilled simplified into one basic skill compared to DnD 3.5. Here is a list of skills that have been mentioned as being in DnD 4.0:
  • Acrobatics: (Balance, Escape Artist, Tumble) Use this skill to test your balance on narrow or unstable surfaces, to escape from a grab or from restraints, and (if you’re trained) to reduce your damage when you fall.
  • Arcana: (Knowledge Arcane, Spellcraft) You have knowledge about magic and magical effects, and (if you’re trained) you know how to detect a persistent magical effect.
  • Athletics: (Climb, swim, jump) Use this skill to climb, swim, or jump.
  • Bluff: (Bluff) Use this skill to make what’s false appear to be true, fast-talk a guard, con a merchant, or tell lies.
  • Diplomacy: (Diplomacy) Use this skill to influence other with tact and social grace, change opinions, inspire good will, and to negotiate a deal in good faith.
  • Dungeoneering: (Knowledge Dungeoneering) You have knowledge about forging a path through a dungeon complex, recognizing dungeon hazards, and finding food in the Underdark.
  • Endurance: Use this skill to stave off ill effects and to push beyond normal physical limits.
  • Heal: (Heal) Use this skill to administer first aid, stabilize ad dying character, grant a saving throw, or treat a disease.
  • History: (Knowledge History) You have knowledge about history, including significant events, legends, customs, and traditions.
  • Insight: (Sense Motive) Use this skill to discern intent and decipher body language, making a best guess as to a target’s motives, attitudes, and truthfulness.
  • Intimidate: (Intimidate) Use this skill to influence others through hostile actions and overt threats. (Intimidate)
  • Nature: (Knowledge Nature) You have knowledge related to finding your way through the wilderness, recognizing natural hazards, and living off the land.
  • Perception: (Listen, Search, Spot) Use this skill to notice clues, spots imminent dangers, and location hidden objects.
  • Religion: (Knowledge Religion) You have knowledge of religious traditions.
  • Stealth: (Hide, Move Silently) Use this skill to hide and move silently.
  • Streetwise: You know how to get the lay of the land in an urban setting.
  • Thievery: (Disable Device, Open Lock, Slight of Hand) Use this skill to disable traps, open locks, pick pockets, and perform other slight of hand.
  
• Here is our best guess for the remaining skills:
  • Deception: (Forgery)
  • Theatrics: (Disguise, Perform)
  • Wilderness Lore: (Handle Animal, Ride, Survival, Use Rope)

Powers/Prestige Classes

• Generally speaking, powers will be based on the ability score your class is good at. Rogue per-encounter powers will be dexterity vs AC for example.
• Prestige classes will dictate the different paths of powers you can choose. Battle captain, mystic theurge, weapon master, prince of knaves and cavalier were all mentioned.
• Here is an example rundown on how the powers are described:
  Torturous Strike (name)
  Rogue (class) Attack (ability tree) 1 (step in the tree dictated by that characters paragon)
  If you twist the blade in the wound just so, you can make your enemy howl in pain. (flavor)
  Encounter (once per encounter) Martial (in combat), Weapon (requires a weapon)
  Melee weapon (requirements to use)
  Requirement: You must be wielding a light blade. (more requirements)
  Target: One creature (what it is hitting)
  Hit: 2[W] + Dexterity modifier damage. (on hit, does twice weapon damage + dex mod)
  Brutal Scoundrel: You gain a bonus to the damage roll equal to your Strength modifier. (synergy effects)
• 4e Rogue Powers:
  
  • Deft Strike
  Rogue Attack 1
  A final lunge brings you into an advantageous position.
  At-Will Martial, Weapon
  Standard Action
  Melee or Ranged weapon
  Requirement: You must be wielding a crossbow, a light blade, or a sling.
  Target: One creature
  Special: You can move 2 squares before the attack.
  Attack: Dexterity vs. AC
  Hit: 1[W] + Dexterity modifier damage.
  Increase damage to 2[W] + Dexterity modifier at 21st level.
  
  • Piercing Strike
  Rogue Attack 1
  A needle-sharp point slips past armor and into tender flesh.
  At-Will Martial, Weapon
  Standard Action
  Melee weapon
  Requirement: You must be wielding a light blade.
  Target: One creature
  Attack: Dexterity vs. Reflex
  Hit: 1[W] + Dexterity modifier damage.
  Increase damage to 2[W] + Dexterity modifier at 21st level.
  
  • Positioning Strike
  Rogue Attack 1
  A false stumble and a shove place the enemy exactly where you want him.
  Encounter Martial, Weapon
  Standard Action
  Melee weapon
  Requirement: You must be wielding a light blade.
  Target: One creature
  Attack: Dexterity vs. Will
  Hit: 1[W] + Dexterity modifier damage, and you slide the target 1 square.
  Artful Dodger: You slide the target a number of squares equal to your Charisma modifier.
  
  • Torturous Strike
  Rogue Attack 1
  If you twist the blade in the wound just so, you can make your enemy howl in pain.
  Encounter Martial, Weapon
  Standard Action
  Melee weapon
  Requirement: You must be wielding a light blade.
  Target: One creature
  Attack: Dexterity vs. AC
  Hit: 2[W] + Dexterity modifier damage.
  Brutal Scoundrel: You gain a bonus to the damage roll equal to your Strength modifier.
  
  • Tumble
  Rogue Utility 2
  You tumble out of harm’s way, dodging the opportunistic attacks of your enemies.
  Encounter Martial
  Move Action
  Personal
  Prerequisite: You must be trained in Acrobatics.
  Effect: You can shift a number of squares equal to one-half your speed.
  
  • Crimson Edge
  Rogue Attack 9
  You deal your enemy a vicious wound that continues to bleed, and like a shark, you circle in for the kill.
  Daily Martial, Weapon
  Standard Action
  Melee weapon
  Requirement: You must be wielding a light blade.
  Target: One creature
  Attack: Dexterity vs. Fortitude
  Hit: 2[W] + Dexterity modifier damage, and the target takes ongoing damage equal to 5 + your Strength modifier and grants combat advantage to you (save ends both).
  Miss: Half damage, and no ongoing damage.
• Paladin Powers:
  
  • Safeguard Smite
  Paladin Attack 1
  Encounter, Weapon
  Standard Action
  Melee weapon
  Target: One creature
  Attack: Charisma vs. AC
  Hit: 2x[W] + Cha.
  Hit or Miss: An ally within 5 squares gains a bonus to AC equal to your Wisdom modifier until the end of your next turn.

Feats

• Powers/feats will be divided into different tiers. Heroic (1-10), Paragon (11-20), and Epic (21-30).
• Metamagic Feats are gone.
• Many of the enabling feats of 3rd edition are now standard parts of classes.
• There are class training feats such as fighter training, wizard training ect, that give some power of a class to someone of another class. (fighter training used by a wizard to learn fighter powers for example)
• Toughness
  • Tier: Heroic
  • Benefit: When you take this feat, you gain additional hit points equal to your level + 3. You also gain 1 additional hit point every time you gain a level.
• Alertness
  • Tier: Heroic
  • Benefit: You don’t grant enemies combat advantage in surprise rounds. You also gain a +2 feat bonus to Perception checks.
• First Reaction
  • Tier: Paragon
  • Benefit: If you are surprised, you may spend an action point to act during the surprise round.
• Golden Wyvern Adept
  • Tier: Paragon
  • Benefit: You can omit a number of squares from the effects of any of your area or close wizard powers. This number can’t exceed your Wisdom modifier.
• Ferocious Rebuke
  • Benefit: Pushes your enemy back one square after taking a hit.
• Elven Precision [Elf]
  • Tier: Heroic
  • Prerequisites: Elf, elven accuracy racial power
  • Benefit: When you use the elven accuracy power, you gain a +2 bonus to the new attack roll.

Monsters

• Confirmed: Aboleth, Bulette, Briarwitch dryad, Cambion, Carrion, Crawler, Chimera, Chillborn Zombie, Choker, Chuul, Copper Dragon (dealing acid damage every round), Corruption Zombie, Death Knight, Demon, Devil, Dragon (red), Displacer Beast, Eddin (can go twice in a round with unrelated actions), Elementals (Completely revamped), Harpy, Hobgoblin, Manticore, Goblin, Gnoll, Gravehound Zombie, Gnomes (Yes, they are in the MM), Purple Worm, Roper, Sahuagin, Shadow Bats (with a darkness type spell), Shifter, Spined Devil, Succubus, Treant, Troll, Vrock, Vampire, Wererat, Zombie
• Creatures reffered to in Worlds & Monsters: Grell, Githyanki, Kuo-toa, troglodyte, ettin, mindflayer, mountain Giant, Cyclops, Fomorian, quikling, dark ones, redcaps, shrieking hag, lamia, wight, ghoul, wyvern, death knight, shadar-kai, gargoyle, skeletal tomb guardian(skeleton w/ 4 arms), Balhannoth, archons(water,fire,air,earth), efreeti, titans, salads, githzerai, vrock, dretch, Demogorgon, Baphomet, Bar-Igura, Myconids, Aboleths,Wraith, Vampire,dryad, pixies (now vicious and flesh-rending), spined-devil, Umber Hulk, Beholder, Imp, goblin, gnoll, orc, hobgoblin, bugbear, lizardfolk (or lizardmen), gnomes, wolves, grimlock, giant spider, ogre, troll
• Yugoloths are now the most devil-like of demons. Mezzoloths and Nycaloths are now known as Mezzodemons and Nycademons. ( the mezzodemon is confirmed for MManual.)
• Deities noted: The Raven Queen, Zehir, Vecna, Pelor, Bane, Moradin, lolth, Sehanine (Eladrin patron Goddess, Lolth’s twin sister & polar opposite), Corellon, Kord, Gruumsh, Asmodius, Tiamat, Bahumat, Torog
• Dragons: Brass & bronze dragons are out but will be back later. Iron and Adamantine Dragons are in. Green Dragons are based, somewhat, off Cyan Bloodbane of Dragonlance; they breath poisen gas, like in older additions of the game, and have mind control powers. Not all chromatic dragons are evil. Not all metallic ones are good. A copper dragon did an instant bite attack when bloodied (50% health) dealing bite + ongoing acid damage.
• Levistus took Geryon’s place in the 5th layer of Hell. Asmodius also promoted his daughter, Glasya, to Arch-devil.
• Kuo-tous worship Aboleths.
• Gods: Corellon, Moradin, Pelor, plus Zehir, Torog, Bane (New major evil god), and Bahamut’s (the core god of paladins)
• Each world has its own set of astral dominions. Dms can make up as many hells or heavens as needed to support their pantheon. (9 layers of hell or a few celestial courts as needed for example) Players are no longer restricted by the rulings of the great wheel.
• Zombies are now susceptible to critical hits and are now the most efficiently killed with massive damage.
• Demons and Devils will be more distinct from each other.
• Elementals that were only differentiated by size and element are gone - elementals are now more varied and interesting.
• Monsters fight and feel different to each other: gnolls fight in packs, hobgoblins like legionairies in a line, and goblins dance around just out of reach.
• Full level range in MM1 from 1-30.
• Monster roles - brute, soldier, artillery, controller, lurker, skirmisher.
• Monsters will have different versions which will scale their difficulties. The different versions of monsters will be minion, standard, elite, and boss. Here is how each will work on a power level compared to one player character:
  4 minions = 1 PC
  1 standard monster = 1 PC
  1 elite = 2 PCs
  1 boss = 4 PCs
• Monsters designed for use in large numbers; monsters designed for use in small numbers.
• Drow are a type of fey.
• Monsters won’t have feats.
• Monsters will have roles outlined in the MM. Monster design will be more open ended. Not all monsters will have information necessary to make them playable characters. References to Minion and Elite may be designated as rolls.
• The fog of war is much more interesting because when you approach an orc, he isn’t a set of specific stats. He has a very specific role, and you won’t know what it is until he unleashes it on the battlefield.
• Swarms are in.
• Names in reference to: Mordenkainen, Tiamat, Evard, and Orcus, will be carried over.
• Bahamut, the platinum dragon, is a full-fledged part of the 4E pantheon. “He’s the god of justice, protection, and honor.”
• A beholder is going to be a solo monster, able to combat an entire party. A beholder’s turn to stone will take a while instead of being a save or die. More can be seen Here.
• The pitfiend’s stats, tactics, and information can be seen Here.
• Skeletons no longer have Damage Reduction for certain kinds of weapons. Swords hurt them as much as maces and hammers.
• You can view the complete list of known dnd4 monster stats Here.

Races

• Dwarf (1st level dwarven resilience)
  • Were once a slave to giants (which explains their hatred towards giants.)
  • Dwarfs are described as a resilient industrious folk.
  • Dwarf Women won’t have beards and will look much more feminine.
  • One of their racial feats allows a “second wind”.
  • They no longer have darkvision, only low light vision.
  • Slightly taller in 4e vs 3e
  • Homeland: Mountains
  • Favoured class: Fighter
• Eladrin (Have a short teleport ability called “fey step”)
  • Eladrin are described as magical high elves. Eladrins (and elves) were elves, but the Eladrin preferred magic and stone instead of nature and the woods. Gray elves, sun elves and moon elves will be considered Eladrin.
  • One of their racial feats allows them to briefly enter Feywild and reemerge at another place, making a short teleport. This ability is called “Fey Step”.
  • Favoured class: Wizard
• Elf (1st level elven evasion) (Apparently make good paladins)
  • Elves, Ealdrin, and Drow all inhabited the Feywild (faerie realm that exists alongside the human-dominated realm) but a war started by the drow split the race into three groups. The elves embodied the nature oriented group. Wood Elves, green Elves, and wild Elves will be a subset of elves, just a different culture.
  • Move a base 35 ft (7 squares)
  • Average Height: 5′ 7″-6′ 0″
  • Average Weight: 100-130 lb.
  • Ability Scores: +2 Dexterity, +2 Wisdom
  • Size: Medium
  • Speed: 7 squares
  • Vision: Low-light
  • Languages: Common, Elven
  • Skill Bonuses: +2 Nature, +2 Perception
  • Elven Accuracy:
  Elf Racial Power: With an instant of focus, you take careful aim at your foe and strike with the legendary accuracy of the elves. Encounter, Free Action, Personal. Effect: Reroll an attack roll. Use the second roll, even if it’s lower.
  • Elven Weapon Training: You gain proficiency with the longbow and the shortbow.
  • Wild Step: You ignore difficult terrain when you shift (even if you have a power that allows you to shift multiple squares).
  • Group Awareness: You grant non-elf allies within 5 squares a +1 racial bonus to Perception checks.
  • Elven Accuracy: You can use elven accuracy as an encounter power.
  • Homeland: Forest
  • Favoured class: Ranger
• Half-elf (1st level inspiring presence) (multiclass well)
  • Get a bonus to diplomacy checks.
• Halfling
  • A nomadic race that travels on river barges. They are a class that is instrumental in promoting trade amongst the races.
  • Halflings are like hobbits but are lean and athletic rather than portly. They also wear shoes.
  • 4 feet on average, weighing about 65 pounds (taller then before).
  • Racial abilities involving luck, trickery and trade.
  • Good at raising and training animals.
  • Homeland: Rivers, Swamps, Marshes
  • Favoured class: Rogue
• Human
  • Humans will be as flexible and adaptable as they were in 3.5.
  • They are described as having a corruptible negative personality flaw
  • They are mentioned as never giving up, and trying things again and again.
  • Know how to handle at least one weapon.
  • Horses are important to them.
  • Homeland: Plains
  • They fit all classes equally well.
• Tiefling
  • Tieflings are neither human nore demonic but are the true-breeding descendants of an ancient empire that made dark and terrible pacts with the Nine Hells. Their fiendish look is actually a manifestation of a curse due to their crimes. They’re more closely related to devils than demons.
  • Will get something called hellfire blood which gives an attack bonus.
  • Will get an ability called “infernal wrath”
  • Will get the feats toughness and Ferocious Rebuke. Ferocious Rebuke knocks a target back 1 square after taking a hit.
  • Favoured class: Warlock
• Dragonborn
  • Dragonborn, also called the “Mystery Race” resemble muscled lizard me, 2 legs, no wings, their hands have claws, and will probably get a natural bite and claw attack.
  • Dragonborn are a strong race with martial incline.
  • They will probably take the place of half-orc as main mele damage dealing race.
  • At higher level they can choose racial feat that gives them breath weapon or wings.
  • Their scales are bronze or golden in color.
  • Homeland: Deserts
  • Favoured class: Warlord
• Drow, Gnomes, a celestial race, and Warforged are in the works. Warforged may make it as core although their construct immunities will be toned down.
• Gnomes are being removed as a core class and are confirmed to not be in the 4E players handbook (but are in the Monster Manual). Gnomes will have a new look, like a variation of brownie or sprite. A brief interview with a 4e gnome can be found here.
• *New* Drow Will be a core race in the Forgotten Realms Campaign Book. They will get +2 dex and +2 cha for their charisma bonus modifiers.
  
• As you go up levels, you can take racial feats to make those abilities even more exciting and gain new capabilities tied to your race. You can also take race-specific powers built into your class, which accomplish a lot of what racial substitution levels used to do: a dwarf fighter with the friend of earth power can do something that other 10th-level fighters just can’t do.
• “Each race works best with two or three classes, thanks to a stat bonus or other feature, and none suck at any class.”
  

Classes

• Cleric (Leader, Divine)
  • The Cleric will stay a melee type character with passive abilities such as, healing a player member after attacking a monster.
  • Clerics will retain their turn undead ability, but it will be changed slightly to either destroy the undead or cause them to flee.
  • Will enhance the self-healing abilities of allies
  • Will have the ability to cast rituals and healing prayers (basic healing like 3.5).
  • Clerics will now mostly involve buffing allies and casting combat related spells (lots of new spells have been created for the cleric).
  • Won’t be as powerful as powerful as 3.5.
  • Was able to fear a monster causing it to flee.
• Fighter (Defender, Martial)
  • As defenders, fighters will be defending the wizard or allowing the thief to flank. Fighters can keep monsters focused on them
  • Have an ability that causes enemies they threaten to provoke an attack of opportunity whenever they attack someone other than the fighter.
  • Have an ability that makes it difficult for enemies to get past or around them.
  • Fighters will have different abilities depending on which weapons they choose to specialize with.
  • Book of 9 Swords-style maneuvers and stances will be in core.
  • Some fighter abilities focus on being able to take attacks of opportunity.
  • When you first start a fighter, players will chose to fight with a two-handed weapon or a weapon and shield. Other abilities build on this choice.
  • Powers can be divided into assault, defense and control. Assault is best suited to two-handed weapons, and ephasize offense and damage. Defense is about higher AC ect. Control will hinder or constrain an enemy (like trip)
  • Weapons will be used for different purposes. Hammers are great at stunning opponents, great swords are better for cleave.
  • Fighters can get a feat to allow their Dexterity to be added to their AC even while wearing heavy armor.
  • Defensive Feats allow a sword & shield fighter to accumulate greater AC bonuses and the ability to defend others.
  • At will: Defensive Strike. If you hit, you get bonus AC against the enemy.
  • Per Encounter: Dance of Steel.
  • Per Day: Great surge. Powerful attack combined with healing yourself.
• Paladin.(Defender, Divine)
  • Paladins have had their alignment restriction removed so you can have non lawful good paladins.
  • Get a lay on hands of some sort.
  • Paladin multiclassing restrictions are gone.
  • Don’t have to get a mount if they don’t want too. Although those who want a unique mount can still get one.
  • Have an ability that causes enemies they threaten to suffer -5 (ac?) if they attack someone other than the Paladin.
  • Will have Divine powers, including one called Divine Challenge which makes enemies attack the paladin instead of anyone else.
  • Paladins will get at least 3 different smites. Smites are per-encounter abilities.
  • Renewing Smite: (13th level ability) Deals double damage, heals an ally within 5 squares. (Charisma vs AC attack roll)
  • Binding Smite: (27th level ability) Deals double damage and prevents the target from attacking anyone but the paladin for 1 round. (Charisma vs Will attack roll)
  • Safeguard Smite: Paladin 1, Encounter, Weapon, Standard Action, Melee weapon,
  Target: One creature
  Attack: Charisma vs. AC
  Hit: 2x[W] + Cha.
  Hit or Miss: An ally within 5 squares gains a bonus to AC equal to your Wisdom modifier until the end of your next turn.
• Ranger (Striker, Martial)
  • Similar to the scout.
  • Get something called “Clutch Attack”
  • Get a power called “Careful Strike” granting them +4 bonus on on their attack.
  • Get some abilities that focus on Movement.
• Rogue (Striker, Martial)
  • “You look surprised to see me. If you’d been paying attention, you might still be alive.”
  • Characteristics: Combat advantage provides the full benefit of your powers, and a combination of skills and powers helps you gain and keep that advantage over your foes. You are a master of skills, from Stealth and Thievery to Bluff and Acrobatics.
  • Religion: Rogues prefer deities of the night, luck, freedom, and adventure, such as Sehanine and Avandra. Evil and chaotic evil rogues often favor Lolth or Zehir.
  • Races: Those with a love for secrets exchanged in shadows and change for its own sake make ideal rogues, including elves, tieflings, and halflings.
  
  • Class Traits:
  • Role: Striker. You dart in to attack, do massive damage, and then retreat to safety. You do best when teamed with a defender to flank enemies.
  • Power Source: Martial. Your talents depend on extensive training and constant practice, innate skill, and natural coordination.
  • Key Abilities: Dexterity, Strength, Charisma
  • Armor Training: Leather
  • Weapon Proficiencies: Dagger, hand crossbow, shuriken, sling, short sword
  • Bonus to Defense: +2 Reflex
  • Hit Points at 1st Level: 12 + Constitution score
  • Hit Points per Level Gained: 5
  • Healing Surges: 6 + Constitution modifier
  • Trained Skills: Stealth and Thievery plus four others. From the class skills list below, choose four more trained skills at 1st level.
  • Class Skills: Acrobatics (Dexterity), Athletics (Str), Bluff (Cha), Dungeoneering (Wis), Insight (Wis), Intimidate (Cha), Perception (Wis), Stealth (Dexterity), Streetwise (Cha), Thievery (Dexterity)
  
  • Class Features: First Strike, Rogue Weapon Talent, Sneak Attack, Rogue Tactics
  
  • First Strike: at the start of an encounter, you have combat advantage against any creatures that have not yet acted in that encounter.
  • Sneak Attack Damage: (1st–10th +2d6) (11th–20th +3d6) (21st–30th +5d6) (Almost all monsters can be sneak attacked now including golems).
  • Weapon Talents: When you wield a shuriken, your weapon damage die increases by one size. When you wield a dagger, you gain a +1 bonus to attack rolls
  • Rogue Tactics: A rogue can choose one of two tactics, with which to fight:
  • Artful Dodger: You gain a bonus to AC equal to your Charisma modifier against opportunity attacks.
  • Brutal Scoundrel: You gain a bonus to Sneak Attack damage equal to your Strength modifier.
  
  • Build Options: Brawny rogue, trickster rogue
  • Brawny Rogue:
  Recommended Powers: (Piercing Strike, Riposte Strike, Torturous Strike, Easy Target)
  Recommended Feat: (Weapon Focus, Human feat: Toughness)
  Recommended Skills: (Athletics, Dungeoneering, Intimidate, Stealth, Streetwise, Thievery)
  • Trickster Rogue:
  Recommended Powers: (Deft Strike, Sly Flourish, Positioning Strike, Trick Strike)
  Recommended Feat: (Backstabber, Human feat: Human Perseverance)
  Suggested Skills: (Acrobatics, Bluff, Insight, Perception, Stealth, Thievery)
  
  • A list of rogue powers can be seen here.
  
  
• Warlock (Striker, Arcane)
  • A warlock’s primary damage and flexibility will come from his eldritch blast and pacts. Feats will allow the eldritch blast to be set on fire, hit multiple targets, or turn it into a force of crawling darkness.
  • The Warlock’s pacts (Fey, infernal, star or vestige) grant per-encounter curses. These curses deal high damage, restrict movement, and if cursed take more damage from eldritch blast and soul ruin.
  • Warlocks abilities include:Eldritch blast, conjuration, teleport (short range and later teleport monsters closer or farther), invocations, the ability to turn invisible, curses, and a powerful melee attack called Soul Ruin.
  • Warlocks will be able to align themselves with fey spirits, devils, and demons.
  • Warlocks gain something called “Boon of Souls” when they kill an enemy.
  • An example of one power is: “Explode, cause mental anguish and then teleport away”
  • An example of a warlocks curse is “Send an enemy directly to hell for a round then bring him back in more pieces”
  • An example of a conjuration “maws materialize to chew your enemies”.
  • Warlocks have been seen using “Mire of Minauros” which dissolved a couple of vampires, with an acidic bog.
  • Powers that have been mentioned:
  • Curses that have been mentioned: cage of blood, emerald coils, turn blood into acid
• Warlord (Leader, Martial)
  • Don’t get much in the way of ranged area attacks.
  • Warlords get a bard like ability to buff their allies.
  • In need of high int. Has a class feature that uses charisma.
  • A competant healer (like other leaders) Has an attack called Hammer and Anvil: “The warlord takes a swing at an enemy, and he picks an ally who threatens the same target and grants that ally an immediate attack against that enemy.”
  • Warlords have a “tactical acumen” ability which can give bonuses to allies.
  • Has an ability that gives bonuses to surrounding allies when they score a critical hit.
  • Gave a wizard an instant magic missile in play testing.
  • Gets a power that when used, his allies get an immediate action to draw a missile weapon and shoot the Warlord’s designated target.
• Wizard (Controller, Arcane)
  • Wizards will focus on Evocation and Illusion, sitting in the back and blasting/disrupting enemies.
  • Wizards will have power words that drain your energy and can be used again and again.
  • Spell failure due to armor is gone. Wizards that wear armor will still have to get the appropriate proficiency.
  • Wizards get a power called a “Wizard Strike” (used twice in a single combat) that damages opponents and knocks them back a little and a “once-per-day scorch” (called fireblast?) which blasted three opponents who were lined up in a row.
  • Wizards will use “implements” such as staves, wands, orbs and tomes to give them benefits to various spells. Wizards will choose a primary implement but can use any implement to cast any spell with the same effectiveness (But not necessarily the same way). References to the frequency that a wizard could use their “Wand Power” have been mentioned.
  • Orbs will be fore terrain control and illusions, staves for ranged blasting, and wands for long distance control and defense.
  • Metamagic Feats are gone but wizards will still have access to powers and other feats to boost the power of their spells.
• There will be 8 classes in the PHB. The 8 shown above are all confirmed. More will come out in later books.
• All classes will have some ability to “heal” themselves by some means. (Or some type of second wind)
• Each class will have a clearly defined role in combat.
• Roles such as the “leader”, (Warlord and Cleric) will make other people better in addition to actions he or she might want to take.
• Multiclassing: A fighter who takes levels in wizard or cleric will still be compelling to play. A rogue wizard will be able to backstab, and throw chromatic orbs across the room, then teleport. There’s no more Crappy fighter and Crappy wizard attached to multiclassing.
• According to WotC, a dwarf fighter should feel different in play from an elf fighter.
• Barbarian, Bard, Druid, Monk, Swordmage, (possibly psions,) and Sorcerer will all appear in later supplements.
• Sorcerer: After they cast their spells, magic will be left behind. After they cast a fireball they will be cloaked in fire and sear nearby enemies.
• Swordmage: Arcane defender with magic shield and armor, a flaming sword, and some self buffs.
• Barbarian: Rage will be the centerpiece of this class. Gets something called “Lightning Panther Strike” that allow increased movement and multiple attacks. Will have a bite attack. Will be featured in PHB2. (pg 10 from the Races and Classes Book)
• Druid: Spellcasting will take a back seat to their wildshape abilities, which they will be able to do a lot more often, although only in the shapes they have already chosen. They have a few nature based spells that they can cast in humanoid form. Will be featured in the PHB2.
• Bard: Gets power from otherworldly patrons (gods?). Focuses on illusions and confusion to make enemies hinder themselves. Can also inspire their allies.
• Monk: Will be a mobile striker.
• To see more class artwork check our our Dnd 4.0 artwork page

D&D Insider

• Players will also be able to use DnDInsider tools and access regular new content similar to the material that was previously released in Dragon and Dungeon magazines for a monthly fee greater than the old subscription price, but less than a MMORPG subscription.
• Monthly fee $10/month (source: PDF handout)
• Magazine-style content will be added to the site three times a week and compiled into digital “issues” monthly.
• This is the “D&D Online” section of Gleemax
• It contains a “Dungeon Master’s Kit” that includes the following: dungeon builder (map tool), adventure builder, PC generator
• character sheets
• character visualizer
• “My Campaign”
• “My Character”
• “D&D Game Table”
• “Dungeon & Dragon Magazines”
• Character Creator: Your character is the most important part of the game. D&DI allows you to create a 3D visual representation of your character that you can save and print. Create, update, and save your character sheets and images with a click of the mouse.
• DM Tools: D&DI makes Dungeon Mastering easy with ready-to-use maps and stat blocks, a groundbreaking dungeon map builder, instant encounter and adventure builders, libraries of virtual miniatures and virtual dungeon tiles, and online tools to help you create and organize your
  D&D campaigns.
• D&D Anytime: Can’t get the gaming group together on Saturday night? The D&DI game table allows you to play with friends 24/7, with a special online forum that allows DMs to find players and players to join games on the fly.
• Dragon® and Dungeon® Magazines Online: D&D Insider is the place to receive news about upcoming releases, errata and rules clarifications, previews of future 4th edition products, exclusive game content, and D&D adventures for all levels of play. Dragon and Dungeon magazines bring you the fun every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday — with collected “issues” at the end of each month.
• The nominal fee to access the electronic version of a book you already own on D&D Insider will be in the region of $1-$2.
  More on D&DInsider can be found here.
  

Speculation

• +6 wands and other similar magic items may have effects that benefit individual characters abilities.
• Asmodeus has been promoted to a god, and at least some Demon Lords and Arch-Devils will be present in the MM, including Orcus (but not Asmodeus).
• The Player’s Handbook, Monster Manual, and possibly Dungeon Master’s Guide will be annual releases, so in 2009, expect the PHB2, MM2, and maybe DMG2. The MM sequels will have an obvious function; the Player’s Handbooks will introduce heroes with new “power sources” (see the subtitle of the PHB1: “Arcane, Divine, and Martial Heroes.”) Psionics was either suggested or hinted at a possible PHB2 source.
• Polymorph will be changed to have. Baneful polymorph (frog, rat, snail…). And various “form of the…” spells. Example : lvl2 : form of the wolf, lvl5 : form of the raven, lvl9 : form of the bear : lvl 12 form of the troll etc.. (Polymorph will potentially draw from a list as summon monster does now)
• There will be spells for every level (Up to 30 levels of Clerical and Arcane spells for example)
• The word from the R&D seminar was that changeling’s, from the Eberron campaign setting, may be in the PHB.
• Level loss from spells may be removed
• DR may be removed or significantly changed.
• Potential to have another controller based class other then the Wizard.
• “Immortal Humanoid” has replaced “Outsider”.
• Spot checks may be a static 10 + the ability score instead of an actual roll and will be dependent on a creature’s hide ability roll if they are seen. This would prevent players from knowing they just failed a spot check.
• Possible new terrain Doomspore:
  If any creature enters a doomspore’s square or uses a standard action to kick or poke at it, if within reach, a doomspore releases a cloud of spores that provides concealment to all adjacent squares. A bloodied creature (someone at 50% or less hp) in the area of a cloud when created, who moves into the cloud, or begins its turn in the cloud, is subject to a Fortitude attack +10 that deals 1d10 points of poison damage on a hit. Also, target hit by a doomspore is weakened and takes ongoing poison 5. A save ends both conditions, creatures with immunity to or resist poison 5 are immune to the weakened condition also.
• Stat bonuses for races won’t be negative and only positive bonuses will be used.
• Fighters will have multiple types of attacks, each with its own name.
• Wizards cast spells using a spell point pool (similar to 3.5 psions).
• Schools of magic are removed and will instead be dependent on implements (orb, staff, wand and possibly dagger in later supplements.) Staffs are for rays and cones, wands for long distance control, orbs are for illusions, and terrain control. **This has changed and any wizard can choose a primary implement and cast any spell through any implement with the same effectiveness.
• Confirming critical hits will be removed.
• Rumor has it that there will be a dragon book (Dragonborn?), martial arts book (Monk?) and arcane book (swordmage, sorcerer?) also coming out in 2008.
• Movement is now based on the amount of squares moved, the diagonal penalty will be removed. Eg, if a character moves 35 squares, they can move in any direction or any path as long as the total equals 35 squares.
• If you want to learn a skill that is not available to your class, you MUST take a level in another class. In 3.5 you could spend double points to learn a rank in a skill not of your class. You can’t do that in 4.0. You can’t even use a feat to learn a new skill not of your class. There is positively no other way than to take a level in a class which has the skill available. In this way, the rules favor multi classing in a big way.
• After 1st level, to become trained in a new skill you must obtain the Skill Training feat to do so. Feats are slightly more common now, but not THAT much more common where you’re really going to want to use more than maybe one or two feats by level 20 for the purpose of getting a new skill or two.
• Skills are increased automatically as you level (you gain a +1 bonus to ALL skills every even level - even the ones you are untrained in, although there are some skills and skill uses which do require training even if you do have a few pluses to it), and you do not purchase ranks in them. You are either trained (+5 bonus to the skill) or untrained (either can’t use, or get only your level bonus to use the skill). Well, you can spend another feat slot to get an additional +5 bonus to a skill (for a total of 10 + level bonus), but that’s it.
• It has been mentioned that in 4th edition a basic “Point Buy” system will be put into place for ability scores, but it will still be up to the DM’s digressions.

This list is constantly expanding. If you have a fact or rumor e-mail me.