When fourth edition any version of D&D before, and since, and a video game showcasing that ruleset is still sorely needed.
From the time players received playtest material for 4e D&D in 2007, it was clear it was an entirely different approach to the game from those that came before, and many of the changes it introduced have carried over into the current fifth edition D&D. Third edition largely took the complications and differing sub-systems of the first two editions of Advanced Dungeons & Dragons and simplified them under a unified mechanic, later dubbed the d20 System, which was then used for a variety of other games like d20 Modern as well as many third party games using the ruleset under licensing. Fourth edition reimagined D&D from the ground up, and produced a fantastic system for tactical fantasy combat, though some felt it neglected the out-of-combat elements of the game in the process and moved too far away from D&D’s roots.
The video game association with 4e D&D came from its use of roles for character classes. The notion of roles already existed in D&D, as a balanced party was generally assumed to include a fighter, cleric, rogue, and wizard, or similar archetypes. The fourth edition of the game defined these as defender, leader, striker, and controller, nomenclature which some players felt was too reminiscent of roles from MMORPGs. Despite this apparent link to RPG video games of its time, none of the D&D-licensed videogames released during the 4e era accurately adapted the rules. More so than even third edition, fourth edition D&D required use of a tactical grid map to function well. A tactical RPG akin to the PlayStation Portable’s D&D Tactics, using the fourth edition rules, would have been an ideal fit, but the games actually produced during the run of fourth edition failed to capture its depth.
4e D&D Used Terrain And Favored Complex Battles
The ongoing MMORPG Neverwinter used much of the terminology from fourth edition D&D, including class and paragon path names and certain powers, but they were adapted to a standard MMORPG format as abilities with cooldowns and had vastly different mechanics from their tabletop origins. The mediocre action RPG Daggerdale also made similar use of 4e , but again, used them in name only, as very little actually recalled the experience of the tabletop game.
A tactical, turn-based RPG, using grid movement like Disgaea, Final Fantasy Tactics, or D&D Tactics, would be an ideal format to showcase the strengths of D&D’s prior edition, and as a videogame it would be allowed to shine in a way it may have struggled to as a tabletop RPG. Some complained that 4e fights took too long and required too much preparation by the Dungeon Master. Fourth edition D&D was designed around elaborate “set piece” fights where the terrain would come into play more than typical D&D encounters, and fights were expected to be lengthy strategic battles where proper use of powers and class abilities made as much difference as lucky dice rolls. In video game form there would be no downside to this, as D&D Tactics also skewed towards large maps and tactically demanding fights.
Many rule innovations from 4e D&D live on in the current edition, such as the unified proficiency scaling shared across all classes, the concept of short rests, more recent titles like Solasta and Baldur’s Gate 3, there is still a need for D&D to revisit the legacy of fourth edition with a proper tactical RPG. The ability to use defender marking to force enemies to choose between striking weaker targets and taking retributive damage, strikers seeking combat advantage from flanking or the status effects of a controller class, and leaders offering a variety of out of turn attacks in addition to healing and buff effects would make for a rich and complex tactical RPG. Fourth edition Dungeons & Dragons may have been a divisive tabletop game, but as a video game, it could offer unique tactical combat, and provide an amazing experience, if handled properly, for veterans of the edition and newcomers alike.
