i play pen and paper RPGs because i like the ability to be creative. D&D 4th edition appears to have been designed with the intent of punishing, discouraging, and restricting player creativity in order to make the game run more quickly.
Ah this is where you can do a little bit of judo on the system and find an amazing game.
I have very broad taste in what I can get out of an RPG. I like building super collaborative settings. I like RPing tense political situations, I like optimizing the the hell out of a character. I like factoring in RP opportunity into "equations" for optimization. I like stimulationist combat. I like thinking through the effects of events on a speculative universe. etc
When it comes to rules system, I've been spoiled by hyper specialist systems. What GURPS and Wushu have shown me is that that no hybrid system can compete with a pure breed at what it does. Even Feng Shui doesn't do 98% action blood opera as well as Wushu. At this point in my gaming life I don't want a system that does anything poorly. I want a rules that directly lead to memorable experiences or get the hell out of my way.
D&D is does just that. It creates mechanics in only one arena: Combat. This allows for some really good tactical combat. It keeps all the players engaged because they are all relatively balanced. No the Best part is that keeps it's grubby mits off everything else. You want to craft stuff? Great, Free form it. No anemic crafting system to get in your way. Want do "legwork" great free form it. And that my friends is the Judo. Use only rules that rock. Free form everything else. In some groups that works like a charm. That's what I love about 4th ED. IMO it's not just another top tear rule set. I brings a new play style to the top tear club.
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I realized that I strayed a little from what I quoted. Specifically to respond to that, 4th ed does really limit character builds. It does not limit characters per se. The rules are so focused on combat and to agnostic about everything else that actually enables you to do whatever you want! Hello for people who are really into RPing a character it should encourage people to create an actually character because reflexively RPing from your stats is pretty weak under those rules.