A Likely Unused Idea
One of my favorite parts of Fourth Edition is the removal of so many magic / non-magic barriers. I love the idea of rogues and fighters having things that function just like a wizard's spells but come from training, combat ferocity, or general martial prowess.

My own gaming is going on the back burner until life slows down a teensy bit, but one idea that's been kicking around ever since I first flipped through the rulebooks. Has anyone already started running or designing something like this?

Modern (or WW2, anyway) setting, Indiana Jones-style adventuring. Players can be rogues, warlords, fighters, or rangers. Melee weapons, armor, and shields are for the most part replaced with the idea of combat training -- changing the flavor, keeping all the rules. Your Brawling does 1d8 damage, and yeah, it can be disarmed, which is you being knocked off balance and losing your style (which sounds artificial until you think about boxers and martial artists screwing up an opponent's style), and your defensive guard occupies an arm and makes you harder to hit. Ranged weapons, and all abilities tied to such, become firearms.

I'm having images of fighting Nazis on top of a moving train while it approaches the stereotypical low-hanging tunnel, and instead of d20 Modern, to which I would have gamely added knockback rules, bonuses for Bull Rush, and Balance checks, heroes can actually knock opponents off the edge.

Likely destined to be a one-shot or a play-by-e-mail, although I've heard that PbEM takes long enough to be un-fun in 4E; thoughts?