If your DM is starting you above 3rd or so level, casters are fun!
4 halfling sorceress battle plan: Summon four level one animals, when the enemy horde runs up against them have your familiars(weasels or bunnies, I'd hope) and have them all unleash burning hands into the masses simultaneously. Fluffy bunny and cutie munchkin deathsquad ftw.
One thing I loved in 3rd ed was going into a fight with a character that sucked at combat and coming out on top due to scrappy movie hero wits from doing things like playing the environment(roll under a cart, idiot pursuer tries to follow, strike the axel and crush him. Run up a wall and drop an explosive on the guy below me and not take any damage, that kinda thing). I feel like I can't do that so much in fourth ed because my character is automatically a 'striker' and stabs about as well as any other striker by default. And he has points in 'thievery' so he's a perfect utility rogue too, without trying.
My gripe is the same as stated before - no non-combat characters.
Again, I don't hate 4th ed, it's a very fun and pretty well balanced board game. One of my favorite experiences in all dnd was pissing off my DM by being a fey fey warlock and just solving all of his puzzles through rampant and abusive use of teleport. But I do like 3rd ed a lot more as a fantasy rp system.
Of course, gurps is better still