Power Powers like an arcade fighting game

[Minigiant]

My cousins don't like the way powers are regained in 4th edition that much. They prefer it to be more like the super move gauges of the 2D fighting games. So I've adapted it for them and am sharing the rules to you.

Power Points
Encounter and daily powers are no longer restored at the end of an entended rest. Encounter powers are no longer restored at the end of a short rest.
At the cost of 1 power point, a character can perform an encounter power he or she knows.
At the cost of 3 power points, a character can perform an encounter power he or she knows.
At the end of an entended rest, a character loses all of its stored power points and gains 3 power points. At the end of a short rest, a character gains 1 power point. A character can store a maximum of 3 power points total. Whenever a character would regain the use of an encounter power, they gain 1 power point for each encounter power regained instead. Whenever a character would regain the use of a daily power, they gain 3 power points for each daily power regained instead.

Whenever you hit with an at-will attack power or succeeds in a skill check with an at-will utility power, you gain a combo point. Whenever you would gain a 3rd combo point, they lose all their accumalated combo points and gain a power point instead.

Taunt
Once per round as a minor action, you can taunt. You gain 1 combo point and gain combat advantage to all enemies until the start of your next turn. You cannot perform a power cancel on the same turn that you taunt.

Power Cancel
When you hit with an with an at-will attack power, you may, as a free action, attack the same target with encounter or daily attack power of the same power source. You automatically hit the target on the first attack of this power so no attack roll is made (therefore you cannot score a critical hit). You cannot perform a power cancel on a target that has concealment or cover to you. If you are marked, you must include the creature marking you as a target of your power cancelled attack.

Damage Counter
Whenever you are attacked with a power cancelled attack, as an immediate action you may spend 1 power point to force the attacked to roll the atttack normally.

Main Effects on the Game:
PCs and NPC will both be able to use and hit with thier daily and encounter power more often. This can cause character to take lots of damage quickly.

AOE and mutliple attack powers will grain many combo points allowing their users to use their stronger powers more often.

Careful use of power points will be key to survival.

Watch out for Scroching Burst->Sleep. It's cheesy.

Careful Strike become good since missing with Twin Strike's second attack keeps you from cancelling.

Renaming power points and combo points is recommended.

[Nytmare]

I think this is the first time I've seen someone complain that 4th Ed isn't videogamey enough.

[Mesh Hong]

This has got to be one of the most bizzare house rules I have ever seen.

I have read through this a couple of times and I still can't see any merits of using the system.

It seems to be massively unbalanced in favour of people with area attacks.

It seems to have a mechanic where everyone has combat advantage every turn.

It grants auto hits with encounter and daily powers.

Keeping track of 'combo' points and 'power' points on each enemy will surely be far more cumbersome than the current system of encounter or recharge on 1 dice roll.

I may post further on this tomorrow, if I feel brave enough.

[Minigiant]

Originally Posted by Mesh Hong

This has got to be one of the most bizzare house rules I have ever seen.

I have read through this a couple of times and I still can't see any merits of using the system.

It seems to be massively unbalanced in favour of people with area attacks.

It seems to have a mechanic where everyone has combat advantage every turn.

It grants auto hits with encounter and daily powers.

Keeping track of 'combo' points and 'power' points on each enemy will surely be far more cumbersome than the current system of encounter or recharge on 1 dice roll.

I may post further on this tomorrow, if I feel brave enough.

1) Area attacks are boosted but area attackers tend to not want to go overboard sine they can't take a claw-claw-dragon breath.

2) Autohits balance the high HP enemies tend to have at high levels. 4th design seems to crumble when you miss encounter and dailys. Also novaing is next to impossible.

3) You can't taunt and power cancel/counter so taunting actually performed rarely. Avoiding claw-claw-dragon breath with a damage counter is a Major aspect of the game. Having no power points can drop you from full to bloodied easy.

4) actually it's easy. "I got 2 super and 2 combos. Almost Max!" is a common phase along with "Just one power pont". My youngest cousin does it in 9 steps. easier than remembering erase and check off powers/flipping cards.

[Mesh Hong]

OK, I think I understand the system a little better than yesterday. Anyway, regardless of my opinion if you like this system and it applies to both PCs and Monsters then it is probably balanced enough, and if it works for you then there is nothing wrong with it.

I have a couple more comments though.

1: How are action points handled? I am assuming that you have removed them as it would double the number of attacks possible in a round.

2: What are your assumptions for handling monster abilities, as they dont have daily and encounter powers, they have encounter and recharge powers.

Do you count monster encounter powers as dailies (3 power points) and recharge as encounters (1 power point)?

3:

Careful Strike become good since missing with Twin Strike's second attack keeps you from cancelling.

I don't understand how this works, twin strike is 2 attacks in 1 action, if you hit with either attack surely it counts as hitting with the power:

When you hit with an with an at-will attack power, you may, as a free action, attack the same target with encounter or daily attack power of the same power source.

4: I still think this system favours some classes more than others, rogues will benefit with auto combat advantage, bow rangers will be able to throw out massive amounts of damage from 'relative' safety, wizards will get to recharge dailies more often than other classes.

On the flip side wont these rules also change the dynamic of classes like Warlords who's abilities are loosely based around giving modifiers to hit (used to make dailies a lot more reliable).

Again I will repeat that these are only my opinions and if this system works for you then thats great.

[Minigiant]

We keep action points. Mwahahaha! They're less useful.
For the most part I count monster encounter powers as (3 power points) and recharge less the 5 as encounters (1 power point)?

Clarification. You power cancel after a successful attack roll. So if you miss a roll, you cant cancel after that roll.