This, really is the important part. I don't think it's really necessary to have dice listings if you know the average damage
Agreed. What I love about the new damage progression is that I just need to remember a single number: '8'. Add the monster's level, maybe add/substract 25% (or 50%), half it for minions. That's it. You no longer even need the table if you're one of those people who can do quick calculations.
Dice expressions are really just a convenience. The only things varying them does is: change the minimum and maximum damage. The latter is somewhat important for crits. In theory dice expressions also define the degree of swinginess, but that's largely irrelevant, once you start rolling more than 3 or 4 dice.
Part of me dislikes that there's no distinction between recharge 456 and encounter, in theory, or that multiple recharge/encounter powers (see Duergar Theurges for example) don't really register in the system... but hey, that's why it's an art not a science
Yup, I've been thinking about this, as well. I tried to approach it with the question:
[off-topic]
How many rounds does (or should!) a combat take on average?
I've started with a relatively low number: 6 rounds. That's the number of rounds I'd like a combat to take. Interestingly, after investigating an iconic sample party (fighter, cleric, rogue, wizard, ranger) average damage output would be sufficient to achieve this at every level (assuming 4 encounters per day)! In reality combat can take longer for a variety of reasons, mostly, having to deal with conditions and being prevented from effectively using their powers.
Round six might also be a good point to investigate the current situation and decide which side seems to have the upper hand. Maybe it would make sense for one side to retreat, surrender, or flee.
Anyway, using that number, an attack that is usable once per encounter becomes identical to recharge 6 and an ability that recharges when bloodied becomes identical to recharge 5,6. This leaves recharge 4,5,6, attacks that can recharge multiple times depending on circumstances, and all of the 'combo' attacks that have a requirement attached (very common for lurkers).
For the former two it makes sense to use limited damage expressions, but the third isn't really represented by a column.
Elite and minion monsters work quite well with these assumptions, but solos present their own challenges. For them the comparison to five standard monsters breaks down pretty soon.[/off-topic]
