Everyone has their own ideas about balance, but I think that 5E should have serious thought behind putting a set of balance metarules into the game system.
As an example:
Raise Dead can occur at level 8.
Multi-round Fly typically occurs around level 16.
Now to me, Raise Dead is a LOT more potent than multi-round Fly.
Granted, Raise Dead cannot be cast in combat and has a cost, but I'm still not seeing how it is considered a heroic level ability whereas multi-round Fly is considered a mid-paragon level ability. A dead PC cannot do anything. A multi-round flying PC can merely stay out of range of melee attacks.
Now, Fly is a decent ability that can keep a PC out of melee range. But then again, one move action teleport is often handed out at first level and there are a lot of scenarios where a PC could teleport on an elevated surface and mostly be out of melee range.
I think the same is true of many PC abilities and conditions. Slowed is about as potent as Dazed, but is less potent than Immobilized. So, why is Immobilized handed out as a first level Druid Encounter power (and ranged at that)?
Stunned is practically the strongest ability in the game system behind Dominated.
In 4E, Stunned is handed out as a multi-target first level Daily Invoker power (Silent Malediction) and the target is Dazed on a miss. It doesn't matter that the Invoker himself is Dazed, one PC being slightly hindered (and this can be partially overcome with the Superior Will feat) is not a serious detriment when multiple foes can be taken out of combat for one or more rounds (plus take damage).
First level? WT???
That's way too potent for a 1st level Daily power.
I'd just prefer it if 5E came up with a matrix of levels (or some other metarule system) for each of the conditions and said "single target stun, level x as a Daily, level x+z as an Encounter". "mutli target stun, level y as a Daily, level y+q as an Encounter".
Some system that prevents designers from creating uber powers that then have to be nerfed (course, some like Silent Malediction are not nerfed).
If one thinks about it, Silent Malediction is a lot more potent than the 5th level Wizard power Foe to Frog (which only takes one foe out and doesn't damage that foe) even with the fact that FtF affects the foe on a miss. Timeless Trek in Mithrendain is the same level as FtF, but also does damage.
There is no balance here. Designers just throw together stuff that sounds cool, so many classes end up with 50% crappy powers at a given level, 25% worthwhile powers at a given level, and 25% awesome powers at a given level (or thereabouts).
As an example:
Raise Dead can occur at level 8.
Multi-round Fly typically occurs around level 16.
Now to me, Raise Dead is a LOT more potent than multi-round Fly.
Granted, Raise Dead cannot be cast in combat and has a cost, but I'm still not seeing how it is considered a heroic level ability whereas multi-round Fly is considered a mid-paragon level ability. A dead PC cannot do anything. A multi-round flying PC can merely stay out of range of melee attacks.
Now, Fly is a decent ability that can keep a PC out of melee range. But then again, one move action teleport is often handed out at first level and there are a lot of scenarios where a PC could teleport on an elevated surface and mostly be out of melee range.
I think the same is true of many PC abilities and conditions. Slowed is about as potent as Dazed, but is less potent than Immobilized. So, why is Immobilized handed out as a first level Druid Encounter power (and ranged at that)?
Stunned is practically the strongest ability in the game system behind Dominated.
In 4E, Stunned is handed out as a multi-target first level Daily Invoker power (Silent Malediction) and the target is Dazed on a miss. It doesn't matter that the Invoker himself is Dazed, one PC being slightly hindered (and this can be partially overcome with the Superior Will feat) is not a serious detriment when multiple foes can be taken out of combat for one or more rounds (plus take damage).
First level? WT???
That's way too potent for a 1st level Daily power.
I'd just prefer it if 5E came up with a matrix of levels (or some other metarule system) for each of the conditions and said "single target stun, level x as a Daily, level x+z as an Encounter". "mutli target stun, level y as a Daily, level y+q as an Encounter".
Some system that prevents designers from creating uber powers that then have to be nerfed (course, some like Silent Malediction are not nerfed).
If one thinks about it, Silent Malediction is a lot more potent than the 5th level Wizard power Foe to Frog (which only takes one foe out and doesn't damage that foe) even with the fact that FtF affects the foe on a miss. Timeless Trek in Mithrendain is the same level as FtF, but also does damage.
There is no balance here. Designers just throw together stuff that sounds cool, so many classes end up with 50% crappy powers at a given level, 25% worthwhile powers at a given level, and 25% awesome powers at a given level (or thereabouts).
