Anyone else not feel "the grind"

[Rafe]

Whoever feels like they need more at will powers to pull off cool things with variety is doing it wrong (IMO).

Jump off the back of your running mount in combat and drop kick the enemy, craft magic items that expand your capabilities in battle, expect enemies to attack? pre-configure the battlefield to your advantage (pour alchemical fire on the floor, tie sacks of rats to the ceiling for the archer to shoot and drop on the enemies, etc.)

It's not about doing it wrong, it's about what D&D 4e does well. Random, impromptu actions easily covered and reinforced by the mechanics of the system is not one of them, especially when compared to other RPGs with exceptionally dynamic combat options (and social options and just general GAME options), like Burning Wheel for instance.

The game is at its very best when you don't feel constrained by the powers... 4th still has it if you are willing to try and look past the MMO underpinnings.

Very true, but you (universal "you" not you you) don't play D&D if you want a highly dynamic game where choices and options are at its heart and truly matter to drive the story. Play D&D to play D&D, play Shadowrun for Shadowrun. Don't try to make D&D into Shadowrun.


Back on topic: Personally, I find almost every combat scenario in D&D 4e is a grind because combat feels like a RTS computer game, and the system itself is very combat-centric. Additionally, combat in D&D isn't about character choices; it's about what's chosen by "3rd-person, God's-eye-view" folks (collectively) sitting/standing around a battlegrid. It's like watching the space battle planning sessions from 'BSG' and going "Yeah! That sounds fantastic! Now I can't wait to see the actual fight!" In D&D, I feel you never get to the "actual fight." It all feels like the planning room, so to speak. Like I said, it's a very RTS feel (for me).