Anyone else tired of game mechanic freebies?

[JoeGKushner]

Looking over Dark Sun and the whole 'theme' thing annoys me.

First it was background bonuses from Forgotten Realms and not theme.

How much power inflation do players need?

I'm sure there are those that feel that it adds to the game.

and I'm not saying it doesn't. But if it's needed, make it a core part of the game as opposed to the freebie it becomes latter on.

Especially when those who don't use 'em are penalized by losing out to those who do.

It's another thing to keep track of and another freebie, that in 4e especially with the characters so beefed up at initial levels to begin with, isn't really necessary in my opinion.

 

[Scribble]

Are they really that much of a power boost?

 

[Mengu]

My game that started before backgrounds became available, we still don't use backgrounds, and somehow people survive. They are not necessary or required, and neither are themes. If you choose to use them, you can. As long as all players are on equal footing, it should not make a difference.

You should never have a game where some people are using backgrounds and themes, and some are not.

 

[aurance]

Are they really that much of a power boost?

No, not really.

In any case, in the campaigns mentioned everyone character takes the benefit, so who is getting penalized by not having it?

 

[JoeGKushner]

No, not really.

Not really? As a freebie of the very first theme, they get poisoned strike, primary ability vs AC where it's an encounter power, not a daily mind you, that does 1[W] plus 5 poison damage which has other abilities and the 1[W] goes up at 11th and 12th level.

I have no problem with allowing substitutions of powers, like the igher level powers do mind you but the whole freebie thing b'leh.

In terms of the campaigns metnioned here, if everyone takes one then it's not a problem but since there are ten slotted out, not everyone is going to want to take one based on their theme.

 

[DEFCON 1]

So what you're saying Joe, is that mechanics for the game should begin and end with Player's Handbook I. If it wasn't created for the initial game, then it shouldn't be added later on because it gives additional power to the players.

Nice thought. Not exactly a sustainable business model though.

And of course the glory of games like this is that one little phrase that keeps popping up when folks like you complain about stuff like this...

"If you don't like it, you don't have to use it."

 

[Scribble]

But is that really a huge impact on the numbers?

I ask because I haven't done the math, but it seems to me the balance of 4e isn't like a super strict number... More like a range that they try to keep everything in.

Are one or two powers here and there really throwing the numbers off that much?

 

[JoeGKushner]

So what you're saying Joe, is that mechanics for the game should begin and end with Player's Handbook I. If it wasn't created for the initial game, then it shouldn't be added later on because it gives additional power to the players.

Nice thought. Not exactly a sustainable business model though.

And of course the glory of games like this is that one little phrase that keeps popping up when folks like you complain about stuff like this...

"If you don't like it, you don't have to use it."

Not at all. I'm saying it should be built into the game, not given to the players. For example, the ability to substitute the higher level abilities of the themes works well. Why should they get a freebie out of it? Ditto for background options.

 

[JoeGKushner]

But is that really a huge impact on the numbers?

I ask because I haven't done the math, but it seems to me the balance of 4e isn't like a super strict number... More like a range that they try to keep everything in.

Are one or two powers here and there really throwing the numbers off that much?

That much? Probably not. It just seems that instead of making more interesting role playing choices that WoTC continues to make those roll playing choicese.

I think it's one of the reasons I keep turning back to pure point buy systems. Everything is essentially built into the core rules and the players can take and make what their interested in as opposed to seeing freebies and then going, "Yeah, I'm a this with a that background... yeah... that's the ticket..."

 

[RangerWickett]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but theme powers don't automatically get better at higher level. You only get the extra damage if you decide to swap your normal 11th or 21st level powers for that power, right?