Creative use of Powers fluff

[Dm_from_Brazil]

Someone else noticed that the 4E Powers (Exploits, Spells, Prayers) can be seen as "Fluff covers" to "Crunch level-based maths"? That is, the presentation of a given power has no real importance (to game balance) - that all that means, in pure game terms is the powers "mathematical" effects (damage, conditions, duration etc)?

I could take Kathra´s (the D&D Experience Dwarf Fighter) Exploits - Cleave, Tide of Iron, Passing Attack and Brute Strike, and change them to the liking of Rastan, my human barbarian character (ok, so I´m using zoroaster100 “Regdar” Human Fighter as base – see it at http://www.enworld.org/showthread.php?t=222144 ) :

Rastan Barbaric Fighter Exploits

At-Will Powers

Sword´n Fist Fighter Attack 1
You hit one enemy with your weapon, then smash a fist into another.
At-Will ✦ Martial, Weapon
Standard Action Melee weapon
Target: One creature
Attack: +7 vs. AC
Hit: 1d8+4 damage, and an enemy adjacent to the target takes 4 damage.

Foot Stomp Fighter Attack 1
After each mighty swing, you bring your boot to the enemy chest, and use it to push it back.
At-Will ✦ Martial, Weapon
Standard Action Melee weapon
Target: One creature
Attack: +7 vs. AC
Hit: 1d8+4 damage, and you push the target 1 square if it is your size, smaller than you, or one size category larger. You can shift into the space that the target occupied.


Encounter Power
Hack´n Slash Fighter Attack 1
You strike at one foe and follow through into a second strike against a second foe.
Encounter ✦ Martial, Weapon
Standard Action Melee weapon
Primary Target: One creature
Attack: +7 vs. AC
Hit: 1d8+4 damage, and you can shift 1 square.
Make a secondary attack.
Secondary Target: One creature other than the
primary target
Secondary Attack: +9 vs. AC
Hit: 1d8+4 damage.

Daily Power
Combo Fighter Attack 1
You shatter armor and bone with a combined series of blows.
Daily ✦ Martial, Reliable, Weapon
Reliable: If you miss with this power, you do not
expend its use.
Standard Action Melee weapon
Target: One creature
Attack: +7 vs. AC
Hit: 3d8+4 damage.
__________________________________________

As you see, I changed names and "fluff", but the "maths" (rolls, damage, targets) keep the same. This is what I mean by "Creative use of Powers fluff" - one can play with the description/narrative side of a power, to make it more to a campaign´s liking (i.e. If you thing "Split the Tree - 2 arrows separate mid-air" is stupid, change it´s fluff! Maybe Riardon the Ranger "fires two arrows in a fast sequence"...) .

Ok, so one could do this in 3E (and is nothing new - HERO lives and dies by this mechanic), but 4E makes it really simple - and a excellent way of customizing a character!

 

[JohnBiles]

I agree. Allows for some interesting customization of the appearance of your powers.

(And I think the big strong point of HERO is the whole fluff/game mechanic split in it allows for billions of powers to be designed and balanced with the system, yeah.)

 

[Magus Coeruleus]

You can also genericize fluff to be devoid of specific flavor if in your campaign you prefer that the characters describe their actions in colorful terms that can differ depending on context. For example:

Collateral Damage Fighter Attack 1
You hit one enemy with your weapon, then do collateral damage to another.
At-Will ✦ Martial, Weapon
Standard Action Melee weapon
Target: One creature
Attack: +7 vs. AC
Hit: 1d8+4 damage, and an enemy adjacent to the target takes 4 damage.

Depending on the scene, the source of that collateral damage can be follow-through from the same weapon, a fist, a head-butt, a shield bash, even a follow-through that slices a rope causing an object to fall on the adjacent enemy.

Doesn't sound as good to read a power with those generics, but if you've got players who are good at coming up with context-specific flavor on the spot, they may appreciate not being pigeon-holed into one specific maneuver when they can do all sorts of things without changing power, balance, or even flexibility in mechanical terms.

 

[Li Shenron]

Someone else noticed that the 4E Powers (Exploits, Spells, Prayers) can be seen as "Fluff covers" to "Crunch level-based maths"? That is, the presentation of a given power has no real importance (to game balance) - that all that means, in pure game terms is the powers "mathematical" effects (damage, conditions, duration etc)?

There are some obvious limitations (e.g. when the power does energy damage) but in general I think they are crunch-based, and very easy to change the fluff. More customizable than older spells (but they were customizable too...).

 

[Nine Hands]

I agree. Allows for some interesting customization of the appearance of your powers.

(And I think the big strong point of HERO is the whole fluff/game mechanic split in it allows for billions of powers to be designed and balanced with the system, yeah.)

Its an "effects-based" design. Systems like HERO and Mekton have been using it for years. I'm glad D&D is catching up

The great benefit of these types of systems is consistency within the game mechanics and the freedom for the player to describe the action.

4E for the win.

 

[Lord Mhoram]

I've been doing that for years. Warlocks in 3rd - I let the character decide the flavor of the energy running through him, and the look and feel (if not the mechanics) of their eldritch powers.

Its an "effects-based" design. Systems like HERO and Mekton have been using it for years. I'm glad D&D is catching up

And yes, I came at that way, been playing Hero for so long, I immediately took that approach when playing D&D 3rd. And will in 4th.