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Discussing 4e Subsystems: POWERS!
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<blockquote data-quote="Victim" data-source="post: 4540497" data-attributes="member: 78"><p>I think that while there are often winners at each level of powers, there are often other considerations (besides just flavor). Namely, building a set of powers that works well together. I don't think that picking the 'best' option at each level will leave the character with the ideal overall set off powers.</p><p></p><p>For example, let's look at a sword wielding fighter, at say level 13 (because you end with 2 weapon based powers at that level, and I'm running a game at that level so I know those options better). Sword powers tend to emphasize multitarget effects. Swords are also accurate weapons, but have weaker Ws than other weapons of the same type. So I might be looking at Sweeping Blow, Come and Get It, and Storm of Blows, and decide that my characters needs some high power attack to handle solos or elites. The auto hit is good, but they'll already be hitting more often. So while Rain of Steel is generally the best, it also overlaps with the character's normal strengths perhaps too much. Or someone who fights with a spear or flail might value the AC penalty from Crack the Shell rather highly, since it can lead into a better Rain of Blows. Some overall builds and paragon paths will also value powers slightly differently. I don't think Fire Shroud is all that hot compared to the multitarget Immo on Ice Rays - on the other hand, a low level orb wizard might love it since it gives him something else to use his save penalty on.</p><p></p><p>And that applies to the whole group too. If a group doesn't have a wizard, other people might find it worthwhile to emphasize area attacks in their power selection, even if other attacks might normally be prefered. In a group without a healer, Come And Get It, so powerful for normal tanking and area damage, becomes a huge risk since spreading around damage makes people's second winds go farther. And powers that add to AC or do self heals look better.</p><p></p><p>Ideally, the wholes of both the character and the group should be greater than the sum of its parts. I don't think that the overall best power will always work best in any given context. There are often a few clear winners at each level. But in many cases, the losers aren't so far behind that they wouldn't be worth taking for some contexts. And you generally hear complaints when there are obvious suckers (take all the comments about Cloudkill or pre-errata Shadow Wasp).</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Victim, post: 4540497, member: 78"] I think that while there are often winners at each level of powers, there are often other considerations (besides just flavor). Namely, building a set of powers that works well together. I don't think that picking the 'best' option at each level will leave the character with the ideal overall set off powers. For example, let's look at a sword wielding fighter, at say level 13 (because you end with 2 weapon based powers at that level, and I'm running a game at that level so I know those options better). Sword powers tend to emphasize multitarget effects. Swords are also accurate weapons, but have weaker Ws than other weapons of the same type. So I might be looking at Sweeping Blow, Come and Get It, and Storm of Blows, and decide that my characters needs some high power attack to handle solos or elites. The auto hit is good, but they'll already be hitting more often. So while Rain of Steel is generally the best, it also overlaps with the character's normal strengths perhaps too much. Or someone who fights with a spear or flail might value the AC penalty from Crack the Shell rather highly, since it can lead into a better Rain of Blows. Some overall builds and paragon paths will also value powers slightly differently. I don't think Fire Shroud is all that hot compared to the multitarget Immo on Ice Rays - on the other hand, a low level orb wizard might love it since it gives him something else to use his save penalty on. And that applies to the whole group too. If a group doesn't have a wizard, other people might find it worthwhile to emphasize area attacks in their power selection, even if other attacks might normally be prefered. In a group without a healer, Come And Get It, so powerful for normal tanking and area damage, becomes a huge risk since spreading around damage makes people's second winds go farther. And powers that add to AC or do self heals look better. Ideally, the wholes of both the character and the group should be greater than the sum of its parts. I don't think that the overall best power will always work best in any given context. There are often a few clear winners at each level. But in many cases, the losers aren't so far behind that they wouldn't be worth taking for some contexts. And you generally hear complaints when there are obvious suckers (take all the comments about Cloudkill or pre-errata Shadow Wasp). [/QUOTE]
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