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Discussing 4e Subsystems: POWERS!
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<blockquote data-quote="Remathilis" data-source="post: 4540659" data-attributes="member: 7635"><p>Part of the power systems charm/failure (depending on who you ask) is its homogeneous treating of character actions. </p><p></p><p>Comparing not to 4e, but to SAGA (which clearly looks like a 3e/4e transition piece now) it was clear the change from dynamic "saves" to static "defenses" would require attackers to have some form or escalating bonus (how base attack functioned vs AC attacks). Saga tried to handle this by using a split system (Bab for "attacks", skill checks for Force/Magic) but that proved to be slightly unbalanced (Force Users dominate at low levels, are useless at high) so the decision was made to have EVERYTHING (AC, Def, Attacks, Skills) raise the same rate. </p><p></p><p>That meant attacks (be it a longsword or a magic missile) raised equally, only differing by ability score modifier and perhaps misc bonuses. (Which lead to a really weird situation where an eladrin wizard with a decent str and decent Int had a better to-hit with his longsword than his spells <img src="http://www.enworld.org/forum/images/smilies/worried.png" class="smilie" loading="lazy" alt=":-S" title="Uhm :-S" data-shortname=":-S" />)</p><p></p><p>Now, to top the fact that the effect of most powers is damage + effect and effect can be broken down into a few possible options:</p><p></p><p>+ Foe receives negative status ailment (weakened, slowed, dazed, etc)</p><p>+ Ally/Self gets beneficial boost (bonuses, healing, etc).</p><p>+ Ally/Self can shift/move</p><p>+ Foe is moved against his own will. </p><p></p><p>That's 90% of all powers in a nutshell. While the specific combination of ability attack, vs defense, damage, effect, and misc may differ; each ends up feeling similar to the next (within the parameters of variance) and thus, the classes themselves feel similar. (The differences between classes is on emphasis, not element. A wizard emphasizes ranged elemental attacks that target multiple foes with negative status ailments and the fighter emphasizes melee attacks that target a single foe for larger damage and perhaps a status ailment, but at the end of the day, they are both making a modified ability check to deal an amount of damage and perhaps a status ailment).</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Remathilis, post: 4540659, member: 7635"] Part of the power systems charm/failure (depending on who you ask) is its homogeneous treating of character actions. Comparing not to 4e, but to SAGA (which clearly looks like a 3e/4e transition piece now) it was clear the change from dynamic "saves" to static "defenses" would require attackers to have some form or escalating bonus (how base attack functioned vs AC attacks). Saga tried to handle this by using a split system (Bab for "attacks", skill checks for Force/Magic) but that proved to be slightly unbalanced (Force Users dominate at low levels, are useless at high) so the decision was made to have EVERYTHING (AC, Def, Attacks, Skills) raise the same rate. That meant attacks (be it a longsword or a magic missile) raised equally, only differing by ability score modifier and perhaps misc bonuses. (Which lead to a really weird situation where an eladrin wizard with a decent str and decent Int had a better to-hit with his longsword than his spells :-S) Now, to top the fact that the effect of most powers is damage + effect and effect can be broken down into a few possible options: + Foe receives negative status ailment (weakened, slowed, dazed, etc) + Ally/Self gets beneficial boost (bonuses, healing, etc). + Ally/Self can shift/move + Foe is moved against his own will. That's 90% of all powers in a nutshell. While the specific combination of ability attack, vs defense, damage, effect, and misc may differ; each ends up feeling similar to the next (within the parameters of variance) and thus, the classes themselves feel similar. (The differences between classes is on emphasis, not element. A wizard emphasizes ranged elemental attacks that target multiple foes with negative status ailments and the fighter emphasizes melee attacks that target a single foe for larger damage and perhaps a status ailment, but at the end of the day, they are both making a modified ability check to deal an amount of damage and perhaps a status ailment). [/QUOTE]
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