There is one thing about "per encounter"-abilities that I hate: The flavor of an ability that is encounter-based is totally off. I believe my very first impression of them, once I stopped looking at it mechanicly, was something like this:
"An ability can only be used during one encounter, no matter how long it takes? And why would you only be able to do it when there is an enemy around? Some sort of magical energy that wells up in you once you see a Goblin and vanishes when you have slain him? Total bollocks!"
Thankfully, that didn't last long. I realized that flavorwise, "per encounter ability" should actually be named "ability that takes two minutes of rest to recover", as opposed to "per day ability", which would be "ability that takes eight hours of rest to recover". "Per encounter" is, apart from the name, really not more 'gamey' than "Per day", it is actually a refinement.
Let take an example: Paladin Dayguy, who can smite evil four times per day, and Paladin Encguy, who can smite once per encounter. Per 3.5 assumptions, those abilities are roughly equal.
Both sleep in the wilderness, only to get attacked by a bunch of goblins at 00:01; thankfully spotted by the party's ranger. They are still a bit sleepy, but otherwise okay.
Dayguy smites the four goblins next to him with his ability, taking them out with one hit. Encguy fights more cautiosly, finally smiting one particular mean goblin; but afterwards, he is too tired to do it anymore, and the goblins don't give him time to catch a breath.
Dayguy shines, Encguy not so much.
After the battle, the adventurers rest for six additional hours, getting some much deserved sleep. They set out to destroy a local goblin warband, finally meeting them. Dayguy and Encguy once again fight with valour. One particularily big goblin, in black armor, gets close to the party wizard and manages to knock him down. Dayguy and Encguy both run to rescue the wizard. Dayguy already spend all his smite attempts for the day, so he has no magical energy to left and can only regularily strike the goblin. Encguy thankfully recovered during the six hours of rest, and uses his smite to kill the goblin and save the wizard.
The battle is won, but the leader of the goblins tries to escape with his bodyguards, the adventurers chasing after them. Encguy and Dayguy come close to them at times, but Dayguy already used all his smites, and Encguy didn't have time to rest yet. Finally, they all come to the goblin's mountain hideout. The goblins managed to get some distance between them and the adventurers, so they get in there first and barricade the entrance.
The adventurers try to get the door open as fast they can, so the goblins cannot get away or prepare themselves too much. Ten minutes they vigourosly try to break the barricades open, until they finally succeed. But unfortunately, shortly after entering the hideout, a pack of wolves, lead by a warg, rushes at them, apparently set out by the goblins. Dayguy and Encguy still didn't rest properly, so again they just strike at them.
After a long and hard battle, the adventurers realize they are too tired to take on the goblins anymore. They head out of the hideout, and make camp in the edge of a nearby forest, so that the goblins cannot escape out of the front entrance, while they keep relatively hidden.
After two hours of rest, the sun begins to descend. The adventurers know that they are at a disadvantage against nightly raids. Their camp is not as defendible as the hideout, and they are only a few, so that keeping a night watch would be problematic. So they decide to enter the hideout and kill the goblin leader.
After they went in there, and overcame the goblin's traps, the climatic battle starts. Dayguy still hasn't recovered his smites, so he just whacks some goblins. Encguy hoeever rested properly, so he has his smite attack again, and finally manages to land it on the goblin boss, taking him out.
The adventurers celebrate their victory, and return to the town as heroes. On the way back, Dayguy finally recovers his smites.
Now what do you think? Take a guess, who had more fun, the player of Dayguy, or the player of Encguy? And who worked better in flavor?
"An ability can only be used during one encounter, no matter how long it takes? And why would you only be able to do it when there is an enemy around? Some sort of magical energy that wells up in you once you see a Goblin and vanishes when you have slain him? Total bollocks!"
Thankfully, that didn't last long. I realized that flavorwise, "per encounter ability" should actually be named "ability that takes two minutes of rest to recover", as opposed to "per day ability", which would be "ability that takes eight hours of rest to recover". "Per encounter" is, apart from the name, really not more 'gamey' than "Per day", it is actually a refinement.
Let take an example: Paladin Dayguy, who can smite evil four times per day, and Paladin Encguy, who can smite once per encounter. Per 3.5 assumptions, those abilities are roughly equal.
Both sleep in the wilderness, only to get attacked by a bunch of goblins at 00:01; thankfully spotted by the party's ranger. They are still a bit sleepy, but otherwise okay.
Dayguy smites the four goblins next to him with his ability, taking them out with one hit. Encguy fights more cautiosly, finally smiting one particular mean goblin; but afterwards, he is too tired to do it anymore, and the goblins don't give him time to catch a breath.
Dayguy shines, Encguy not so much.
After the battle, the adventurers rest for six additional hours, getting some much deserved sleep. They set out to destroy a local goblin warband, finally meeting them. Dayguy and Encguy once again fight with valour. One particularily big goblin, in black armor, gets close to the party wizard and manages to knock him down. Dayguy and Encguy both run to rescue the wizard. Dayguy already spend all his smite attempts for the day, so he has no magical energy to left and can only regularily strike the goblin. Encguy thankfully recovered during the six hours of rest, and uses his smite to kill the goblin and save the wizard.
The battle is won, but the leader of the goblins tries to escape with his bodyguards, the adventurers chasing after them. Encguy and Dayguy come close to them at times, but Dayguy already used all his smites, and Encguy didn't have time to rest yet. Finally, they all come to the goblin's mountain hideout. The goblins managed to get some distance between them and the adventurers, so they get in there first and barricade the entrance.
The adventurers try to get the door open as fast they can, so the goblins cannot get away or prepare themselves too much. Ten minutes they vigourosly try to break the barricades open, until they finally succeed. But unfortunately, shortly after entering the hideout, a pack of wolves, lead by a warg, rushes at them, apparently set out by the goblins. Dayguy and Encguy still didn't rest properly, so again they just strike at them.
After a long and hard battle, the adventurers realize they are too tired to take on the goblins anymore. They head out of the hideout, and make camp in the edge of a nearby forest, so that the goblins cannot escape out of the front entrance, while they keep relatively hidden.
After two hours of rest, the sun begins to descend. The adventurers know that they are at a disadvantage against nightly raids. Their camp is not as defendible as the hideout, and they are only a few, so that keeping a night watch would be problematic. So they decide to enter the hideout and kill the goblin leader.
After they went in there, and overcame the goblin's traps, the climatic battle starts. Dayguy still hasn't recovered his smites, so he just whacks some goblins. Encguy hoeever rested properly, so he has his smite attack again, and finally manages to land it on the goblin boss, taking him out.
The adventurers celebrate their victory, and return to the town as heroes. On the way back, Dayguy finally recovers his smites.
Now what do you think? Take a guess, who had more fun, the player of Dayguy, or the player of Encguy? And who worked better in flavor?
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