(Pre-Proposal) Arcane Power

[elecgraystone]

What kind of errors are you talking about nerdytenor? I don't remember any. Was it spelling/grammar errors? If so, that'd explain why I didn't notice. My brain tends to auto-correct those kind of mistakes without me consciously thinking about them.

 

[JoeNotCharles]

I just posted the Illusionary Wall writeup from above in the 4E rules forum for feedback, BTW.

 

[TwoHeadsBarking]

The most blatant error I remember is the sample swordmage. For his two at-will powers, one of them is actually an encounter power, and the other doesn't exist.

There's some strangeness in the Epic Destinies too. The Arcane Sword's Sword's Vengeance ability is unclear as to what happens when it's done, and the Utility power appears to be strictly worse than the Total Aegis feat. The Archlich's Phylactery will make Mastery over Death very difficult to pull off. And the Feyliege's Eternal King on an Eternal Throne brings in all the issues time travel normally does. Issues like, "If we kill this older, more regal version of you, can we take his stuff? Because then we'll have an extra set of all your equipment."

 

[elecgraystone]

LOL I never look at sample characters, so that explains that. As far as the epic destinies, I just skimmed those. I don't expect to be anywhere CLOSE to those anytime soon. Let me take a look...

Sword vengeance seems straight forward. Once the encounter is over, your sword comes over and returns you to life with 1hp.

Total Aegis feat only works for your aegis of shielding power or aegis of assault power. As such, the utility is MUCH better for a swordmage with an aegis of ensnarement.


Archlich's Phylactery should be 'when you die' instead of 'when you reach 0hp'. That way everything works fine.

Eternal King on an Eternal Throne, you take the place of your older self. So only one set of equipment, the same you'd have if you killed the original character. Then the encounter is over, the older character is restored to life IF the attack that killed him left a body. If not he can continue to adventure in future self form. No where does it say that there is EVER two bodies/selves at once.

 

[TwoHeadsBarking]

Regarding the Arcane Sword:

The part that confuses me is when it talks about what happens when your body is missing. When the encounter ends, the sword returns to your body. Not to the square in which you died, or the room, or the dungeon/region/dimension. It always returns to your body. So how can your body not be there? Ok, I guess disintegration or rapid digestion could dispose of the body entirely before the encounter is over.

I'd be willing to bet that it's only a matter of time before Wizards erratas Total Aegis to work with Ensnarement, and I think any reasonable DM would houserule it to do so.

Regarding the Feyliege:

If your dead body disappears when your older, more regal self appears, then it would not be present at the end of the encounter, meaning your older, more regal self would not be able to restore you to life. That's ok though, because who wouldn't want to be an older, more regal version of themselves (in case you haven't noticed, I get a kick out of their wording of that)?

In both of these cases, I can see what the RAI are. I'm not trying to argue that. I just think they could have worded them a little better, which is really my issue with Arcane Power in general. I think it needed just a little more polish.

 

[elecgraystone]

For Arcane sword, it's just easier to say it goes to the body. If you say the square they dies in, the body might not be there. It could be taken away, fall/ pushes off a cliff, into a pit ect. That way, you might be alive but in the bottom of a pit when you wake up.

An far as NO body, lava and acid can quickly take care of a body, normal fire can leave ashes, a large block could leave you a fine paste, ect. Plenty of ways there is no body left.

As far as Total Aegis, you may be right. Until then however, the epic utility is the only way Ensnarement gets a Total Aegis like ability. Add to that the fact that most feats of this level are pretty darn good, being able to use a utility instead of a feat isn't a bad deal.

For Feyliege, you want to go back to your less regal form for you can use that power again. If you are already the older version, it can't come save you again can it?

As far as the body disappearing, It sounds like the older version replaces it. EI it becomes the older version. So when it reverts to the 'original', if there is a body it comes back to life. If it's NOT, then you stay as your older self. At least that's how it reads to me.

I don't worry too much over word polish. You can ALWAYS word something better. And they didn't make any clear loopholes, so I can't complain.

 

[TwoHeadsBarking]

Eh, you're right. The real misprints (some illusion powers, the sample swordmage) probably just set me in a "find more problems" mode.

 

[Don Incognito]

Am I the only one that's underwhelmed by the Epic Destinies?

 

[Atanatotatos]

No. Compared to the ones in MP, these seem really weak and mostly uninspired. But then, this really is the martial characters' edition (the fighter is maybe the "strongest" class mechanically... can you believe that, coming from 3e?)

 

[CaBaNa]

How do I make one of those nifty countdowns so that everyone may know how long until Arcane Power comes up for approval?

I love seeing the PHB2 plodding toward it's inevitable judge approval...