D&D 4E 4e Clone − help create it!

Yaarel · Jun 14, 2019

4e Power Sources

How do you guys feel about the 4e Power Sources table below?

The table develops from discussions that Wrecan and I had years ago.

Essentially, the sources are rows and columns that intersect each other. For example, ‘healing’ spells are both Divine and Primal, locating at the intersection of the two.

The columns describe the THEME of the spell: Elemental (Matter), Primal (Life), Psionic (Mind), plus Universal (Force).

Note:
• Primal (Life) is a special blend of Psionic (Mind) and Elemental (Matter).
• ‘Force’ always means mysterious ‘magical energy’, including telekinetic force and gravity.

The rows describe the PROCESS of magic: Divine (emanation), Arcane (alteration), Shadow (destruction), and Martial (action).

Note:
• Divine here tends to relate to the ‘Fifth Element’, that has been defined variously as ether, space, gravitational force, space-time fabric, consciousness, life energy, and immortality. These tropes interrelate, all being aspects of this transcendent level of ‘being’.
• Martial tropes tend to interrelate as nonmagical study and actions.
• Martial includes Detect Magic. Despite being mostly to fill in a grid, allocating Detect Magic and Arcana to Martial, corresponds to the tradition of Rogue Use Magic Device, and ‘scientific’ Artificer. But also, it is normal for a nonmagical creature to sense something ‘awesome’, ‘strange’, or ‘eerie’, hence detect magic.
• Shadow (destruction) is a distinctive application of Arcane (alteration) and an antithesis of Divine (emanation).

Tropes combine both a theme and a process. This combo systematically identifies EVERY 4e POWER with meaningful precision. To say, ‘Arcane Psionic’ for the Charm trope, or ‘Martial Primal’ for the Athletic skill trope, sketches what these powers are about.

These sources are keywords only, intended to be useful descriptions. A Paladin for example, will tend to have tropes from various combos. Whatever makes sense for a character concept.

jayoungr · Jun 14, 2019

Yaarel said:
To make a grappling attack, add d20 to whichever is highest, your Dexterity bonus (for agility and leverage) or your Strength bonus (for physical size and power).

To make a grappling defense, add 10 to whichever is highest, Dexterity or Strength.

However, always use Strength to keep a hold ongoing.

I like this much better!

Yaarel · Jun 14, 2019

My ideal power format looks something like this.

The title line has the power name (in this case the Fireball spell), the purpose, and the character level.

Next line, sources.
Then type of action, and frequency.

Target, including any area and range.
Versus defense ability.
Damage, including average, damage type, and randomized equivalent.
Damage even if missing defense.

Finally, a prose description of the effect of the power.

Many classes (and maybe races) can choose this power: so the format lacks a specific class, specific attack ability, and specific spell components.

[Edit]

The color coding of the title line symbolizes the purpose.

Attack: red
Defense: green
Mobility or Barrier: blue
Detection or Stealth: purple
Assistance (multipurpose, summoning, conjuration, fabrication, pet): gold

[Edit]

The prose description risks baking a specific flavor into the mechanics. Either make the prose as diplomatic and as inclusive as possible. Or else separate the specific flavor into an italicized ‘Flavor Text Box’.

Yaarel · Jun 15, 2019

The Power Sources table above lists ‘healing’ as Primal and Divine.

However, this refers to actual spontaneous healing following a catastrophic injury when reach zero hit points.

Warlord healing is more like ‘morale’ (Martial Psionic), inspiring others to press on, despite being battered an bruised.

For my tastes, the Warlord is an effective healer − unless the ally reaches zero hit points. So the focus of Warlord healing is while fresh or bloodied, plus ‘vigor’ temporary healing. For zero hit points, the modest Medicine skill with bandages and smelling salts applies.

Yaarel · Jun 15, 2019

I tweaked the power sources grid. Note, ‘Morale’ with ‘Second Wind’, thus by extension Warlord hit-point restoration in the sense of rallying morale.

Morale organizes as nonmagical ‘Martial’ and mental ‘Psionic’.

[edit]

Now that I know how to make a table, I am doing the 4e Power Sources Grid as one to make it easier to tweak. See below.

Yaarel · Jun 16, 2019

Power Format

Power Name // Purpose Level

Sources, Trope // Action Type • Frequency

Target: target type in range

Versus: ability defense

Effect:

Duration:

Description.

Yaarel · Jun 16, 2019

Here is my first pass at Warlord powers. They are intended to balance with 5e, so compare these powers to 5e spells.

When a class gives the player the choice of a power, the player can choose any power, whether it is at-will, per rest (short or long), or per long rest. (I am tempted to refer to the At-Wills as ‘Fighter cantrips’.)

In 5e, several classes can share the same powers (including the same spells), so in the following powers, class names are absent.

Inspiring Presence // Defense 1

Martial Psionic, Morale // Reaction • Rest

Target: 1 ally in close

Heal: hit points = your level + your Charisma

Your presence boosts the morale of an embattled comrade in your combat unit. One ally in close range who can see or hear you, and who is less than full hit points but not dying, can restore a number of lost hit points up to your level plus your Charisma bonus. Any scrapes and bruises remain but are ignorable

Inspiring Word // Defense 1

Martial Psionic, Morale // Bonus Action • Rest

Target: 1 ally in close

Heal: hit points = hit dice spent by ally

Your timely support inspires a member of your team to find inner strength. One ally in close range, who can see or hear you, who is less that full hit points but not dying, can spend any hit dice remaining to that ally to restore hit points as if completing a short rest. Any scrapes and bruises remain but become ignorable.

Tactical Presence // Attack 1

Martial Psionic, Tactics // Reaction • Rest

Target: 1 ally in close, 1 foe within range of allys attack

Trigger: when ally attacks foe

Attack: expertise to attack = your Intelligence

Your coaching heightens the effectiveness of your combat unit. One ally in close range, who can see or hear you, when making an attack against a hostile of your choice, can add an expertise bonus to one attack roll equal to your Intelligence bonus. Your ally resolves this attack.

Commanders Strike // Attack 1

Martial Psionic, Tactics // Action • Maneuver

Target: 1 ally in far, 1 foe within range of allys attack

Attack: allys weapon or cantrip

Your surveyal of the battle in progress heightens the responsiveness of your combat unit. An ally in far range, who can see or hear you, can make one weapon attack or cantrip attack against a hostile of your choice. Your ally resolves this attack.

Garthanos · Jun 17, 2019

Yaarel said:
The prose description risks baking a specific flavor into the mechanics. Either make the prose as diplomatic and as inclusive as possible. Or else separate the specific flavor into an italicized ‘Flavor Text Box’.

Very much this

Garthanos · Jun 17, 2019

Yaarel said:
(I am tempted to refer to the At-Wills as ‘Fighter cantrips’.)

LOL Martial Maneuvers

Yaarel · Jun 17, 2019

Power Source Grid

Here is the 4e Power Source Grid as a table, to make it easier to tweak if necessary. When it seems stable enough to handle most of the corner cases, we can move it into the Original Post.

Power Sources	ELEMENTAL (matter)	PRIMAL (life)	PSIONIC (mind)	UNIVERSAL (force)
DIVINE (emanation)	Ether • Light • Radiance Space • Darkness • Teleportation • Extradimensional	Healing • Life Energy • Immortality • Resurrection • Renewal • Close Wounds	Consciousness • Awaken • Sanity/Enlightenment Outofbody/Projection • Scry/Clairvoyance • Detect Mind Prescience • Fate • Luck • Ascertain Knowledge	Force • Force Damage • Magic Energy • Telekinesis • Fly • Gravity Planes Wish • The Weave
SHADOW (destruction)	Disintegration	Death • Necrotic Damage • Disease Undead	Oblivion Insanity	Antimagic
ARCANE (alteration)	Air-Water • Wind • Weather • Cold Damage • Lightning Damage • Thunder Damage Earth-Fire • Fire Damage • Acid Damage • Stone/Metal	Shapeshift Plant Beast Humanoid Ki • Bodily Aura • Lifeforce • Soul	Telepathy • Psychic Damage • Domination Fear Charm • Sleep Phantasm • Suggestion • Hallucination • Dream • Psionic Invisibility	Force Construct • Summon • Conjuration • Illusion
MARTIAL (action)	Equipment • Weapons • Armor • Tools Alchemy • Proto-Chemistry • Metalsmithing • Jewelry Crafting • Technical Skill • Technology • Replica/Forgery • Disguise	Athletics • Move/Speed • Jump/Climb • Balance/Fall • Swim/Wing • Stamina Grappling Sense • Seeing • Hearing • Smell/Taste Stealth Sleight of Hand • pick pocket • pick lock • disarm trap Medicine • Longevity • Immune System • Anatomy • Therapy • Poison Damage Nature • Animal • Plant • Animal Handling • Tracking Survival • Travel • Navigation • Sailing • Foraging	Morale • Willpower • Rally • Second Wind Persuasion • Influence • Convince • Art/Performance Intimidation • Force Surrender • Rage • Confuse • Create Diversion Empathy • Cold Reading • Communicate Emotion • Intention/Motive • Streetsmarts • Mysticism/Conscious Intuition/Wisdom • Extrasensory/Hunch • Symbolism Tactics • Teamwork • Military History Language • Discern Gist • Learn Language History • Culture • Customs • Religions • Famous Persons • Legends	Arcana • Detect Magic • Identify Spell • Extraplanar