I think we're done with 4E

[Ydars]

What we need are mechanics for monster powers that activate as a last ditch defence and can only be called upon when the poor creatures are on their last legs.

Maybe monsters should be given action points and only allowed to use them once the PCs have bloodied them or even create another condition, called moribund, that corresponds to 1/4 HP and let the monsters use APs when they are moribund?

 

[Festivus]

What we need are mechanics for monster powers that activate as a last ditch defence and can only be called upon when the poor creatures are on their last legs.

Maybe monsters should be given action points and only allowed to use them once the PCs have bloodied them or even create another condition, called moribund, that corresponds to 1/4 HP and let the monsters use APs when they are moribund?

The mechanics exist already. Elites and solos all have APs, many have effects that trigger when bloodied or at zero hitpoints, etc. You can also take standard monsters and apply effects that trip when bloodied if you wanted... you get one of these rechargable or triggering encounter powers per tier.

Read the 4E DMG pages 184 and 185 for details.

 

[LostSoul]

What we need are mechanics for monster powers that activate as a last ditch defence and can only be called upon when the poor creatures are on their last legs.

Maybe monsters should be given action points and only allowed to use them once the PCs have bloodied them or even create another condition, called moribund, that corresponds to 1/4 HP and let the monsters use APs when they are moribund?

I wonder if the best place for that is in the monster statblock or if it should be part of the encounter.

Recently I ran a home-brewed encounter area where I rolled a d6 to have a random event occur. One of those was "a new random encounter arrives." That spiced things up!

 

[Felon]

As mentioned elsewhere, average-damage wise, you might have a point. But the quote that started this said: "In 4e, you're lucky to see a non-daily attack do 20 points of damage, even at paragon levels."

OK, come now. I'm on the verge of telling some folks to get a life. That's kind of "no, no, what you originally said was..." throwing the initial remark back in one's face ad infinitum is kid stuff. It was vague--my bad--but I've long since qualified the little unguarded, off-hand remark that has since been pounced upon in a locust-like fashion.

Furthermore, I can't help but feel that parading a series tricked-out DPS strikers and then saying "how can you say this kind of damage isn't run-of-the-mill?" is basically presenting a bunch of ringers. I don't see those characters being predominant in any party I've played.

 

[Plane Sailing]

What we need are mechanics for monster powers that activate as a last ditch defence and can only be called upon when the poor creatures are on their last legs.

I'm inclined to think that rather than that I need a way of PCs to get more use out of their encounter and daily powers - maybe if all encounter powers were reliable, for instance? Or allow them a recharge rate same as the monsters get (like recharge 5,6 for encounter powers)

 

[VictorC]

I'm inclined to think that rather than that I need a way of PCs to get more use out of their encounter and daily powers - maybe if all encounter powers were reliable, for instance? Or allow them a recharge rate same as the monsters get (like recharge 5,6 for encounter powers)

Off the top of my head, I would say, make your highest or lowest level encounter power rechargable: heroic roll a 6; paragon roll 5 or 6; epic 4,5 or 6.

But only your highest or lowest, so it changes often. Just something to think about.

 

[FireLance]

I'm inclined to think that rather than that I need a way of PCs to get more use out of their encounter and daily powers - maybe if all encounter powers were reliable, for instance? Or allow them a recharge rate same as the monsters get (like recharge 5,6 for encounter powers)

I prefer recharge on a miss (a missed daily allows you to recharge a used encounter). If the encounter or daily hit in the first place, I don't think the PCs will need the extra power.

 

[Shadowsong666]

I'm going a different way and am working on an 4e Update of the Critical Hit tables from Players Options: Combat & Tactics.

Players will do criticals on a roll of 18 and higher and beating the defense by a certain amount of points or something like that. Depending on the numer rolled, the die roll on the critical hit table gets determined, the magic weapon bonus gets added and an effect calculated.

The effects the players deal out will be heavy and a good critical hit (20 rolled, max rolled and a good magic weapon) will determine a fight against the enemy in seconds. Powers that give you a natural hit 20 will not roll on this chart like a natural 20, but will still impact the game as they should. I am working on a chart for weapons (light blades, heavy blades etc.) and for magic (psyche, acid, lightning etc.). If a weapon has multiple tables available, the player can choose the table. Power to the players! As boss mobs or elite monsters need to be extra tough they will get their own crit tables which are less dramatic, but still give an effect. Players can suffer criticals too, but only on a natural 20 by the monster and the table is not as permanent and evil as that against NPCs (well i somehow think that ripping the face of a PC is not really a thing enjoyed by the players...) because i want to boost the players in normal combat and just update them a bit in fights against the real tough guys.

I don't know how much time it takes, but i think a lot til its ready for release. First, i am still writing and second i will playtest the stuff first in one of our games for some fights. But reading through it sounds like fun for the players and making fights faster against stuff thats not really important. I just think that fights in DnD 4e should be more like Record of Lodoss War - normal enemies get smashed like cake and bosses knock down some players but die after a good long fight. ^^

 

[Dr. Strangemonkey]

I'm inclined to think that rather than that I need a way of PCs to get more use out of their encounter and daily powers - maybe if all encounter powers were reliable, for instance? Or allow them a recharge rate same as the monsters get (like recharge 5,6 for encounter powers)

I agree.

I also think it would be interesting to look at ways to make the short & long rest mechanics more interesting.

Maybe rituals to simulate a long rest so you don't have to leave the dungeon, but do have to sacrifice some resources?

I don't know the DMG 2 is gonna have in it, but two features I would love to see would be:

1.) Just more stuff on skill challenge mechanics.

2.) A whole freaking chapter on mechanics for varying the pace of the game on every level. Personally, I would love to see a version of DnD where you could engineer the pace of the game for narrative tension.

Here's what I mean:

Keep on the Shadowfell, basicly three parts -

1.) Lots of awesome big set piece fights

2.) The top levels of the dungeon

3.) Big Boss fight

Wouldn't it be nice if you could set the pace for those? So part 1 can be fast or slow depending on the mood of the party.

Part 2 could be relatively fast so you can engineer when the party has to take a break from fighting and the monsters get to re engineer the dungeon for defense.

Part 3 you give real devastating gravitas to by putting together a timer till the ritual completes and then making fights fast or slow within that timer so the PCs can really feel the action movie style tension.

 

[Mathew_Freeman]

I prefer recharge on a miss (a missed daily allows you to recharge a used encounter).

That's a really interesting idea... and most encounter powers aren't too strong, either. I may have to think about that.