Review this House rule!

[Grimmjow]

Hey guys.

As i was looking through the table in the PH at the powers players get and at what levels, i noticed that the players will be replacing powers with higher level ones. I wasn't really sure how that was suppose to work, how do you forget fire ball but learn ice bolt (or something like that)? So i think I'm going to tell my players to just skip it. Get your new power, and keep your old power. I just wanted to know if you guys (with more experience then i) thought this was going to be a good plan.

I do understand that this will leave them with a lot of encounter powers and a lot of daily powers, but won't that let me make harder adventures, seeing as how they'll start having more powers then they normally would at their level?

Thanks guys.

 

[Mustrum_Ridcully]

Yes, it will make them stronger, and possibly quite noticeable though. At some point, they won't really feel the need to use at-wills anymore since they still have dailies and encounters that remain unused.

An alternative is: Instead of entirely "forgetting" the ability, you could allow them to keep the ability but they occupy the same "slot", so they can use either the one or the other. That will give them more flexibility (often a higher level encounter power is not that much better than a lower level one if the lower level one works better in the given tactical situation )

 

[herrozerro]

I find it funny your example of a wizard forgetting fireball... because that historically how it worked.

 

[Tequila Sunrise]

Forgetting old tricks as you learn better ones isn't all that unrealistic. For example I've learned how to solve complex differential equations, but I've forgotten how to find the vertex of a parabola. (Which is pretty simple.)

Also, there are often higher-level versions of heroic tier powers for players who don't like 'forgetting' a trick. The old trick isn't forgotten; it becomes a new and better trick.

That said, I don't think your house rule will break the game. By epic level, the encounter powers that a PC loses aren't much better than at-wills, and the daily powers he loses aren't much better than his encounter powers. So roughly, it'll be like each PC has a few extra items.

 

[Jester David]

An alternative is: Instead of entirely "forgetting" the ability, you could allow them to keep the ability but they occupy the same "slot", so they can use either the one or the other. That will give them more flexibility (often a higher level encounter power is not that much better than a lower level one if the lower level one works better in the given tactical situation )

I'd do this as well. They have so many Daily powers they can use each day and choose which one.
You could make them "memorize" a power each day or allow them to decide on the fly. The later might be a bit more potent as they can pick flexible powers that do different thing, and are thus prepared for different situations. But not game-breakingly so.

 

[Grimmjow]

I find it funny your example of a wizard forgetting fireball... because that historically how it worked.

I know i hate vacian (or how ever it is spelled)

Forgetting old tricks as you learn better ones isn't all that unrealistic. For example I've learned how to solve complex differential equations, but I've forgotten how to find the vertex of a parabola. (Which is pretty simple.)

Also, there are often higher-level versions of heroic tier powers for players who don't like 'forgetting' a trick. The old trick isn't forgotten; it becomes a new and better trick.

That said, I don't think your house rule will break the game. By epic level, the encounter powers that a PC loses aren't much better than at-wills, and the daily powers he loses aren't much better than his encounter powers. So roughly, it'll be like each PC has a few extra items.

That true about the simple stuff. But its not like you were out finding the vertex everyday, learned something more advanced and then just forgot it.

And i do understand one power kinda upgrading into something that they have learned to "better" it, but again; if a wizard forgets a fire spell and learns an ice spell....its not an upgrade of his old spell.

 

[Tequila Sunrise]

And i do understand one power kinda upgrading into something that they have learned to "better" it, but again; if a wizard forgets a fire spell and learns an ice spell....its not an upgrade of his old spell.

I say try it then!

And don't forget to let us know how it worked out.

 

[Grimmjow]

lol don't worry i will XD

 

[Grabuto138]

I know i hate vacian (or how ever it is spelled)



That true about the simple stuff. But its not like you were out finding the vertex everyday, learned something more advanced and then just forgot it.

And i do understand one power kinda upgrading into something that they have learned to "better" it, but again; if a wizard forgets a fire spell and learns an ice spell....its not an upgrade of his old spell.

In fairness to the old school, you did not forget simple stuff. They were still in your spell book. You had a limit of how much you could keep in your head. I support the "flex option" rather than let them use all encounters the ever learned every encounter.

 

[(Psi)SeveredHead]

I do understand that this will leave them with a lot of encounter powers and a lot of daily powers, but won't that let me make harder adventures, seeing as how they'll start having more powers then they normally would at their level?

Thanks guys.

Couldn't you limit the number of encounter powers they can use per encounter and the number of daily powers they can use per day? They'd be more flexible, but the power jump would be a lot less.