101 roleplaying descriptions justifying martial dailies
- Thread starter Aberzanzorax
- Start date
Intense_Interest
First Post
Once again, people are conflating "player choice" with "character choice" and acting befuddled when the conclusion isn't to their liking.
Character's don't have to understand the exact number of healing surges they have, or the percentage chance they have to hit an enemy. Same with fighters "knowing" that if their "reliable" Daily Power hits they are not only not able to do that effect again for an entire day but will have a discrete predictable bonus to that action.
Personally, I'm the fan of "checkmate opertunities" that depend on the monster falling into a predictable pattern through a chance of luck.
Character's don't have to understand the exact number of healing surges they have, or the percentage chance they have to hit an enemy. Same with fighters "knowing" that if their "reliable" Daily Power hits they are not only not able to do that effect again for an entire day but will have a discrete predictable bonus to that action.
Personally, I'm the fan of "checkmate opertunities" that depend on the monster falling into a predictable pattern through a chance of luck.
Last edited:
cangrejoide
First Post
Its all about the narration.
I guess we need to drag the old Voltron example again:
Voltron has a signature move where he takes out his sword and cleaves the Big bad in 2, episode over.
Theoretically Voltron can do this every single time, whenever he wants. WHy doesnt he just do it at the first sight of the big bad?
Because then Voltron episodes would only last 5 minutes each, and they will be boring as hell.
So Voltron only uses his signature move when the time right from a narration POV. As for D&D when is the time right? whenever the narrator of the character AKA "the player" decides it is right.
I guess we need to drag the old Voltron example again:
Voltron has a signature move where he takes out his sword and cleaves the Big bad in 2, episode over.
Theoretically Voltron can do this every single time, whenever he wants. WHy doesnt he just do it at the first sight of the big bad?
Because then Voltron episodes would only last 5 minutes each, and they will be boring as hell.
So Voltron only uses his signature move when the time right from a narration POV. As for D&D when is the time right? whenever the narrator of the character AKA "the player" decides it is right.
Scribble
First Post
The awesome 5 lion Voltron, or the stupid multi space car Voltron?
It makes a difference.
cangrejoide
First Post
Lion Voltron of course...I have no recollection of "multi space car Voltron" nor will anyone ever be able to prove it even existed.
Player driven vs character driven? Is this really even an important distinction?
D&D is a story fundamentally a story telling fantasy adventure game, and it's the players that always tell the story. All the decisions that players make for their characters are drawn from a mixture (of different ratios) of how they imagine their character, how they want their character to progress, and how to create an enjoyable story, and how effective they want to be at the game.
Like it or not, but every choice we make in the game is a player choice, not a character choice. This includes encounter powers, daily powers, at-will powers, skill rolls, and the vast majority of actions that players decide their characters will perform.
The game is full of rules, and players can take the rules and mechanics and describe them in narrative terms. Isn't that part of the fun? Players are storytellers.
Encounter powers and Daily Powers are not realistic. They are dramatic and cinematic. They make a good story. They make a poor simulation, but that's ok. This isn't a good simulation game anyway.
D&D is a story fundamentally a story telling fantasy adventure game, and it's the players that always tell the story. All the decisions that players make for their characters are drawn from a mixture (of different ratios) of how they imagine their character, how they want their character to progress, and how to create an enjoyable story, and how effective they want to be at the game.
Like it or not, but every choice we make in the game is a player choice, not a character choice. This includes encounter powers, daily powers, at-will powers, skill rolls, and the vast majority of actions that players decide their characters will perform.
The game is full of rules, and players can take the rules and mechanics and describe them in narrative terms. Isn't that part of the fun? Players are storytellers.
Encounter powers and Daily Powers are not realistic. They are dramatic and cinematic. They make a good story. They make a poor simulation, but that's ok. This isn't a good simulation game anyway.
darjr
I crit!
Do you think I just hit them with a stick?! Over and over till they fall down?!
Pay attention!
Bold moves and subtle almost invisible adjustments, a step, a muscle flex, a roaring scream, a difference in the pressure of exhalation, a whisper only they can hear. Watching, waiting. I'm playing a role, looking for the moment when they buy it, when I have control, only after can I strike home.
Some times its a long game. I'll put on a show fighting underlings or allies, but not for them, for the others. I set them up, slowly, purposefully, and then knock em down. Make the onlookers think I'm one way, then fight another.
Times, there are, when I have to show all my cards early. Most won't fall for the same action twice. Too many times I have to guess and just act, so far I've guessed well. Maybe if the conditions are right, I'll get another chance.
I'll stand this way, or that, taking an otherwise defensive stance. Or I'll roll right on in and clash steel on steel, sparks flying.
Once in a great while I'll be the very essence of wheels within wheels. Fighting as if to get advantage, as if I'm playing the game, while the whole time I'll have it and they won't know, won't understand, till I've won.
Do you think these are just tricks you can pull off any time? All the time? Many of them, if not done just right, would be more deadly to you and your allies than to any of the enemy.
These are not card tricks my children. These are the arts of war!
Pay attention!
Bold moves and subtle almost invisible adjustments, a step, a muscle flex, a roaring scream, a difference in the pressure of exhalation, a whisper only they can hear. Watching, waiting. I'm playing a role, looking for the moment when they buy it, when I have control, only after can I strike home.
Some times its a long game. I'll put on a show fighting underlings or allies, but not for them, for the others. I set them up, slowly, purposefully, and then knock em down. Make the onlookers think I'm one way, then fight another.
Times, there are, when I have to show all my cards early. Most won't fall for the same action twice. Too many times I have to guess and just act, so far I've guessed well. Maybe if the conditions are right, I'll get another chance.
I'll stand this way, or that, taking an otherwise defensive stance. Or I'll roll right on in and clash steel on steel, sparks flying.
Once in a great while I'll be the very essence of wheels within wheels. Fighting as if to get advantage, as if I'm playing the game, while the whole time I'll have it and they won't know, won't understand, till I've won.
Do you think these are just tricks you can pull off any time? All the time? Many of them, if not done just right, would be more deadly to you and your allies than to any of the enemy.
These are not card tricks my children. These are the arts of war!
tomBitonti
Hero
Sooo....
Using Barbarian Rage as an example, that pretty much counts as a per encounter ability. There is a benefit, and later on, a drawback that effectively prevents you from using it again in the time-span of a single encounter. The mechanic has balance, and is easy to explain.
By asking for a justification for a game mechanic, that is already a sign of a weak position. Rage causing you to be tired is very natural. Having to work to justify dailies tells me that, at a gut level, they don't make sense.
A test of the mechanic is whether you could modify it to work without imposing the per encounter or per day restriction. For example:
Shout of Fear: You bellow out and fiercely menace an opponent. They must save (Will - 2) or flee on their next action. Other opponents may be disheartened, and must save (Will) or flee on their next action, if you primary target flees. Opponents who flee are at -2 on their attacks until they attack you successfully.
Your appearance of invincible is short lived: Once an opponent whom has seen you use this ability sees you taking damage, you cannot use it on them again for an extended period of time. (Until you or they take an extended rest.)
Using Barbarian Rage as an example, that pretty much counts as a per encounter ability. There is a benefit, and later on, a drawback that effectively prevents you from using it again in the time-span of a single encounter. The mechanic has balance, and is easy to explain.
By asking for a justification for a game mechanic, that is already a sign of a weak position. Rage causing you to be tired is very natural. Having to work to justify dailies tells me that, at a gut level, they don't make sense.
A test of the mechanic is whether you could modify it to work without imposing the per encounter or per day restriction. For example:
Shout of Fear: You bellow out and fiercely menace an opponent. They must save (Will - 2) or flee on their next action. Other opponents may be disheartened, and must save (Will) or flee on their next action, if you primary target flees. Opponents who flee are at -2 on their attacks until they attack you successfully.
Your appearance of invincible is short lived: Once an opponent whom has seen you use this ability sees you taking damage, you cannot use it on them again for an extended period of time. (Until you or they take an extended rest.)
blargney the second
blargney the minute's son
Ever been in the zone?
-blarg
-blarg
