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<blockquote data-quote="Filcher" data-source="post: 4415625" data-attributes="member: 38251">Jasperak,For me, for our game, it's not a question of PC ability (how often can I trip a foe). It's a question of player input --- &quot;how often does a player have the ability to tell me, the GM, what is happening on the battlefield.&quot;Ala, the Conan Decapitation Move: the player says, &quot;ha! You didn't know it, but your BBEG finally left himself open to my fighter. A critical mistake that my PC will attempt to take advantage of with Power XXXX.&quot;It's not simulationist in the slightest (a much as a game about dragons can be a simulation). But it is cinematic for the players. They get to direct a bit of the action, on a very limited basis. I'm not sure, but I want to say that Feng Shui might have had a similar mechanic. At least, that's the game the springs to mind when I look at the direction that 4E takes.&nbsp;&nbsp; Anyhow, the rational doesn't stand up when you get to &quot;magic&quot; powers. &quot;Ha ... your BBEG left himself open to my ... magic missile. ???&quot; But for us, it does solve the problem of limited martial powers. Furthermore, we amp up the &quot;story telling&quot; aspect. Not only does the BBEG &quot;leave himself open&quot;, but he usually does so in a dramatic way. Slips on the blood of his foes, drops to one knee and then the fighter hacks the crap out of him. That's all player input --- they're expected to describe how and why they get this one shot per encounter/day/whatever.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="Filcher, post: 4415625, member: 38251"] Jasperak, For me, for our game, it's not a question of PC ability (how often can I trip a foe). It's a question of player input --- "how often does a player have the ability to tell me, the GM, what is happening on the battlefield." Ala, the Conan Decapitation Move: the player says, "ha! You didn't know it, but your BBEG finally left himself open to my fighter. A critical mistake that my PC will attempt to take advantage of with Power XXXX." It's not simulationist in the slightest (a much as a game about dragons can be a simulation). But it is cinematic for the players. They get to direct a bit of the action, on a very limited basis. I'm not sure, but I want to say that Feng Shui might have had a similar mechanic. At least, that's the game the springs to mind when I look at the direction that 4E takes. Anyhow, the rational doesn't stand up when you get to "magic" powers. "Ha ... your BBEG left himself open to my ... magic missile. ???" But for us, it does solve the problem of limited martial powers. Furthermore, we amp up the "story telling" aspect. Not only does the BBEG "leave himself open", but he usually does so in a dramatic way. Slips on the blood of his foes, drops to one knee and then the fighter hacks the crap out of him. That's all player input --- they're expected to describe how and why they get this one shot per encounter/day/whatever. [/QUOTE]

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