D&D 4E 4E is too balanced - options to replace all martial dailies?

[fumetti]

Just some additional support for looking into essentials.

But I do have a fundamental problem with your OP.... Why is game balance not an acceptable answer?

Historically, primary cpellcasters have been obscenely weak at low levels and conversely OVERPOWERED at higher levels(low/mid levels depending on build).by standardizing the power scheme of all characters, it creates a needed balance, where fighters and barbarians are kings at levels 1-6, and after 6 Druids rapidly scale in offensive power(having class abilities stronger than a few classes), and after 9 primary spellcasters are basically gods.

Agreed that previous editions had their own imbalances. I never played magic-users for more than a level because of boredom. I never understood why I couldn't cast simple spells over and over "at will," or at least until I got tired (exhaustion being a reasonable limitation that had no direct game mechanic; saying a 1st level MU got "tired" after just one spell a day was ridiculous).

At no point does the "game balance" argument justify ANY game limitation that sacrifices the illusion of representing reality. (A game mechanic doesn't have to be uber realistic, it just has to have a reasonably convincing real world connection.)

Oh, and I believe the official explanation for why the martial characters have daily powers is that they are taking advantage of small exploits in a combat situation that rarely occur and they happen to have the right momentum and vigor to pull off a big attack.

Agreed that great feats cannot be pulled off "at will," otherwise they wouldn't be a great feat--they would be ordinary.

The real world has many examples, especially in sports. Quarterbacks don't throw the long bomb on every play because the more you do it the less likely it is to be successful. They're only successful rarely, and that usually requires the defense to be unawares.

 

[fumetti]

I didn't say random circumstance makes no sense. I said daily makes no sense for non-magical abilities.

I would then ask why just non-magical? If a wizard has the components, then why couldn't he cast that spell as often as he wanted?

What other ways could a wizard be limited other than components and physical energy? What makes a fighter or thief so privileged? Seems like the only game mechanic to limit activity would be constitution, and thus far constitution doesn't limit what a fighter can do in a day--so why limit the wizard?