5th edition design notes... is a collection of threads on how I would make the rules system more concise and easier to use in 5th edition (expected around 2015)
Action economy
Per round powers / features
Problem: Some powers or class features work best if you can use them exactly once per round. However, there is no straightforward way to express in the current rules framework.
Example: Sneak Attack and other striker bonus damage features, many "temporary attacks" granted by daily power stances
Solution: Introduce "per round" as a 4th type of usage between "at-will" and "per encounter"
Definition:
Usage: Per Round
If you expend a "per round" power, you regain it at the start of your next turn.
Note that it is not useful to make all at-will powers "per round". Sometimes, you want to use an at-will attack several times per round. Even with a standard action power, this can be done with action points, or attacks granted by a leader.
Triggered Interrupt / Triggered Reaction
Problem: The game currently uses 4 different action types to describe actions that are triggered by a certain event (Immediate Interrupt, Immediate Reaction, Opportunity Action and Free Action with a trigger). This is confusing.
Example: The difference between a Fighter's Combat Superiority vs. Combat Challenge
The main reason the game uses free actions with a trigger and other workarounds instead of immediate actions is the limit of one immediate action per round, imposed on all immediate action powers as a whole (This is by the way a legacy of the 3rd edition swift action). This is a major issue especially for defenders, who need to reserve their immediate action for their class role to function. Many powers and features that should have the "immediate action" type are therefore free actions instead. Opportunity actions complicate this even more.
The solution: Remove immediate interrupt, immediate reaction, opportunity action and (triggered) free action.
Create two new types: Triggered Interrupt and Triggered Reaction.
Replace one immediate action per round with one action per triggering event.
This solves a second problem, that one event can trigger several free actions (like Feychargers who could do several attacks on one charge).
Note that with this change, many immediate action power will change from "at-will" to "per round". That way, there is still a limit on them, but they stop interfering with each other.
See below how the opportunity attack fits into this scheme.
---------------------------
Triggered Action (NEW!)
Trigger: Each power (or feature) that is a triggered action defines a specific trigger. You can use the power when the trigger occurs in the game, regardless of whether it is your turn or not. A trigger can be your own action, an ally's action, an enemy's action, or an event in the environment.
A triggered power can have more than one trigger. In this case, you can use the power on each trigger.
One triggered action per trigger: You can only take one triggered action on each trigger, even if you have different powers with the same trigger available.
No trigger chains: A triggered action cannot be a trigger for another triggered action.
There are two types of triggered actions - triggered interrupt and triggered reaction.
Interrupt: A triggered interrupt occurs before the action that triggered it is resolved. If an interrupt invalidates the triggering action, that action is lost.
For example, an enemy makes a melee attack against you, but you use a power that lets you shift away as a triggered interrupt. If your enemy can no longer reach you, the enemy’s attack action is lost.
Reaction: A triggered reaction occurs after the action that triggered it is resolved.
After you use a triggered action it is expended. When you regain the power depends on its usage type (at-will, per round, per encounter or daily)
--------------------------
Note: Triggered reactions and moves need special attention. A trigger should never be "an enemy moves", but "an enemy enters an adjacent square" or "an enemy leaves an adjacent square".
Example: Sneak Attack
SNEAK ATTACK (4th edition)
Once per round, when you have combat advantage against an enemy and hit that enemy with an attack that uses a crossbow, a light blade, or a sling, the attack deals extra damage. If you have dealt Sneak Attack damage since the start of your turn, you cannot deal it again until the start of your next turn. You decide whether to apply the extra damage after making the damage roll. As you advance in level, your extra damage increases.
Level Sneak Attack Damage
1st–10th +2d6
11th–20th +3d6
21st–30th +5d6
SNEAK ATTACK (5th edition)
Rogue Class Feature
Per Round
Triggered Reaction
Trigger: You hit an enemy with an attack while you have combat advantage against that enemy.
Required: You must be wielding a crossbow, a light blade, or a sling
Effect: The attack deals 2d6 extra damage. Increase the damage to 3d6 at 11th level and 5d6 at 21st level.
Example: Aegis of Shielding
Aegis Mark (5th edition)
You create an arcane link between you and an enemy.
At-Will - Arcane
Minor Action - Close burst 2
Target: One creature in burst; two creatures at 11th level; three creatures at 21st level
Effect: You mark the target.
(* 5th edition should include a general rule that you can mark one enemy per tier, i.e. one at heroic, two at paragon and three at epic. This will remove a lot of necessary rules text (= confusion) about how new marks invalidate old etc.
Mass marking powers could still override that rule if desired.)
Aegis of Shielding (5th edition)
You blunt an enemy's attack against your ally.
Per Round - Arcane
Triggered Interrupt - Close burst 10
Trigger: An enemy you marked hits an enemy with an attack that doesn’t include you as a target
Target: The triggering enemy
Effect: You reduce the damage dealt by the attack by an amount equal to 5 + your Constitution modifier.
At 11th level, reduce the damage dealt by 10 + your Constitution modifier. At 21st level, reduce the damage dealt by 15 + your Constitution modifier.
Example: Opportunity Attack
Opportunity Attack
General Power (*= a power available to everyone)
Triggered Interrupt
At-will (Special)
Trigger (1): An adjacent enemy leaves its square with a move
Trigger (2): An adjacent enemy makes a ranged or area attack
Effect: Make a melee basic attack against the triggering enemy.
Special: This power can be used once per each enemy's turn.
Action economy
Per round powers / features
Problem: Some powers or class features work best if you can use them exactly once per round. However, there is no straightforward way to express in the current rules framework.
Example: Sneak Attack and other striker bonus damage features, many "temporary attacks" granted by daily power stances
Solution: Introduce "per round" as a 4th type of usage between "at-will" and "per encounter"
Definition:
Usage: Per Round
If you expend a "per round" power, you regain it at the start of your next turn.
Note that it is not useful to make all at-will powers "per round". Sometimes, you want to use an at-will attack several times per round. Even with a standard action power, this can be done with action points, or attacks granted by a leader.
Triggered Interrupt / Triggered Reaction
Problem: The game currently uses 4 different action types to describe actions that are triggered by a certain event (Immediate Interrupt, Immediate Reaction, Opportunity Action and Free Action with a trigger). This is confusing.
Example: The difference between a Fighter's Combat Superiority vs. Combat Challenge
The main reason the game uses free actions with a trigger and other workarounds instead of immediate actions is the limit of one immediate action per round, imposed on all immediate action powers as a whole (This is by the way a legacy of the 3rd edition swift action). This is a major issue especially for defenders, who need to reserve their immediate action for their class role to function. Many powers and features that should have the "immediate action" type are therefore free actions instead. Opportunity actions complicate this even more.
The solution: Remove immediate interrupt, immediate reaction, opportunity action and (triggered) free action.
Create two new types: Triggered Interrupt and Triggered Reaction.
Replace one immediate action per round with one action per triggering event.
This solves a second problem, that one event can trigger several free actions (like Feychargers who could do several attacks on one charge).
Note that with this change, many immediate action power will change from "at-will" to "per round". That way, there is still a limit on them, but they stop interfering with each other.
See below how the opportunity attack fits into this scheme.
---------------------------
Triggered Action (NEW!)
Trigger: Each power (or feature) that is a triggered action defines a specific trigger. You can use the power when the trigger occurs in the game, regardless of whether it is your turn or not. A trigger can be your own action, an ally's action, an enemy's action, or an event in the environment.
A triggered power can have more than one trigger. In this case, you can use the power on each trigger.
One triggered action per trigger: You can only take one triggered action on each trigger, even if you have different powers with the same trigger available.
No trigger chains: A triggered action cannot be a trigger for another triggered action.
There are two types of triggered actions - triggered interrupt and triggered reaction.
Interrupt: A triggered interrupt occurs before the action that triggered it is resolved. If an interrupt invalidates the triggering action, that action is lost.
For example, an enemy makes a melee attack against you, but you use a power that lets you shift away as a triggered interrupt. If your enemy can no longer reach you, the enemy’s attack action is lost.
Reaction: A triggered reaction occurs after the action that triggered it is resolved.
After you use a triggered action it is expended. When you regain the power depends on its usage type (at-will, per round, per encounter or daily)
--------------------------
Note: Triggered reactions and moves need special attention. A trigger should never be "an enemy moves", but "an enemy enters an adjacent square" or "an enemy leaves an adjacent square".
Example: Sneak Attack
SNEAK ATTACK (4th edition)
Once per round, when you have combat advantage against an enemy and hit that enemy with an attack that uses a crossbow, a light blade, or a sling, the attack deals extra damage. If you have dealt Sneak Attack damage since the start of your turn, you cannot deal it again until the start of your next turn. You decide whether to apply the extra damage after making the damage roll. As you advance in level, your extra damage increases.
Level Sneak Attack Damage
1st–10th +2d6
11th–20th +3d6
21st–30th +5d6
SNEAK ATTACK (5th edition)
Rogue Class Feature
Per Round
Triggered Reaction
Trigger: You hit an enemy with an attack while you have combat advantage against that enemy.
Required: You must be wielding a crossbow, a light blade, or a sling
Effect: The attack deals 2d6 extra damage. Increase the damage to 3d6 at 11th level and 5d6 at 21st level.
Example: Aegis of Shielding
Aegis Mark (5th edition)
You create an arcane link between you and an enemy.
At-Will - Arcane
Minor Action - Close burst 2
Target: One creature in burst; two creatures at 11th level; three creatures at 21st level
Effect: You mark the target.
(* 5th edition should include a general rule that you can mark one enemy per tier, i.e. one at heroic, two at paragon and three at epic. This will remove a lot of necessary rules text (= confusion) about how new marks invalidate old etc.
Mass marking powers could still override that rule if desired.)
Aegis of Shielding (5th edition)
You blunt an enemy's attack against your ally.
Per Round - Arcane
Triggered Interrupt - Close burst 10
Trigger: An enemy you marked hits an enemy with an attack that doesn’t include you as a target
Target: The triggering enemy
Effect: You reduce the damage dealt by the attack by an amount equal to 5 + your Constitution modifier.
At 11th level, reduce the damage dealt by 10 + your Constitution modifier. At 21st level, reduce the damage dealt by 15 + your Constitution modifier.
Example: Opportunity Attack
Opportunity Attack
General Power (*= a power available to everyone)
Triggered Interrupt
At-will (Special)
Trigger (1): An adjacent enemy leaves its square with a move
Trigger (2): An adjacent enemy makes a ranged or area attack
Effect: Make a melee basic attack against the triggering enemy.
Special: This power can be used once per each enemy's turn.
Last edited:
But right now, I've seen some high-level rangers who load up on immediate action encounter powers, and daily power stances that give them immediate action attack throughout the combat. The big limitation is that they can only take one immediate a round. As it is, they still tend to 'nova' and burn through most powers in a few rounds, dealing a lot of damage right at the start of combat. If you remove the limit on these powers, they would burn everything in the first round - and that doesn't make for a balanced system. 
