Arcane Surge - Racial power

[TimeOut]

I am currently in the process of converting my homebrew campaign world from its own system to 4th Ed, mainly because 4th Ed does nearly everything I tried to emulate.

This is the proposed racial power of the "Elves" in my setting. Fluff aside, is this a reasonable power and is the sustain action correctly worded? Please ignore the Taint keyword for now.

Arcane Surge

Encounter * Arcane, Taint
Minor Action --- Personal

Effect: You spend a healing surge, but regain no hit points. Instead gain half your Intelligence modifier as a power bonus to all attack and damage rolls until the end of your next turn.

Sustain Minor: Each time you sustain the power, you must spend a healing surge, but regain no hit points. You can't sustain this power if you are out of healing surges.

 

[deadsmurf]

Obviously taint is a new mechanic for you CS that's cool.
It looks fine if underpowered. Full Int mod will work fine and not break anything. +5 at early levels, to like +10 total at 30 is really quite fair for using up a less renewable resource.

 

[TimeOut]

Yes, Taint is a new concept in regards to arcane spells. The simplified description would be: Like Dark Sun defiler/preserver magic.

Thank you for the feedback. I had it initially at full Int mod, but it looked rather overpowered, since it is +Hit and +Dmg. I think I might have to run a few more tests to be sure.

 

[Zsig]

I like it too.

I'd only change it to full Int, and make it either standard or move instead of minor (still minor to sustain)

 

[TimeOut]

I like it too.

I'd only change it to full Int, and make it either standard or move instead of minor (still minor to sustain)

Thank you.

I have changed the power back to full Int modifier. I will keep it as a minor action for now, but as always that can change later. It is also more in line with how I picture the activation fluff wise.

 

[Khaalis]

Overall, for a "Personal" range power that is basically a "buff", I think Minor Action is appropriate. As to the bonus granted, I'm not sure.

Looking at all of the other racial powers, none of them really scale based on a Stat modifier, instead gaining a flat bonus. Those that DO scale, instead scale based on level. Also, most races do not gain bonuses to both Attack and Damage rolls, so this is rather powerful. However, you are spending a Healing Surge to get the bonus.


With that said I think it might be better balanced as follows.


ARCANE SURGE --- Elf Racial Power
Encounter * Arcane, Taint
Minor Action --- Personal
Effect: You spend a healing surge, but regain no hit points. Instead gain a +2 power bonus to all attack and damage rolls until the end of your next turn (+4 power bonus at 11th level, +6 power bonus at 21st level).
Sustain Minor: Each time you sustain the power, you must spend a healing surge, but regain no hit points. You can't sustain this power if you are out of healing surges.




JMHO. YMMV.

 

[TimeOut]

Thanks for the feedback. This would make the power better for classes that are not based on intelligence, but a little bit worse otherwise.

It seems a reasonable choice. I will test it a little bit after work, but I think it might be even better with a fixed modifier instead of +Int modifier.

 

[Khaalis]

Thanks for the feedback. This would make the power better for classes that are not based on intelligence, but a little bit worse otherwise.

It seems a reasonable choice. I will test it a little bit after work, but I think it might be even better with a fixed modifier instead of +Int modifier.

Overall I'd have to say I think its more "fair" as a flat bonus, in that it Doesn't automatically favor INT based classes. It allows all Elves to flourish in their chosen class equally, rather than INT classes dominating over every other build option. For a race, I think this is a good balance point. Its ok for a race to favor certain classes, but when it becomes an obvious "all elves need high INT" it becomes slightly imbalanced. Let me know how the testing goes. I'm interested to see how it turns out in the end.