Balance vs. Diversity

[tf360]

An important consideration in the balance vs. diversity argument that hasn't been touched upon is the designer's decision to front-load character abilities and grant additional racial abilities as the character progressed in level. This allowed the designers to eliminate ECL (Effective Class Level), which was a troublesome mechanic that hindered racial diversity. In my mind, playing a +3 ECL character in a low to mid level game was a difficult challenge. Sure, you had some nice abilities, but your low hit points and other level dependent benefits were crippling. One nasty crit was more than enough to do you in.

In 4E, it seems that it would be a lot easier to create diverse races and still maintain game balance because you don't have to incorporate an artificial mechanism to level the playing field, i.e. ECL.

For instance, one of the problems with creating physically larger PC races was the high physical ability score bonuses that these races would receive. If the race received a +4 to Strength and Con, you'd either have to offset these positive modifiers with substantial negative modifiers to other abilities, most likely Int and Cha, or assign a very high ECL to the race. Getting a +4 bonus to each score isn't that big of a deal when compared to the typical humanoid race gaining a +2 bonus to two different scores in addition to a slew of other unique racial abilities.

4E's decision to front load characters and incorporate ongoing racial progression is a boon to diversity because the designer has more freedom to create new and interesting races without ECL considerations.

 

[Primal]

Keep in mind that races are more than a few numbers now, their racial abilities greatly effect the kind of character you want to play.

Let's compare a dwarf fighter to an elf fighter.

The dwarf fighter can take a beating. He's got con, always a good stat. And he can second wind as a minor action 1/encounter, the fighter can heal and not stop.

But the elf looks pretty good too. More perception, handy against an ambush. And he's attack re roll ability can be very powerful. Your using your big daily power...and MISS!! As an elf fighter, you can re roll that and get another chance for the big pain.

Or even throw in an eladrin fighter. You can teleport right into combat and start controlling the field, even with obstacles (or even other fighters) in your way. You don't sleep, so your ready to go in a night fight.

Each fighter is unique in its own way, and each utilizes a different strength of the fighter class, even though each doesn't give a bonus to the "fighter" stats.

The racial abilities may indeed add more diversity for styles, but that depends really on how they're balanced with the emphasis on ability scores and "attack powers". If you can use the 'Fey Step' (and similar racial powers) only once per day, I'd say that from a purely mechanical point of view most (power)gamers will prefer that +1 to hit with your powers.

Also, now that the ability scores for the Defenses have been "coupled" so that the better modifier of each applies, it's rather pointless to invest in both, right? For example, it makes far more sense to max out your STR and leave your con at 10 or 12 since it does not affect your FORT at all and in addition to this it has only a marginal impact on your HPs.

And although we will only have 8 core races at first, the developers have admitted that each PHB (and 'power' splat book, most likely) will add more races to the game.

 

[thecasualoblivion]

The problem with the diversity argument is that for the most part players don't want to suck. People don't inherently like playing weaker characters. On the other hand, there are players who want their characters to be more powerful than the ones the other players have. Those are the players who like "diversity".

 

[Stalker0]

The racial abilities may indeed add more diversity for styles, but that depends really on how they're balanced with the emphasis on ability scores and "attack powers". If you can use the 'Fey Step' (and similar racial powers) only once per day, I'd say that from a purely mechanical point of view most (power)gamers will prefer that +1 to hit with your powers.

Completely agree, only actually playing the game will tell if I would prefer the dwarf's stability and con over the elf's dex and reroll...or whether both are good enough for a fighter.

But at least the possibility is there.

 

[thecasualoblivion]

I don't think there is that big of a deal of difference between a +2 bonus and no bonus for races playing classes. Human was universally considered the best race for almost all situations in 3E, and Humans didn't have any +2s.

What is a bigger deal and came up in 3E was that there was a big difference between no bonus and a -2 penalty, and particularly a huge difference between a +2 bonus and a -2 penalty.

Look at it this way:

For a 16 in a stat using point buy, you need:

+2 bonus-- 6pts
No bonus-- 10pts
-2 penalty- 16pts


The -2 penalty is a bigger deal compared to no bonus than the +2 is. The difference between +2 and -2 is ginormous.

 

[Cactot]

I don't think there is that big of a deal of difference between a +2 bonus and no bonus for races playing classes. Human was universally considered the best race for almost all situations in 3E, and Humans didn't have any +2s.

What is a bigger deal and came up in 3E was that there was a big difference between no bonus and a -2 penalty, and particularly a huge difference between a +2 bonus and a -2 penalty.

Look at it this way:

For a 16 in a stat using point buy, you need:

+2 bonus-- 6pts
No bonus-- 10pts
-2 penalty- 16pts


The -2 penalty is a bigger deal compared to no bonus than the +2 is. The difference between +2 and -2 is ginormous.

The situation changes if you want to have one high score and one low score though
if you wanted, for example, a 18 and a 10

+2/-2
18 (10 points)
10 (4 points)
14 total points

No mod
18 (16 points)
10 (2 points)
18 total points, making it 28% more expensive