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<blockquote data-quote="Ahnehnois" data-source="post: 6322800" data-attributes="member: 17106"><p>The standard modifier is completely broken. A feeble character of sufficient level can break down a door. The same problem that existed specifically with BAB/THAC0 and saves in earlier editions now applies to everything. Remember that article about how 3e actually simulates basic things like applications of strength and everyday skills up through level 6 or so? 4e totally fails that test. You've got at-will magic for everyone, you've got self-healing for nonmagical characters, you've got minions whose basic numbers don't withstand any scrutiny at all, beginning characters with triple hit points. Any one of those could be considered world-breaking.</p><p></p><p>Again, how they compare to <em>each other</em> is a downstream consideration. If you can't make one balanced character on an island, you can't balance two characters against each other. In 3e (and earlier editions) there are some (if not many) balanced characters and creatures, and some unbalanced ones, things that maybe should be corrected in some way depending on context. In 4e, there are no balanced characters/creatures to begin with; zero.</p><p></p><p>The more dynamic and less inflationary mechanical structures of 3e (and to be fair, the earlier editions and the relatively flat math we've seen from 5e) are much more inherently balanced.</p><p></p><p>What you refer to as rocket tag isn't a "mechanical failure" or lack of balance though. It's a statement about the pacing and swinginess of combat. Rocket tag can be perfectly balanced, and can be a perfectly well-executed norm for combat.</p><p></p><p>The merits of that particular mode are debatable, of course. I'm not a huge fan myself; that's why I like those battles of attrition that wound systems can produce.</p><p></p><p>I think far more people are concerned with internal consistency and logic than with mapping the game to specific real-world phenomena.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Ahnehnois, post: 6322800, member: 17106"] The standard modifier is completely broken. A feeble character of sufficient level can break down a door. The same problem that existed specifically with BAB/THAC0 and saves in earlier editions now applies to everything. Remember that article about how 3e actually simulates basic things like applications of strength and everyday skills up through level 6 or so? 4e totally fails that test. You've got at-will magic for everyone, you've got self-healing for nonmagical characters, you've got minions whose basic numbers don't withstand any scrutiny at all, beginning characters with triple hit points. Any one of those could be considered world-breaking. Again, how they compare to [I]each other[/I] is a downstream consideration. If you can't make one balanced character on an island, you can't balance two characters against each other. In 3e (and earlier editions) there are some (if not many) balanced characters and creatures, and some unbalanced ones, things that maybe should be corrected in some way depending on context. In 4e, there are no balanced characters/creatures to begin with; zero. The more dynamic and less inflationary mechanical structures of 3e (and to be fair, the earlier editions and the relatively flat math we've seen from 5e) are much more inherently balanced. What you refer to as rocket tag isn't a "mechanical failure" or lack of balance though. It's a statement about the pacing and swinginess of combat. Rocket tag can be perfectly balanced, and can be a perfectly well-executed norm for combat. The merits of that particular mode are debatable, of course. I'm not a huge fan myself; that's why I like those battles of attrition that wound systems can produce. I think far more people are concerned with internal consistency and logic than with mapping the game to specific real-world phenomena. [/QUOTE]
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