Reply to thread

Message

<blockquote data-quote="Ahnehnois" data-source="post: 6276832" data-attributes="member: 17106">True, but usage limitations have never been an effective balancing tool, because their impact is too variable and too easily avoided.Balance occurs through things like option paralysis (the spellcaster often has the most effective option but may not know what it is or be able to decide on it fast enough to use it effectively), the action economy (multiple attacks vs one spell), chance of actions success (overcoming AC and the occasional DR is generally easier than overcoming saves, resistances, immunities, various forms of disruption and countering, and the occasional SR), and defense (d4 HD and lack of armor). Occasionally powerful spells are balanced through things like casting time, expensive components, or XP (or, if you go back, nastier things like forced aging).Given that most characters will have less than a minute of high-leverage actions during any given day of adventuring (rounds of combat or rounds where other threats that require immediate action are in play), limiting usage is really not effective. It does prevent a wizard with Disintegrate from drilling a hole through the world, for example, but that's not really what we're talking about.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="Ahnehnois, post: 6276832, member: 17106"] True, but usage limitations have never been an effective balancing tool, because their impact is too variable and too easily avoided. Balance occurs through things like option paralysis (the spellcaster often has the most effective option but may not know what it is or be able to decide on it fast enough to use it effectively), the action economy (multiple attacks vs one spell), chance of actions success (overcoming AC and the occasional DR is generally easier than overcoming saves, resistances, immunities, various forms of disruption and countering, and the occasional SR), and defense (d4 HD and lack of armor). Occasionally powerful spells are balanced through things like casting time, expensive components, or XP (or, if you go back, nastier things like forced aging). Given that most characters will have less than a minute of high-leverage actions during any given day of adventuring (rounds of combat or rounds where other threats that require immediate action are in play), limiting usage is really not effective. It does prevent a wizard with Disintegrate from drilling a hole through the world, for example, but that's not really what we're talking about. [/QUOTE]

Verification