Consequences of encounters replacing dailies?

[Fanaelialae]

One of my players isn't a big fan of dailies, so I'm curious what the consequences of allowing the players to replace their daily powers with encounter powers (of lower or equal level) might be. It isn't that he hates or doesn't use his dailies, but he definitely seems like he'd be happier if he had the option to replace them with encounters.

To illustrate, at 1st level, players would have the option to select a second level 1 encounter power instead of a daily. At 5th level, instead of selecting a level 5 daily power they could choose an additional level 3 (or 1) encounter power. So on and so forth...

My best guess is that it would enable the creation of characters with better mid-range performance, at the cost of emergency "burst." In other words, characters with good general encounter performance but less ability to adapt when the really hits the fan.

It's a rather significant alteration and I don't want to overlook anything that might lead to abuse, so I'd appreciate any insight or (better yet) actual experience with such a house rule.

Thanks!

 

[Keenberg]

Other than losing damage output, replacing dailies with encounter powers will have one serious drawback at first glance: Daily powers usually have some sort of effect which triggers whether or not the character successfully hits (half damage on a miss, effect, etc.) They're guaranteed to do something, if not everything. Why anyone would want to give up their fail-safe is beyond me... but to each their own?

I could see having to scale back fights if no one had dailies. Not only will it reduce damage output, but control effects as well. If it's just one player, you might let him take this as a homebrewed feat. It reminds me of Improved Tome of Readiness (Arcane Power, pg 131) Maybe you could re-skin Tome of Readiness to fit this player's wishes?

Edit: To elaborate, this means he could "prepare" an encounter power to be used in place of a daily power of equal level or lower. If he uses that encounter power, he can't use the daily, and he can't use the encounter power for the rest of the daily (i.e. the daily "slot" is expended.) If he uses the daily, he can't use the encounter power he prepared until another extended rest for the same reason, the "slot" has been expended.

This is my take on it. If you want to use it, or homebrew something like this, feel free. I think the cost of taking this as a feat would be sufficient. It allows for a lot of versatillity, which should not come without a cost, afterall.

 

[Stalker0]

I think it depends on the class.

Replacing fighter dailies with encounter powers would be very powerful, fighter encounter powers are great.

Replacing wizard dailies would be garbage, as wizards have some of the best dailies in the game.

 

[Storminator]

I would think it makes each fight more homogeneous. I use most of my encounter powers every fight. That's what they're for.

But when Bacon of Hope comes out, the fight is dramatically different. No other fight of the day is like that one. I can see that not all dailies are like that, but some are very noteworthy.

PS

 

[Amaroq]

Yeah, I think I'm with Storminator on this one.

When I first get a new Encounter power, its pretty cool ... but by the time you're 12th level, trotting out that Level 3 encounter power for the 84th time, it doesn't feel as "shiny" ...

... but my Level 5 daily power still makes me smile when I use, and still feels awesome in a way that's different from an encounter power.

If he's new to 4e and just grumbling about not always having access to his coolness the way a 3.5 character did, I'd say let him play with the original rules and he'll come to like them; I know that's the path I had to take.

If he's a long-time 4e player and still doesn't like dailies, then yeah you might experiment with this; let us know how it goes!

I suspect you'll find that you have to ramp up the run-of-the-mill encounter (its now 4 rounds instead of 3 before he's down to at-wills), and ramp down the big boss encounter (as he can't go nova as easily), but that's just from thinking about it in the abstract.

 

[Mentat55]

Storminator and Amaroq have the right of it, I think. Dailies are game-changing, but because they can only be used once per day, you can only change one encounter. Encounter powers are designed with the intent of using them every encounter.

If you were to do this, I think the power level of encounter attack powers would have to increase more steeply than they currently do, to compensate for the lack of Daily firepower.

 

[keterys]

Honestly, I think I'm just fine with allowing it to be done to 1 power. Ditto with turning an encounter power into an at-will. As long as just 1 power is changed.

Some classes just have crap for their dailies. Or encounters, for that matter, but eh.

 

[Harleau]

Try to do it on a case by case basis. But if all else fails, just let them have altered daily powers as encounter powers. Just take a little power out of them. For instance, I have a power on my rogue that lets me do 2d10 plus ongoing equal to my sneak attack damage. You could, instead, make that ongoing damage half the sneak attack damage or equal to some other value.

 

[eriktheguy]

I say go for it, and make it optional. Your wizard will probably prefer dailies, your other classes might prefer encounters. See how it goes for awhile.

Combat should still be fun, and it will encourage longer adventuring days.

 

[Fanaelialae]

Thanks for the advice!

The player in question has been playing since shortly after 4e was released, so he's had a fair bit of experience with the system. I believe his dislike of dailies has something to do with him not seeing them as a defining feature of his characters, because they're used so infrequently (we tend towards longer encounter days). I don't really grok it (I love having a guaranteed ace up my sleeve) but that's his take.

I think I'll do as suggested and give them the option to exchange a single daily for an encounter to start with. From there we'll see how it goes...