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cracking the power code

Quickleaf... I think your' Test of Honor' power pretty well shows your assumptions are off. IMO, ToH as you've created it is way overpowered compared to other Level 1 powers we've seen.
 

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The designers of 4E flat-out stated that they worked out all the mathematics first, then wrote the game to fit. Furthermore, this is the first edition of the D&D game to have done it in that order.

Now, that doesn't prove they used a point-based system for powers, but I would assume that they are built on solid mathematical ground regardless, and a "close enough" point system could be devised, and refined with playtesting.
 


Well probably one problem with test of honor is that it has a recharge mechanic, which is something only monsters appear to get. As a result I doubt it's worth negative points.

Regarding point based systems, I do suspect wizards is using some kind of point system for powers, and I had begun to suspect something along the lines of what the OP with certain status effects "costing" more. Given their background with MTG they do tend to take balance pretty seriously (though you might not know it from all the 3e supplements).
 

Jack Colby said:
The designers of 4E flat-out stated that they worked out all the mathematics first, then wrote the game to fit. Furthermore, this is the first edition of the D&D game to have done it in that order.

Now, that doesn't prove they used a point-based system for powers, but I would assume that they are built on solid mathematical ground regardless, and a "close enough" point system could be devised, and refined with playtesting.
That's one of the statement I am not so sure of. Was 4E really the first edition? I got the impression that a lot of math was already done in 3E. How wealth per level stacks up against the treasure tables, for example, is pretty astounding. Off course, it's possible that they created the treasure tables first and then calculated wealth by level, so it wasn't exactly a rigid mechanism...
 


wouldn't having recharge make the power more avalible, shouldn't that cost something instead of giving you extra points.

plus how easy it recharges should effect the cost as well.

sure if you making an at will power you slow its usablity down so i can see it giving you points, but encounter or daily powers would get a huge bump in power if they can recharge and should take a point hit accordingly so each type of power should have tables for recharge.
based on the points you try to move around you might be better off with starting with at will, encounter, or daily. which is probably why we haven't seen any recharge player powers because the power curve for recharge just pust things into different places.
 

Mustrum_Ridcully said:
I got the impression that a lot of math was already done in 3E.

A bunch of it was based on sacred cows, like Fireball dealing 1d6/level. They didn't retain that because it was mathematically sound, but because it was "how it was always done." The same philosophy was applied to Magic Missile as well. I think it's fair to say that 4e has focused much more on the internal math over mathematical sacred cows than 3e did.
 

Mourn said:
A bunch of it was based on sacred cows, like Fireball dealing 1d6/level. They didn't retain that because it was mathematically sound, but because it was "how it was always done." The same philosophy was applied to Magic Missile as well. I think it's fair to say that 4e has focused much more on the internal math over mathematical sacred cows than 3e did.
Or put it other words: 3E also had a lot of maths - but they tried to fudge the maths to match sacred cows.

In 4E, they turn the sacred cow to (messy) fudge to match the maths.

Cheers, LT.
 

Lord Tirian said:
Or put it other words: 3E also had a lot of maths - but they tried to fudge the maths to match sacred cows.

In 4E, they turn the sacred cow to (messy) fudge to match the maths.

I love hearing you Brit-types say "maths." It just warms the cockles of my heart.

Now I need to go watch that episode of Look Around You.
 

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