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<blockquote data-quote="FireLance" data-source="post: 5759739" data-attributes="member: 3424"><p>Sure!</p><p></p><p>I think "power" is another one of those 4e terms that have acquired negative connotations (in some circles) beyond what they actually mean. To me, anything that the character (or player) needs to actively decide to use is a power. Even conditional and situational abilities can be described by "Trigger:" or "Requirement:" lines. So, it seems to me that it's just a matter of terminology here. What you call stances and maneuvers, I would probably just call "powers".</p><p></p><p>There shouldn't be any confusion. Just as you get "daily" powers back after you take an extended rest, you get "encounter" powers back after you take a short rest. So the question ought to boil down to: did you decide to take a short (usually five minute) rest before sneaking around?</p><p></p><p>I usually would rule no, if you are talking with a potentially hostile enemy for five minutes, you are likely to be alert and not actually resting. If some PCs decide to actually ignore the situation and rest while another PC handles the negotiations, I would allow them to regain their encounter powers if hostilities did not actually break out during those five minutes. And if they did, I'd rule that they are unable to act and grant combat advantage in the first round of combat. So, the individual players will have to decide whether or not they want to risk resting during a tense standoff. You don't get your encounter powers back at the start of the next "encounter" or after a five minutes have elapsed, no matter what happens in the interim (it's not like a video game recharge, you know). You need to rest for five minutes first, and this normally takes place after an encounter has ended. As for why five minutes, I don't think there's any particular scientific reason. </p><p></p><p>4e encounter powers are actually closer to the former than the latter. That they are closer to the latter than the former is a misconception (which sometimes, in my more cynical moments, I think is deliberately spread by those who want to make 4e look less realistic than it actually is).</p><p></p><p>Such an approach would mean that healing abilities must be entirely daily, unless you are fine with the idea that characters can just keep regaining hit points (because they can keep resting five minutes and regaining their encounter healing powers). And frankly, seven daily uses of a M:1 healing ability works pretty much like seven healing surges, IMO.</p><p></p><p>It seems to me that the issue is more with non-magical healing than with healing surges per se. </p><p></p><p>Eh, the way I see it, if someone comes up with a good idea that the DM thinks would resolve the situation, he should be free to declare "problem solved", and move on. In a way, it's related to the "grind" issue in 4e combats. The minute there's a foregone conclusion and rolling dice stops being interesting, just delcare that the PCs have won.</p><p></p><p>Edit to add: And IMO, the DM shouldn't be plucking the number of successes out of the air. He actually ought to have some idea beforehand of the obstacles that need to be overcome and how difficult overcoming each ought to be. To me, that's the strength of the skill challenge system: encouraging the DM to consider at least one potential solution beforehand. And if the players find a solution that resolves the issue in a simpler, quicker way, well, they deserve to be rewarded!</p><p></p><p>Good to know! <img src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" class="smilie smilie--sprite smilie--sprite1" alt=":)" title="Smile :)" loading="lazy" data-shortname=":)" /></p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="FireLance, post: 5759739, member: 3424"] Sure! I think "power" is another one of those 4e terms that have acquired negative connotations (in some circles) beyond what they actually mean. To me, anything that the character (or player) needs to actively decide to use is a power. Even conditional and situational abilities can be described by "Trigger:" or "Requirement:" lines. So, it seems to me that it's just a matter of terminology here. What you call stances and maneuvers, I would probably just call "powers". There shouldn't be any confusion. Just as you get "daily" powers back after you take an extended rest, you get "encounter" powers back after you take a short rest. So the question ought to boil down to: did you decide to take a short (usually five minute) rest before sneaking around? I usually would rule no, if you are talking with a potentially hostile enemy for five minutes, you are likely to be alert and not actually resting. If some PCs decide to actually ignore the situation and rest while another PC handles the negotiations, I would allow them to regain their encounter powers if hostilities did not actually break out during those five minutes. And if they did, I'd rule that they are unable to act and grant combat advantage in the first round of combat. So, the individual players will have to decide whether or not they want to risk resting during a tense standoff. You don't get your encounter powers back at the start of the next "encounter" or after a five minutes have elapsed, no matter what happens in the interim (it's not like a video game recharge, you know). You need to rest for five minutes first, and this normally takes place after an encounter has ended. As for why five minutes, I don't think there's any particular scientific reason. 4e encounter powers are actually closer to the former than the latter. That they are closer to the latter than the former is a misconception (which sometimes, in my more cynical moments, I think is deliberately spread by those who want to make 4e look less realistic than it actually is). Such an approach would mean that healing abilities must be entirely daily, unless you are fine with the idea that characters can just keep regaining hit points (because they can keep resting five minutes and regaining their encounter healing powers). And frankly, seven daily uses of a M:1 healing ability works pretty much like seven healing surges, IMO. It seems to me that the issue is more with non-magical healing than with healing surges per se. Eh, the way I see it, if someone comes up with a good idea that the DM thinks would resolve the situation, he should be free to declare "problem solved", and move on. In a way, it's related to the "grind" issue in 4e combats. The minute there's a foregone conclusion and rolling dice stops being interesting, just delcare that the PCs have won. Edit to add: And IMO, the DM shouldn't be plucking the number of successes out of the air. He actually ought to have some idea beforehand of the obstacles that need to be overcome and how difficult overcoming each ought to be. To me, that's the strength of the skill challenge system: encouraging the DM to consider at least one potential solution beforehand. And if the players find a solution that resolves the issue in a simpler, quicker way, well, they deserve to be rewarded! Good to know! :) [/QUOTE]
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