Disappointed by movement

[Li Shenron]

I know that one of the purposes of 4e is to make combat more cinematic: less "sticking in front of a foe" and more going around the battlefield.

But I have to say that currently I'm pretty disappointed about how this is being achieved... I keep seeing two types of things, in many classes and races abilities:

a) teleporting yourself instantly to another square on the battlemap

b) pushing enemies, forcing them to move a certain distance towards a specific direction

I am not liking this at all. Not because they're bad abilities per se, but because in just so few previews we've seen they are granted by too many powers.

Furthermore, I am worried that too much short-range teleporting will make terrain obstacles and group tactics based on position (e.g. phalanx fighting) less and less relevant. Maybe you get "more movement around the battlefield", but not the kind of I was wishing for...

Couple that with the simplified diagonal movement, and the fact that now movement is primarily measured in squares, and it all shows how even minimal realism (in movement) is now being considered useless, and instead the gamist approach (from minis) has officially won 4e.

 

[Campbell]

The only example character who can teleport at all is the Eladrin Ranger whose Fey Step ability can only be used once per encounter and the only character who can cause enemies to move is the Cleric using Turn Undead or Cause Fear (abilities which have always caused an enemy to flee). There is a lot of shifting going on with the Ranger though (note that shifting does not ignore difficult terrain by default).

 

[Pinotage]

I completely agree. Leaving the 1-1-1-1 squares thing aside, I'm perplexed as to why there are so many new abilities that shift opponents around the battlefield. A lot of classes have an ability like that, but why waste your action moving somebody around when you can hit im instead? Opportunity Attacks? Movement just seems strange, and there's a lot of emphasis on it.

Pinotage

 

[Chris_Nightwing]

I suspect this is to go along with the dynamic battlefield suggestions. We know Mike Mearls loves to have things to interact with that aren't just monsters. So, pits and hazards and difficult terrain and cover and wacky fungal spores in the dungeon will make movement more significant than before.

 

[Darth Cyric]

The only example character who can teleport at all is the Eladrin Ranger whose Fey Step ability can only be used once per encounter.

Well, and the Warlock, but that's only after he's killed someone he's cursed.

 

[Campbell]

Well, and the Warlock, but that's only after he's killed someone he's cursed.

Must have missed that.

 

[hong]

I suspect this is to go along with the dynamic battlefield suggestions. We know Mike Mearls loves to have things to interact with that aren't just monsters. So, pits and hazards and difficult terrain and cover and wacky fungal spores in the dungeon will make movement more significant than before.

This is pretty much why I'm hoping the dungeon generator part of the DDI works as intended. Mearls has an amazing brane when it comes to creating interesting encounters, but the rest of us might need some help.

 

[Ipissimus]

Considering the number of enemies they're expecting a party to fight, one of the biggest issues for PCs is going to be battlefield control.

I have a feeling we're going to see the end of the 20' by 20' room, a swarm of Kobalds plus the PCs are going to fill that up right quick. Shoving people out of the way, preventing enemies from surrounding the Controllers, crowding and dividing enemies are probably going to be more of an issue in 4E combat.

 

[Li Shenron]

Not sure, but I think I've also read of Wizard per-encounter spells for short-range teleportation, but perhaps it was instead a daily spell.

 

[Darth Cyric]

Must have missed that.

Fey Pact ability, second entry down in Race and Class Features.