D&D 4E Does 4E fix the 5-minute workday?

[SoulStorm]

Just some speculation-based calculations to chew on.

Yes, it will be interesting to see how these numbers break down when all is said and done. My thinking is that the riders attached to powers will prove more important than raw damage. This is where encounter and daily powers have a significant advantage. Riders attached to magic weapons and implements may off-set this problem significantly. I'm not really concerned about ~6 round combats. There's been some speculation that some high level combats may go 10-20 or possibly even more rounds. I hope this proves to not be true, but if it is, plunking away repeatedly with at-will powers for 10 or 15 rounds is going to be very irritating. Combats should probably average 6 rounds. If high level combats in 4E last significantly longer than this something is seriously wrong.

 

[Propheous_D]

Yes, it will be interesting to see how these numbers break down when all is said and done. My thinking is that the riders attached to powers will prove more important than raw damage. This is where encounter and daily powers have a significant advantage. Riders attached to magic weapons and implements may off-set this problem significantly. I'm not really concerned about ~6 round combats. There's been some speculation that some high level combats may go 10-20 or possibly even more rounds. I hope this proves to not be true, but if it is, plunking away repeatedly with at-will powers for 10 or 15 rounds is going to be very irritating. Combats should probably average 6 rounds. If high level combats in 4E last significantly longer than this something is seriously wrong.

I can't even begin to understand were you are getting 6 round combats. At 14th level the character has access to at least 10 unique powers requiring a standard action and not including generic moves such as grapple/bull rush/etc. This also doesn't even touch upon powers granted by magical items. So I can't understand why you say there will be a problem with a combat lasting 10-20 rounds. I certainly don't get that bored in 3E combats lasting that long, in which I have WAY less to contribute to on average then I will have in 4E. So I can't see that holding true for the vast majority of people playing 4E.