First toon in v4 - what's with all this power?

i didn't realize that was such a faux pas...i will refrain from using that term here.

It shouldn't be. Character, PC, avatar, toon, or even "my guy" - getting in a twist over non-threatening use of a word like that is devolving into fanboyism, grognardism, etc. It does come back to D&D from its use in MMO's which only explains why people react badly to it - it doesn't excuse their reacting badly to it. I'd keep using it just to prove how silly people are about really irrelevant things.
 

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As much as toon is definitely from MMO generation (fyi we used it in Everquest too, back in '98), it's now more just vernacular / shorthand than anything else. I, for one, don't like 90% of the MMO-style "cannot die" mechanics applied to D&D, but in MMOs since perma-death is incompatible with sustaining a monthly revenue stream (speaking as a former MMO developer, driving away your customers just doesn't make sense), it's assumed PCs, similar to Wile E Coyote, adopt a cartoonish irreverence towards death. Kenny from South Park, same thing, it's cartoonishly absurd how he dies each episode only to return. However, unlimited resurrection has been in D&D for a long time, and far predates videogames. Though in videogames, "save" mechanics and spawn points achieve the same end result : effectively immortal characters.

I personally enjoy the term "toon" as I grow attached to my characters and making minis out of them, yeah some of us are just big kids! But I don't enjoy "toonish" gameplay, and many others here presumably don't either. Who knows, who cares...just have fun!
 

Yeah, 'toon' doesn't bother me. I've heard it used in a bit of a derogatory tone now and then, but that's certainly not the case here, so it SHOULD be fine. Still, no need to poke any bears! lol.

On topic, you'll find that there are a few other possible sources of powers, even at level 1. The first is racial powers. Not ALL races have a power, some have features that either operate at all times or provide advantages in specific situations without requiring the character to act. Its more common in later 4e material to recast these sorts of things as powers, but PHB1 in particular has a lot of stuff that in effect COULD be a power, but is just not spelled out like one. This can apply to classes too, so for instance the implement mastery features of the PHB1 wizard class probably SHOULD be blocked out as powers, but they're not. So you may have some 'hidden powers' of this sort.

The other major source of additional powers are Themes. These were introduced in Dark Sun, and then reintroduced in DDI for general use (in a SLIGHTLY different form). All themes AFAIK grant an encounter power at level 1 in addition to the one you get from your class. Sometimes, much like classes, they may have a feature that is effectively similar to a power (IE like a bonus you can apply in a specific situation or something).

Some feats can also provide the character taking them with a power. Usually this is restricted in some way, so for instance some classes have the Channel Divinity class feature and can take CD feats. CD itself allows the character to invoke usually one special CD encounter power per encounter. Leaders also typically have a healing power that is in addition to their other at-wills which uses a minor action. Other types of classes have similar things, typically in PHB2 these are spelled out in power format, like the Warden's Fury and Warden's Grasp powers, and the Warden's ability to mark all adjacent creatures (technically not a power, but it effectively is one).

A few classes like the Wizard also have 'alternate' powers (IE ones they can swap in and out, in the case of the Wizard it can swap daily powers for specific alternates using Spell Book, this can extend to other powers too with the right feats and options). Then of course there are Rituals, which aren't technically powers at all, but in a loose sense provide power-like functionality and which are technically not limited in number at all (you just have to find them or buy them as you level up).
 

I also have questions about the new power system. How many powers do you get at lvl 1? Do you just have all of them, but should only use the recommended ones? Are there only so many encounter/dailies you can choose?

You have two At Will powers. These are two default approaches you take to fighting. They are what you default to when you aren't sure what to do in combat.

You have one encounter attack power at first level. This is best thought of as your signature move that you can do once per scene (4e works a lot better if you think of it as a game of a fantasy action movie and replace "Encounter" with "Scene"). As you level up you'll get more signature moves.

And you have one daily attack power. The ability to summon spirits to empower yourself and break your normal limits for a warden. You can do this once per extended rest/episode/chapter.

Oh, and you choose one feat, your specialist skills, and your equipment.

Hope some of that helped :-) And the normal D&D term for "toon" is "PC" (short for "Player Character"). I don't see what the fuss is about, myself.
 


Nope. I agree with the French and legislatively protecting the language from toon, mob, and Gish.

Toon's fine enough, but I do dislike the other two - mob annoys me because the term can clash with its plain-English version in non-obvious ways (i.e. are you talking about a single monster or a group of annoyed people?), and gish because it's a rather impenetrable term with obscure origins whose meaning is difficult to deduce from context.
 

Since we're politely discussing this - no offense to OP - I dislike "toon" because it implies a level of separation between the player and the character I feel is unrepresentative of good D&D play. It says "this is the little dude I put through the game", not "this is the persona I attempt to adopt in a role-playing scenario".

It's like those guys who name their Guild Wars character "XX_HealBot_XX" instead of "Argnar Hammerstein". Maybe it's just me, but the direct denial of the role-playing aspect of the game seems like a direct attack on my attempts to enjoy that aspect.

I don't really get angry at people who use the term Gish, but I enjoy pretending that I do.
 

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