Fixing Extreme Imbalances

[Elric]

Unfortunately this means that charisma paladins are simply flat-out worse defenders, because they can't hit with OAs (or at the least have to spend a feat to hit with OAs).

Divine Power has an at-will (Virtuous Strike) that can be used as a melee basic attack. So if a Charisma Paladin takes that, their OAs will be fine by default. This "at-will used as basic" approach seems like a better solution to the OA problem than the Melee Training feat.

 

[Dragonblade]

4th is the first edition of D&D where I have not felt the need for any house rules. I allow all WotC material in my game and have yet to see any balance issues at all. And yes, I do have some powergamers in my group, but it just hasn't been a problem.

The only time I saw a clear balance issue in 4e was when I played in a level 29 epic one shot. One of the players created an orbizard build and it was clearly broken. But with the latest errata much of the brokenness of that build has been mitigated.

Don't take this personally, but I think you're being overly nit-picky and controlling. As a player, I hate playing under DMs like that and as a DM I try avoid doing that to my players.

My advice is to avoid all these little tweaks and just let the players make what they want. If they do happen to stumble across some broken combo and are constantly spamming it in your game and you truly do feel its not something you can overcome simply by tweaking your encounters, then go ahead and start banning and tweaking. But once the offending combo has been neutralized, I would stop there.

 

[Aulirophile]

You kind of neutered the purpose of Form of Winter's Herald, which is to prevent enemies shifting away from the Warden. Unlike a fighter, he can't punish shifting. Check out the level 15 Form of the Shifting Mountain, does basically the exact same thing with a different skin on it.

Also your Bard change is quite possibly the worst Houserule I have ever seen.... as if Clerics weren't already vastly better at healing.

On the bright side, you have ensured that no one will want to play a Warden or Bard in your groups. I can only assume this was your actual intent, in which case bravo!

 

[Elric]

On the bright side, you have ensured that no one will want to play a Warden or Bard in your groups. I can only assume this was your actual intent, in which case bravo!

This is vastly overstated with respect to the Warden. Some Wardens don't even take Form of the Winter's Herald! As I mentioned above, Form of the Mountain's Thunder is also a great level 1 Daily power for Wardens.

 

[Turtlejay]

Not to pile on (it honestly feels a little mean at this point) but you seem to be picking on some of the already weak classes. Bards and Warlocks are not really at the top of anyone's list in their respective roles. Warlocks do the least damage of any striker. . .about all they have going for them is their versatility and control. Taking that away is kind of mean.

If you want nerfs, focus on Rangers, Fighters, and Clerics. They are at the top of their roles, and there are clear outliers for each class as far as power goes.

Also, singling out the wintertouched/lasting frost combo without addressing the radiant weapon or daggermaster or any other kind of cheese is odd. If you are going after that one thing for a reason, then it is probably best to go to that one player than to eliminate it entirely from your campaign. That feat is not worth it, I can't imagine anyone taking it, ever in that form.

Jay

 

[Aulirophile]

This is vastly overstated with respect to the Warden. Some Wardens don't even take Form of the Winter's Herald! As I mentioned above, Form of the Mountain's Thunder is also a great level 1 Daily power for Wardens.

Eh, I don't like it. Beside the point, FoWH's whole point is to make you sticky. He neutered it. What happens when the Warden gets Rampant Forest, or Treacherous Ice, or any of the other abilities that use difficult terrain to make a Warden sticky? There isn't any particular reason to think he won't destroy your stickiness in those cases. He's looking at one power, instead of the class. And I would certainly never play a class my DM didn't understand and therefore thought some of the abilities were overpowered, so just randomly nerfed them. /shrug