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Message: <blockquote data-quote="tanj" data-source="post: 4514487" data-attributes="member: 61781">4E has a different design philosophy than 3E.  3E gives set effects and lets the GM and PCs figure out the result.  4E gives the result and leaves lots of room for the GM and PCs to explain how the end result was arrived at.Not exactly, a wall is an end result, difficult terrain is an end result, daze is an end result.  Where 4E allows for creativity is in describing how that result is achieved.I push him down.  How?<ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">I create a distraction and he trips over a small obstacle.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">I call on the spirits of nature to hold his ankle.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">I throw rocks at him.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">I duck and stand behind him while my ally pushes him.</li> </ul>I create difficult terrain.  How?<ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">I stomp my foot and the earth shatters.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">I cause vines to quickly grow and cover the area.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">I throw caltrops on the floor.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">I use my rope dart and swing it through the area to discourage enemies from entering.</li> </ul>I daze him.  How?<ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">I throw a net over him.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Spirits of nature hear my call, hold this foe and slow him down.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">A good crack on the skull.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Distracting imagery.</li> </ul>  For example the rogue power Blinding Barrage could represent the rogue taking multiple daggers from prepared sheathes that he had previously used to store the necessary projectiles and then needs a significant amount of time to reload the sheathes.  another possible description of the same power is a specially prepared crossbow that fires multiple bolts simultaneously, but requires an extended period of time to reload.   The discussion has been about wizard powers, so let's take the example of casting rock to mud and then mud to rock.  In 3E the PC could do that through powers explicitly given to them.  In 4E the wizard could cast Web and describe it as liquefying the floor and then having the floor solidify around any creature that enters.4E allows for a different type of creativity.  It is possible to be very creative when describing effects, but trying to use specific descriptions to try to eke out an unintended advantage is discouraged.What I like is that 4E encourages creativity with descriptions, but does not require it.  It also makes things much more straight forward to arbitrate.</blockquote>

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