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Message: <blockquote data-quote="billd91" data-source="post: 4518180" data-attributes="member: 3400">Yes, I did find things different in previous editions, including early 3.5. Descriptions of spells and things are much cleaner, more descriptive of things from a rule-perspective, rather than specific flavor perspective. I'm not sure that the Spell Compendium is the actual start of the practice in its current form, but it's the first source I've got that provides so much publisher flavor. I won't say that all of the powers in 4e really have the problem to the same degree, though. Compare Time Stop, which uses the flavor text to explain why it's "Time Stop" and not "Speed me up for 2 extra actions", to Mass Fly's white motes of light swirling around and lifting my allies that just feel like an intrusion. Are we sitting on the motes of light like we're sitting on chairs? Do they give us away if we're flying around at night and trying to be stealthy? It's an annoyance to deal with in that case rather than an explanation of the power.It's like there were varying standards of purple prose that the writers would use. Combust says, matter-of-factly, "You cause several foes to spontaneously burst into flame." And Ray of Enfeeblement says "You point three fingers at your foe, curling them like talons. Weird green mist streams from your enemy's flesh, carrying away its strength." Is that even a ray anymore? I can't tell. But I'm left telling my players they shouldn't just ignore the text, because it might be fairly important to how the spell accomplishes its rule effects... or it might be completely superfluous.</blockquote>

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