Hardest to Visualize Power

[robertliguori]

I like the idea of someone who is such a tactical genius that he/she knows how to set off a whole chain reaction of movement just by one "simple" action. Kind of like that blue guy in the Star Wars Expanded Universe.

That blue guy has a power source of Plot, though. The things that Thrawn is described as doing simply don't make any sense as a function of tactics, any more than Superman picking up an oil tanker and not having it collapse and crunch in his (human-sized) hands makes sense as a function of pure strength. Thrawn's vaunted tactical abilities could be utterly neutralized by the existence of one (1) member of one (1) race who thought in a manner notably different than the way most members of that race produced art. Hell, a race that watched other races in combat, noticed that they got up to neat, effective, and really confusing tricks that they would never be able to pull off, then program their ships to emulate those tricks would devastate Thrawn in battle one.

The warlock's more extreme shouty abilities operate the same way. Advantageous tactics generally work by having more information than your opponent, and acting in such a way that your opponent makes what seems to be a good choice but actually is not. There is no way to spin Own the Battlefield throwing an enemy strike force off a cliff as your opponents falling into a tactical trap that makes any kind of sense.

Some forms of media have the conceit that mundane training and experience and lead to supernatural results. This works as far as seeking an internally-consistent explanation for how the ability works; it's magic with swords and shouting instead of gestures and chanting, and you can describe the results however your like.

Now that I mention it, I'd kind of like to play a warlord whose powers are reflavored to be glowy and visible, with noticable auras surrounding those under his influence and either sustaining them or forcing them to take certain actions. He could carry around a copy of the script, and worship the Plot.

D&D4.0: Narrativism is a power source.

 

[Nebulous]

I mean, you can spell out your name with enemies! If you're near a cliff, you can throw half of them off it! It is totally absurd when it comes to rationalisation or verissimilitude.

Which is why i suspect that 4e is just as broken at high level as it was in 3.5. Which somewhat disappoints me, i had hoped it wouldn't get as wonky.

 

[Nebulous]

You owe me a new keyboard.

"Yo soul look like a dishrag."

Oh my GOD, i need to sig that.

 

[hong]

Now that I mention it, I'd kind of like to play a warlord whose powers are reflavored to be glowy and visible, with noticable auras surrounding those under his influence and either sustaining them or forcing them to take certain actions. He could carry around a copy of the script, and worship the Plot.

D&D4.0: Narrativism is a power source.

You say this like it's a negative thing.

 

[Wormwood]

That blue guy has a power source of Plot, though.

So do the players.