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<blockquote data-quote="Lizard" data-source="post: 4554761" data-attributes="member: 1054">In 3e? Hell no.In 4e? Sure.I've finally figured out the Zen Of 4e. The powers/exploits/etc aren't &quot;real&quot;. Youre character doesn't know Pinning Strike, or even Magic Missile. Rather, you, the player, have selected a set of Plot Powers. At various times, as defined by the rules, you can declare something has happened in the game world -- so-and-so takes 1d8 force damage, that creature suffers these game effects. Even the NAMES of the game effects don't matter -- a &quot;trip&quot; isn't a &quot;trip&quot;, it's a set of specified conditions which are applied to the creature. How this &quot;looks&quot; and how these conditions got to be on the creature are entirely up in the air. In terms of what happens in-game, the character invoking the Plot Power might not even be the direct cause. For example, &quot;Pinning Strike&quot; on a flying creature with nothing nearby to &quot;pin&quot; it to. You invoke this Plot Power, and make the roll, and the creature suffers, say, a sudden pulled muscle, which deals the appropriate damage and makes it impossible for it to keep flying. &quot;Magic Missile&quot; could be a different &quot;spell&quot; every time, so long as it does the same type and quantity of damage. One time it might be a flying sword. The next round, you could cause a bubble of energy to explode and burst under someone's skin. The round after that, a small imp appears and bites at the target. Etc, etc, etc. There is a complete and total disconnect between the rules of 4e, and the world in which the game occurs. Once you internalize that the rules make no sense, the rules start making sense. Hence, the Zen of 4e. You must accept the paradox.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="Lizard, post: 4554761, member: 1054"] In 3e? Hell no. In 4e? Sure. I've finally figured out the Zen Of 4e. The powers/exploits/etc aren't "real". Youre character doesn't know Pinning Strike, or even Magic Missile. Rather, you, the player, have selected a set of Plot Powers. At various times, as defined by the rules, you can declare something has happened in the game world -- so-and-so takes 1d8 force damage, that creature suffers these game effects. Even the NAMES of the game effects don't matter -- a "trip" isn't a "trip", it's a set of specified conditions which are applied to the creature. How this "looks" and how these conditions got to be on the creature are entirely up in the air. In terms of what happens in-game, the character invoking the Plot Power might not even be the direct cause. For example, "Pinning Strike" on a flying creature with nothing nearby to "pin" it to. You invoke this Plot Power, and make the roll, and the creature suffers, say, a sudden pulled muscle, which deals the appropriate damage and makes it impossible for it to keep flying. "Magic Missile" could be a different "spell" every time, so long as it does the same type and quantity of damage. One time it might be a flying sword. The next round, you could cause a bubble of energy to explode and burst under someone's skin. The round after that, a small imp appears and bites at the target. Etc, etc, etc. There is a complete and total disconnect between the rules of 4e, and the world in which the game occurs. Once you internalize that the rules make no sense, the rules start making sense. Hence, the Zen of 4e. You must accept the paradox. [/QUOTE]

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