I love skill powers.

[LostSoul]

Are you kidding? I have some players that would spend an extra 5 minutes (the short rest needed to recharge the power) searching every room and listening at every door for that +10 boost.

You should introduce the concept of wandering monsters.

 

[DracoSuave]

See adding in utility powers without any trade-off is going to lead me into many more instances of my least favorite position as a DM



I like to be generally aware of what my PCs can do. Of course this scenario is fine once in a while. But when it starts happening EACH turn with someone else, I start to have aneurysms.

Well, their powers should be well known to you, and you give them their items. So... that's how you're careful about this sort of thing.

Even then tho, I -do- like it when the unexpected happens. They get to see the 'omg no!' look of defeat on my face, I get to pretend to be shocked and angry they beat me...

...and I get to see my players feel a sense of satisfaction and pleasure at the game.

Then they get nearly killed by a dragon.

D&D should be a rollercoaster ride!

 

[Saeviomagy]

Are you kidding? I have some players that would spend an extra 5 minutes (the short rest needed to recharge the power) searching every room and listening at every door for that +10 boost.

That doesn't stop +10 to perception being really, really good against any number of in-combat situations.

 

[Fete67]

Well you know the bad guys ought to be surprised ;-)

Not all the time Sometimes I believe the PCs should be the ones who cant really do much. It makes it more realistic in my opinion

 

[Fete67]

sorry wrong thread

 

[Garthanos]

You should introduce the concept of wandering monsters.

Also known as harder to predict circumstances and adversaries who don't necessarily sit around waiting for you to crash the door.

 

[Fete67]

Well you know the bad guys ought to be surprised ;-)

I think that the PCs should also be surprised and not be all powerful. It just makes it more realistic

 

[Garthanos]

I think that the PCs should also be surprised and not be all powerful. It just makes it more realistic

huh....
My point was that the DM forgetting some cool combo a player character
has... he shouldnt be planning for it... the NPC's would not realistically have the same overwhelming knowledge about the PC's that the DM does.

But realism isnt even the question...

The paladin murmurs over his weapon and it bursts forth with energies leaking from the astral sea... eladrin appear and disappear bending through space time... the bard seeing into the past and future to guide him and his allies next attack ... the Warlock draws streams of energy from the death of his enemies.

As far player character potency is concerned.... as far as I am concerned the aforementioned heros "verge" on legendary.. and are robinhoods and king arthurs of there universe.

ooops the guy stood up? fast.?.. just doesn't impress or threaten my sense of game reality any at all... and DM's shouldnt freak out about it or expect things to flow exactly the way expected (the game gets complex I will miss those combos and expect to).

Let's say I didn't normally like the boots which prevent characters being pushed around because I like the mobility of the D&D combat system... a reasonable thought ... so when the player put's it on his wish list I ask him to make a religion check or history check... I end up telling him a childhood story about an earth god who couldn't be moved.... we make interesting quests out of it... ok I end up changing my mind having a character who gains an allegiance to an earth god ... etc the boots become a part of the story... when he stands up to the monster and the ground cracks around his feat... I nod my head saying that's right .... you do.

 

[Fete67]

I guess that makes sense, D&D is about the heroes being above average than most other people

 

[Flipguarder]

From a stargate perspective this is how I see power levels.

Colonel Jack O'neill- heroic
Brigadier General Jack O'niell- Paragon
Anubis- Epic