Is Brute Strike extra-sad?

[Pielorinho]

A couple of sessions ago, the fighter noticed that his daily, Brute Strike, was identical to the paladin's daily, Paladin's Judgment. Both are melee weapon attacks with one creature target, str v ACC, doing 3w+str modifier damage. Identical.

Except that the paladin's daily ALSo lets an ally spend a healing surge, whether or not it hits.

Is the fighter's daily just sad? I mean, both fighters and paladins are defenders; shouldn't their dailies be roughly equal?

I could see it working if Brute Strike did half damage on a miss, or if it had some other benefit. As is, it seems odd.

Daniel

 

[baberg]

Brute Strike is Reliable.

 

[kelnas]

It's "reliable", meaning it doesn't get used up if you miss. If the Pal misses, it's gone for the day (but at least he gets the surge).

 

[Pielorinho]

Wow, that's huge. I totally missed that over about half a dozen different reads of the power. Still adjusting to the 4e style!

Thanks, folks.
Daniel

 

[Rashak Mani]

Considering that each class has different powers and abilities... their powers shouldn't be the same. Even if they are defenders.

 

[Syrsuro]

Considering that each class has different powers and abilities... their powers shouldn't be the same. Even if they are defenders.

And.......

They are not the same (as noted above).

One is reliable with no effect on a miss, the other grants a healing surge, even if you miss.

Seem pretty different to me - just because they both happen to do appropriate damage doesn't' make them "the same".

Carl

 

[Pielorinho]

Considering that each class has different powers and abilities... their powers shouldn't be the same. Even if they are defenders.

I understand what you're saying, and I agree. I wasn't expecting identical powers; I was expecting powers that were roughly equal in power. (Striker daily powers, in other words, can do a lot more damage than defender daily powers, since that's the striker's role). Instead, what I was incorrectly seeing was two powers that were both defender, both identical, except that one had a significant secondary benefit. That's neither identical nor equal.

Now that folks have pointed out what I'd overlooked, I see them as different but equal.

Daniel

 

[Kzach]

I still wouldn't choose it over Comeback Strike or Villain's Menace.

For damage purposes, Villain's Menace is far superior, and IMO the whole point of the defender is to absorb as much damage as possible, so Comeback Strike is a major benefit above a measly extra 1W of damage.

 

[Kzach]

Grr... lag caused double post.

 

[DMDanW]

4E powers are all similar

What my group is finding having played 4e for a couple of months now is that most of the powers are very similar to each other with perhaps one or two small differences. Sure the flavor text is nice but mechanically a wizard firing a magic missile, a ranger firing a bow, and a warlock using an eldritch blast all "feel" very similar. Sure the damage is slightly different, and there are a few slight other differences, but all in all they all "feel" similar.

Now I'm not saying that's a bad thing - They are mechanically balanced so that one character is not way more powerful than the next. That's good. It was something a cople of my players pointed out that playing a wizard and firing magic missiles does not feel special, or very wizardy, compared to a ranger firing off arrows.

My response was that instead of focusing on the mechanics, they should focus on the flavor. Describe the actions with flovor words rather than using numbers and mechanics, and the feeling should be different. That goes for any of the classes, be it fighter and paladin, ranger and rogue or wizard and warlock.