D&D 4E Is there a "Cliffs Notes" summary of the entire 4E experience?

[Tony Vargas]

Are they different? Are they all necessarily different from each other in what they require, and that that can only be used once per day?

Yes.

The reason has to actually be plausible, or it's not a reason. Saying "you're too tired to do this again, but you can still do all of these other physically demanding tasks just fine" doesn't pass the muster.

What's implausible about a hero in a fantasy story making a super-human effort and doing something remarkable, but not being able to duplicate the feat six seconds later (or even in a battle later that day)? Wouldn't it be a lot less reasonable for him to be able to do it every six seconds for hours on end?

It's not a question of liking the reason or not - the reason has to actually be reasonable. Selective fatigue and undefined "reserves" that are specific to each particular special move don't have that element of reasonableness.

What's unreasonable about it? The 'moves' (and, obviously, if they call on 'deep reserves,' they're not /just/ moves) are each different, they each call upon different reserves.

Likewise, magic is never dissociative because it's magic - it will always have an in-character explanation that stands to reason, because it necessarily sets what the reasons are for itself.

Setting aside the obvious taint of Caster Supremacy in that statement, what's the reason for neo-Vancian slots? Why can a character who has expended his 1st, 2nd, and 3rd level, but not 4th level slots cast a particularly powerful magic missile but not a couple of weaker ones?

For that matter, what's so reasonable about classic Vancian - where spells are 'impressed upon the magic-user's brain' and 'whiped clean by casting,' - which isn't so much a reason as a re-statement of the memorization mechanic? What's plausible about the energy of AD&D Vancian magic coming from a plane of energy that the material components of the spell are swapped to, when not all spells have components, and some with large components arguably involve more energy than those with less?

Any or all of those are less reasonable or plausible than an heroic fantasy character calling upon deep reserves to perform a preternatural feat.

 

[billd91]

Even worse, it might be an encounter power!

Nah, Daily would be worse. You see, it would be dissociated and though we could all have smelt it, none of would be able to tell who had dealt it.

 

[TwoSix]

Excuse me, sir, but according to 5e, that child is a Tiefling. And no, you're not allowed to change the fluff text. Because... reasons.

Fiends can't have babies, it's not in the PHB.

 

[Lalato]

Nah, Daily would be worse. You see, it would be dissociated and though we could all have smelt it, none of would be able to tell who had dealt it.

Also, it would do damage on a miss!

 

[Lalato]

Fiends can't have babies, it's not in the PHB.

Who said the fiend had the baby?

 

[Nergal Pendragon]

Also, it would do damage on a miss!

And forces you to make a save against being stunned!

 

[Alzrius]

Yes.

Apparently not.

What's implausible about a hero in a fantasy story making a super-human effort and doing something remarkable, but not being able to duplicate the feat six seconds later (or even in a battle later that day)? Wouldn't it be a lot less reasonable for him to be able to do it every six seconds for hours on end?

It's implausible that he can make a super-human effort to make a specific effect, and then can't do it again...but can do some other super-heroic effect just fine, even though the reason he couldn't use the former effect again was because he'd "drawn too deep from his reserves."

What's unreasonable about it? The 'moves' (and, obviously, if they call on 'deep reserves,' they're not /just/ moves) are each different, they each call upon different reserves.

That's not an explanation, and doesn't present itself as being reasonable. How are completely non-magical abilities calling on different "reserves"? What exactly are those reserves and how do they work?

Setting aside the obvious taint of Caster Supremacy in that statement, what's the reason for neo-Vancian slots? Why can a character who has expended his 1st, 2nd, and 3rd level, but not 4th level slots cast a particularly powerful magic missile but not a couple of weaker ones?

I'm not sure what "neo-Vancian" means, but the reason for that is because it's the nature of spellcasting. Each spell is prepared as a discrete thing, and can't be parceled out on-the-fly into a group of weaker spells. "Deep reserves" of non-magical (ergo, physical) ability aren't prepared as discrete reserves; if you're too tired to use one again, it doesn't make sense that you can still use another. Magic gets to define itself and its parameters, physical abilities do not.

 

[billd91]

Also, it would do damage on a miss!

As an area attack, I would expect that. But since it's a Fort save, Rogue evasion would not apply. Finally, that Hexblade gets to apply his Mettle, so that's a plus.

 

[TwoSix]

Also, it would do damage on a miss!

Hold on buddy, even an expert flatulater can miss sometimes. That's unrealistic, even for gnoll gas.

 

[Kraztur]

OK, ha ha, I think it's time to stop making jokes now. These humourisms are just racking up the page count. C'mon, think about the people who have to catch up on this thread. Now they have to go back like 12 pages just to read the really important bits!