It's the Actions Economy, Stupid!

[Xyl]

I imagine that the 4e wizard will have similar choices. They may have lesser options that they never use unless a lesser effect is warranted. For example, his 1/encounter lightning bolt would annihalate the goblin he needs to question. The 1/encounter stunning zap that he hasn't used in 3 levels is much more appropriate.

Based on the paladin smites, I think that it's more likely that the wizard will get a single ability which functions as stunning zap at low levels, and becomes a full-fledged lightning bolt as he gains levels. It would be nice if they'd give us some info on this one way or the other.

 

[Voss]

So Wands of Fireball are unbalanced because they aren't balanced against Magic Missile?
The 10th level fighter will have many abillities that outstrip the level 1 ability.

Actually if the lower level powers don't scale with level, the entire system can be written off as a failure. If you've got at will powers and per encounter powers that are OK at first level and meaningless at 10th level, there is absolutely no point to them. An powers that become obsolete are an absolute waste, because you'll never take the time to activate them in combat once you have something better. If they aren't level appropriate, forever, you've (hopefully) got better powers to be selecting from.

Though from the paladin smite article, it looks like they scale, damage wise, with level. So hopefully this won't be true. So if you don't have scaling abilities and a given level in your own class, take the class training feat and steal them from someone who does. Static abilities will be death.

This is also true of the magic items. A magic item that provides a trivial bonus is worthless, unless, of course, you can stockpile them and add them up with a whole bunch of other trivial bonuses, 3e style.

Back to the original point:

The fundamental balancing agent is what you can do in a round.

Magic items that are not free actions, or do not add actions are not going to matter in terms of encounter balance unless they are out of line with class powers for their level.

Yep. This is true. Things that are not free actions, whether powers or items, or better than your 'typical' standard action are trash. Absolute rubbish, not worth selecting or taking. On the other hand, anything that is 'on par' or better is almost a must have. And of course, with items, you can keep a big stock of per day items and just swap them out for fresh ones once you've used them up. Even if they're a bit lower level than what you could be using, the giant tactical array of options you have access to can be ridiculous.

But, in short, while 3e was all about accumulating a giant pile of bonuses, 4e looks like it will be all about squeezing in as many actions as possible.