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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Mallus" data-source="post: 5756462" data-attributes="member: 3887">OK. That's fair. But they are mundane(ish) according to the d20 rule set, and the question I'm interested in is why X-Men caliber metahuman abilities in one system constitute a little problem, while powers like CaGI and Inspiring Word are big problems?I'm trying to understand the difference some people see (it may just be taste).  Again, I'm not so interested in "should". I'm curious as to why things that seem categorically similar between 3e and 4e provoke such different reactions. If you're in the mood to place blame, blame 3e. Yup, been a SF/F since early childhood... I know the definition <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f609.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=";)" title="Wink    ;)"  data-smilie="2"data-shortname=";)" />.What I mean be "arbitrary" is the way the ability is quantized: you can't teleport/you can teleport a few hundred yards/you can teleport anywhere in the same physical universe. Contrast this with the way another d20 system --M&M-- handles it. Teleportation is available at any "level". At low levels, you can teleport short distances, measured in feet. At high levels, you can teleport (literally) astronomical distances. Works like a charm. There's no reason teleportation needs to be relegated to higher levels (and there's certainly no compelling reason for its lack of granularity). That's what I meant by "arbitrary". Wait... we agree!Well, on this, not so much. It wasn't problematic in the 2.5 years my 4e campaign ran. On this, I definitely agree. Everything is at least a little magical in 4e. Then again, I'm not sure how "mundane" an AD&D fighter with enough hit points to walk away from a fall off of a cliff in plate mail is, or a 3e rogue who can have a fireball erupt around her in an empty, cover-free room and somehow evade all damage -- without actually jumping clear of the blast radius... Every PC should be super. It's the bulk of the supporting cast that should be mundane. Yes, like that. Do I? If you mean, do I appreciate both the 4e and Pathfinder approaches, then yes.It's not a big deal for me. All D&D characters end up wielding their fair share of wahoo. Whether it's in the form a spell, an item, or nigh-superhuman moxie. Being a frikkin' mutant helps when you're up against dragons, giants, dinosaurs, and floating eyeballs armed with lazers...</blockquote>

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