Limiting magic item use per day and "Milestones" = very bad

[Xsjado]

Forgive my ignorance, but I haven't heard of milestones before. What are they and how do they work?

The problem with daily item powers is that low level items can be easily bought in large quantities by high level players. The same problem exists with potions which is why they got nerfed in 4e as well.

 

[malraux]

Forgive my ignorance, but I haven't heard of milestones before. What are they and how do they work?

Every even encounter of the day is a milestone. You gain an action point and another daily magic item usage each milestone (probably something else too, but I don't remember it offhand).

 

[TheWyrd]

To my mind, this is just enforcement of genre conventions. Super Spy X sneaks up on a minion, nerve pinches him and steals his Uzi. He then goes on to mow down the rest of the minions in the room with said gun to get past them and tosses the gun to the side as he exits the room. Why doesn't he take the gun with him? It's obviously a good weapon. Because that isn't his schtick.. he's Super Spy X, not Gun Bunny X.

Similarly, with Encounter Powers, Daily Powers, and the ability to access the powers of magic items it isn't that the characters CAN'T access these abilities its that they DON'T.

Yes yes, I put a narrativist spin on gamist ideas.

 

[ThirdWizard]

For anyone who's read the Magic Item Compendium, I have three words:

Belt of Battle

 

[vagabundo]

I dont have a big problem with this; it is magic after all. However, I'll be a little more lax in the book keeping for 4e I think. I'll concentrate on the story flow and let the players take care of combat themselves. I think 4e can take a lot more punishment from player abuse than 3e could.

Milestones are story based, IMO and I can fudge them as I like. I think I'll have to see them in play more before deciding if this is a problem.

 

[ExploderWizard]

If the players try to find trivial encounters to rort the system, simply have them not count. Why? See my last post.

Next explanation - it's a karmic thing - you need to build up karma (better suited for divine items perhaps)

Of course a DM can choose whatever he wants to do in his campaign but that would be ignoring the RAW. If the whole point of rules as complex and restrictive as 4E is to avoid so much DM fiat and the "Mother may I" syndrome, then why not use them? Or, if they will be handwaved away anyhow then why pay for books jammed full of stuff you will houserule away?

 

[TheWyrd]

Of course a DM can choose whatever he wants to do in his campaign but that would be ignoring the RAW. If the whole point of rules as complex and restrictive as 4E is to avoid so much DM fiat and the "Mother may I" syndrome, then why not use them? Or, if they will be handwaved away anyhow then why pay for books jammed full of stuff you will houserule away?

Well, at least part of the design philosophy as I understand it is to disconnect the various pieces. In other words, make it easier for the DM to hand wave X without it having negative impact on Y. The obvious example being Alignment. In 4e you can say "we're not using Alignment". In 3e you said "We're not using alignment.. and because of that you need to remove the following spells from your spellbook."

 

[malraux]

RAW does say that encounters must be legitimate threats to count. Sack of rats, vicious bunnies, etc don't count. And if the party is picking a slightly easier encounter, well, that's reasonable. "I'm slightly winded after that last fight, lets avoid that dragon till I'm feeling up to it."

 

[Nine Hands]

I see the daily powers of magic items as pushing them beyond their limits instead of an ability that is usable all the time. Sort of a magical turbo boost. OK that is not a good example

Milestones are a mechanical benefit for characters driving the story forward, I see it as a feature for creating good adventure pacing.

 

[The Little Raven]

I agree with you that 'Milestones' seem like an unnecessary complication which rather breaks the fourth wall.

I've seen zero problems with this. We've gone through almost all of KotS and tracking milestones and all that is simple and straightforward (especially since I tend to use Action Points a lot, so I want to make sure I get them back when I've earned them).

And I don't see how it would break the fourth wall anymore than hit points would.