Mearls on Controller design and At-Will balance

[Mistwell]

That sounds like WAY more work than is needed. Prep a card? Sheesh.

"You see a Squamous Thing."
"I roll 25 on my Arcana check."
"OK, the Squamous Thing is vulnerable to acid and can eat your spleen from 20 feet away."
"Cool."

I can't imagine it being a difficult or complex process. Hell, 4e -- the game under discussion -- even tells you EXACTLY what you know with each level of knowledge check.

I said prep because not all players should know the info.
Its VERY little time to make a card of that info in 4e. But if its not your thing, its still faster to say that info every time than role and look it up on a chart each encounter.

 

[DracoSuave]

Funny, I find that chart to be just as easy (if not easier) to look up as such information as Initiative, AC, the damage and attack rolls, and the rest of the statblock. I find by looking in the same area of the book, I find it.

But then, different strokes for different folks.

 

[Lizard]

I said prep because not all players should know the info.

All of them don't, just the one you tell it to.

The way our games work:
Player: I roll arcana!
DM: OK, it's blah.
Player (in character): Guys, be careful. That thing can eat your spleen at 20 paces!

If, for some reason, the player who makes the check chooses NOT to tell the other characters in context, the other players play their characters without that knowledge.

 

[Ahrimon]

Hmm, How about this for class features. (very rough because I'm very tired)

War wizards get a +1 to hit and +2 to damage to go with thier blastery-ness

Controller wizards impose a -2 to all saves. Then introduce a lot more status efffects that have save ends (say, in arcane power) in the form of at-wills, encounters, daily's etc.

 

[Oldtimer]

My human wizard is trained in Religion, Arcana and Nature. That cover most Monster knowledge check. And all these skill key off intelligence so these are good scores.

Sorry, but Nature is keyed off Wisdom, not Intelligence.

 

[DracoSuave]

Wizards don't get wisdom?

Oh wait. They do.

Move along.

 

[Ahglock]

Wizards don't get wisdom?

Oh wait. They do.

Move along.

Before being a smart alack you might want to read the entire post. You know the line oldtimer quoted where the person said all those skills keyed off intelligence. And then oldtimer was polite enough to correct him.

 

[DracoSuave]

Feh. His point about them being good scores still stands.

Debunk the point, not just the premise.

 

[DracoSuave]

And no, Wizards don't -need- +1 to hit/+2 damage or -2 to saves. That's just... no.

Mearls said that wizards at-wills are not controlling enough, so they'll be pushing the envelope on that. What does that mean? It means expect to see controlling wizard at-wills in the future. How does -2 to saves make their at-wills more controlling? It doesn't. Really. No. And wizards already have the ability to push a defense, offense, or saving throw once per encounter. They -already have- those abilities.

Use them. Jeeze.

He also said the encounter and daily abilities are fine. So if the only problem is the amount of control in at-wills (he said the damaging ones are fine), then the answer is more controlling at-wills. Nothing else.

 

[Mal Malenkirk]

Sorry, but Nature is keyed off Wisdom, not Intelligence.

Oh well. Everything crumbles to dust then...

I didn't recheck the character sheet before posting, but the point still stand.

Hmm, How about this for class features. (very rough because I'm very tired)

War wizards get a +1 to hit and +2 to damage to go with thier blastery-ness

Controller wizards impose a -2 to all saves. Then introduce a lot more status efffects that have save ends (say, in arcane power) in the form of at-wills, encounters, daily's etc.

Yes, brother! Let's preach the truth until the wizards once again rule the world! Power to the wizards! Power to the wizards! Magic is Might!

Ahem.

That being said, I'd prefer orb wizards to have a flat -1 to all saves in place of an occasional overpowering - WIS.