MI Daily Powers: Huh?

[Staffan]

More than any other version of D&D, 4e models a world which obeys the laws of narrative causality. From daily powers to magic items, you can use abilities only when it's dramatically appropriate, with no in-world explanation. Your magic items "know" when you've fought long and hard and deserve a mystical boost. There's not even a hint of game world logic to it, nor do I think there will ever be one.

Pretty easy to make up an explanation. Like so:

Your inherent abilities (e.g. from race, class, paragon path, etc.) are all a part of you, and can be used as often as you please (within their own limitations). However, using "external" magic takes its toll, so after using a daily item ability you have to wait a while to use another. Vigorous activity (e.g. encounters) lets you recover faster from the strain, so you get one additional use every milestone. Highly experienced characters (e.g. paragon and epic tier) have a higher resistance to such strain, so they can use two or even three item abilities in short succession.

Of course, that's just a made-up justification for what the rules look like, but it works for me.

 

[Lurker37]

Seerms like an extension of the one ring per hand logic to me - using an item disrupts your ability to use other items. Higher tier characters deal with this more easily.

And to clarify a point before:
You have 5 items with daily powers, are level 8, and have just started the day after an extended rest. You can use one item's daily. You need to wait for a milestone before you can use a daily from a second item. or a second daily from the first item if, and only if, it has a second daily power.

 

[Lizard]

Vigorous activity (e.g. encounters) lets you recover faster from the strain, so you get one additional use every milestone.

So, the harder you fight, the FASTER you recover?

 

[Tervin]

Ah I think we're on the same secret page now. The complexity only comes into play when an item has more than one daily power, and those items seem to be designed to get better as you hit milestones. Thanks for the clarification!

No. It comes into play as soon as you have more than one item with a daily power (from level 1-10 at least). If you use a daily power from an item you cannot use another daily power from another (or the same) item until you have hit a milestone. (I know that others have said the same here, but it seems like there is still a risk of misunderstanding.)

I have no problem with the fluffy part of this. Using a special power in an item takes using some of your mental power. It takes time to get back the power to do something like that. The biggest heroes can release such power more often than others. It is all about how you look upon magic in items and people. I honestly like to see items work like this. Not only because I think it will lead to gameplay improvement, but also because it gives me more of a feel of how the magic in the item is linked to the user. Magic items become more than just techy trinkets.

 

[Gort]

So, the harder you fight, the FASTER you recover?

You see, magic items are like those watches that recharge as you move around.

 

[VannATLC]

More than any other version of D&D, 4e models a world which obeys the laws of narrative causality. From daily powers to magic items, you can use abilities only when it's dramatically appropriate, with no in-world explanation. Your magic items "know" when you've fought long and hard and deserve a mystical boost. There's not even a hint of game world logic to it, nor do I think there will ever be one.

The rules on daily powers seem to be based mostly on a desire for game balance -- even if the DM hands out "too many" magic items, or the PCs acquire them, they don't do any good -- and on forcing an end to the "one encounter adventuring day" by offering shiny bits of candy (Action Points, more magic item use) to adventuring parties which don't just blow all their dailies in the first fight then take an extended rest.

Er.. alternatively, your magic items are powered by your own personal force, and you can only power a certain amount per day. Much like Action Points, however, you can generate enough personal force to power them again, after a few encounters.

Personally, I think AP and Magic Item uses should have been died to a Heroic Surge ability, which would replace and also be equal to the Healing Surge ability.

better standardisation all-round, and I cannot believe somebody didn't think of it, so I want to know why they didn't use it.

 

[Staffan]

So, the harder you fight, the FASTER you recover?

Yes.

Think of it like the item leaving some sort of metaphysical residue. Activity purges that residue faster. Sweat it out, if you will.

 

[Particle_Man]

what about transferring ownership of items?

If Evil Erik uses the daily power of his Hat of Awesome and then is killed by Garth the Good (who takes Erik's stuff, of course), assuming that Garth has not used any magic item daily power yet, does Garth get to use the daily power of the Hat of Awesome that same day, or does Garth have to wait until the next day?

If the next day Garth uses the daily power of his Hat of Awesome, and then gives the hat to Larissa the Lawful Good, can Larissa use the daily power of the Hat of Awesome that same day (assuming that Larissa has not used any magic item daily power yet)?

 

[Mort_Q]

If Evil Erik uses the daily power of his Hat of Awesome and then is killed by Garth the Good (who takes Erik's stuff, of course), assuming that Garth has not used any magic item daily power yet, does Garth get to use the daily power of the Hat of Awesome that same day, or does Garth have to wait until the next day?

If the next day Garth uses the daily power of his Hat of Awesome, and then gives the hat to Larissa the Lawful Good, can Larissa use the daily power of the Hat of Awesome that same day (assuming that Larissa has not used any magic item daily power yet)?

Interesting.

I'd rule it that Garth can use Erik's hat without waiting, but Larissa would have to wait.

Not supported by the rules perhaps, but certainly supported by the intent of the rules.

 

[brehobit]

Interesting.

I'd rule it that Garth can use Erik's hat without waiting, but Larissa would have to wait.

Not supported by the rules perhaps, but certainly supported by the intent of the rules.

The intro module mentions that if a given item has already been used that day, it can't be used again by anyone until the next day.