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<blockquote data-quote="CapnZapp" data-source="post: 4608963" data-attributes="member: 12731">The core of the issue here is that &quot;iconic abilities&quot; if defined as &quot;bypassing hp&quot; are inherently unbalanced.That's why 3E Disintegrate was changed from a save-or-die spell into a damage-dealing spell.Frankly, I'm surprised effects like this petrifying gaze are still around in 4E. Didn't the designers learn their lesson?The difference between failing one save and dying, and failing three saves over three rounds and dying, is merely the amount of bad luck you have. The result (you being taken out of the fight without getting to use up all your healing resources first) is the same, and just as undesirable.Instead, this gaze should do something along the lines of &quot;3d8+7 petrifying damage&quot;, where &quot;petrifying damage&quot; obviously is a damage type with no known counter/resistance.Then, when you're out of hit points and death saves, what happens when you die can differ from normal. (That is, you turn to stone instead).Exactly as was the case for Disintegrate. The game mechanic was identical to any other kind of damage, only when you died, you were disintegrated (which brought its own inconveniences).This &quot;fail three saves in a row&quot; deal might not be percieved as scary. But more importantly, it's functionally equivalent to the old save or die mechanism. If you thought that was broken, this is too.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="CapnZapp, post: 4608963, member: 12731"] The core of the issue here is that "iconic abilities" if defined as "bypassing hp" are inherently unbalanced. That's why 3E Disintegrate was changed from a save-or-die spell into a damage-dealing spell. Frankly, I'm surprised effects like this petrifying gaze are still around in 4E. Didn't the designers learn their lesson? The difference between failing one save and dying, and failing three saves over three rounds and dying, is merely the amount of bad luck you have. The result (you being taken out of the fight without getting to use up all your healing resources first) is the same, and just as undesirable. Instead, this gaze should do something along the lines of "3d8+7 petrifying damage", where "petrifying damage" obviously is a damage type with no known counter/resistance. Then, when you're out of hit points and death saves, what happens when you die can differ from normal. (That is, you turn to stone instead). Exactly as was the case for Disintegrate. The game mechanic was identical to any other kind of damage, only when you died, you were disintegrated (which brought its own inconveniences). This "fail three saves in a row" deal might not be percieved as scary. But more importantly, it's functionally equivalent to the old save or die mechanism. If you thought that was broken, this is too. [/QUOTE]

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