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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Gadget" data-source="post: 3053147" data-attributes="member: 23716">You know, I’ve seen this sentiment come up more than once before, and it seems to represent a fundamental misunderstanding of what ‘encounter based’ balancing is all about.  The nebulous definition of an ‘encounter’ is precisely what makes the term so appropriate.  There is no mechanism that requires you to define and ‘encounter’ in this paradigm.  None of the abilities that use this model say something along the lines of “you may use this power X times per encounter.”  The Warlock is an example of  ‘encounter based’ balancing and—love the warlock or hate it-- the imperfect definition of ‘encounter’ does not have the remotest effect on how to play one or determine when its abilities come into play.  So too the incarnate, binder and martial adept from the Tome of Battle.  Even psonic focus falls within ‘encounter based’ balancing and is a long way more elegant than the standard ‘X times per day’ mechanic.  All ‘encounter’ based means is that certain abilities will be, roughly, about as effective in one encounter as the last one.  Usually there is some opportunity cost in regaining use of powers that would discourage, but not completely prevent, one from re-using or replenishing powers/abilities in the same encounter.   As an example, spending a full round action to regain psonic focus is not something many characters are going to want to do in the midst of an ‘encounter’, but under some circumstances they might whish to do so one or more times.Back to Monte’s thoughts, I think I have seen similar suggestions on these boards for years.  Depending on how it is done it could be very flavorful and evocative.  I think some here are inventing straw men of ‘endless magic missile machines’ when none have been proposed.  Others have brought up, and if I read Monte’s article properly, so has he, that these would be relatively minor abilities at the level they are received.  I would think that, by the time a Wizard was high enough in level to have the ‘endless magic missile’ ability, it would not matter much in the Grand Scheme of things.</blockquote>

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