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<blockquote data-quote="Staffan" data-source="post: 8602724" data-attributes="member: 907">Here's how I see it: if you can do Cool Stuff all day long, said Stuff can't be all that Cool. If you want the Really Cool Stuff, there has to be some limit on how often you can use it, or you'll just use it all the time and then it just becomes silly and routine. For example, see the 3e fighter specializing in Spiked Chain, Combat Reflexes and Improved Trip, who'll knock down anyone getting near him and then step away. When the opponent stands up, they get another smack, and can't full-attack the fighter. That being as good a tactic as it is (even though there are counters) is silly, and the main problem is that it's an unlimited-use thing. Or, to use a 5e example, since getting into position to use the Rogue's Sneak attack is super easy, barely an inconvenience, it can't be all that strong. And indeed, a sneak attacking rogue deals more or less the same damage as an offense-focused fighter.So, if you don't want people to do that kind of thing all the time, you need to put some limit on it. For example, you could limit the Cool Stuff by making it a limited resource. This is the path taken by 4e, where Cool Stuff is either an encounter power or a daily power, and by the 5e Battlemaster which limits the Cool Stuff by using superiority dice. But for some things, that can feel artificial, so instead you want to limit it situationally. But combat is fluid, and D&amp;D abstracts a fair bit of it away. So using the attack roll as the trigger for what Cool Stuff you can do represents what openings you get to do your stuff.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="Staffan, post: 8602724, member: 907"] Here's how I see it: if you can do Cool Stuff all day long, said Stuff can't be all that Cool. If you want the Really Cool Stuff, there has to be some limit on how often you can use it, or you'll just use it all the time and then it just becomes silly and routine. For example, see the 3e fighter specializing in Spiked Chain, Combat Reflexes and Improved Trip, who'll knock down anyone getting near him and then step away. When the opponent stands up, they get another smack, and can't full-attack the fighter. That being as good a tactic as it is (even though there are counters) is silly, and the main problem is that it's an unlimited-use thing. Or, to use a 5e example, since getting into position to use the Rogue's Sneak attack is super easy, barely an inconvenience, it can't be all that strong. And indeed, a sneak attacking rogue deals more or less the same damage as an offense-focused fighter. So, if you don't want people to do that kind of thing all the time, you need to put some limit on it. For example, you could limit the Cool Stuff by making it a limited resource. This is the path taken by 4e, where Cool Stuff is either an encounter power or a daily power, and by the 5e Battlemaster which limits the Cool Stuff by using superiority dice. But for some things, that can feel artificial, so instead you want to limit it situationally. But combat is fluid, and D&D abstracts a fair bit of it away. So using the attack roll as the trigger for what Cool Stuff you can do represents what openings you get to do your stuff. [/QUOTE]

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