D&D 4E New 4e Info! GAMA Tradeshow Scoop

[hong]

Hold on. Does this power mean that if an ally 5 squares away is targeted with a melee attack, you can get hit by the attack instead? How am I supposed to explain that in-game?

Man, I'm starting to feel like the Derren of divine powers.

? It's basically a paladin's shield other.

 

[Mustrum_Ridcully]

Hold on. Does this power mean that if an ally 5 squares away is targeted with a melee attack, you can get hit by the attack instead? How am I supposed to explain that in-game?

Man, I'm starting to feel like the Derren of divine powers.

If that is true, I need a context-sensitive ignore list. I hope ENWorld 2 can pull that off.

This is definitely a magic (divine) ability. Comparable to Shield Other, maybe.

Edit: Ninja'd by hong!

 

[Fifth Element]

? It's basically a paladin's shield other.

Yeah, I suppose this is mostly a problem with how it's described. You're not described as taking the damage from the attack, the attack is described as missing the target and hitting you instead. This one really isn't a problem on reflection.

 

[WhatGravitas]

Man, I'm starting to feel like the Derren of divine powers.

I feel that as well, at least sometimes. I have that image of the OotS Thor in my head, randomly hitting people with "buff lightning bolts", trying to hit the cleric/paladin with them...

I would've preferred these mini-buffs as additional powers, that are standard/move actions and can be used as minors in conjunction with basic attacks/smites/whatever.

Well, I can get over it... but it still smacks me as weird.

Though the "Strike Me Instead" is pretty easily explained and doesn't bother me at all.

Cheers, LT.

 

[Fifth Element]

I would've preferred these mini-buffs as additional powers, that are standard/move actions and can be used as minors in conjunction with basic attacks/smites/whatever.

Something I'm considering for house rules is making the "add-on" effects of divine powers minor actions. Assuming I can work it without unbalancing things. One of the problems I have is that if the add-ons are associated with a specific attack, you won't be able to use that add-on in combat without either giving up your attack (assuming you don't need to actually attack to get the benefit), or making an attack that you don't want to (or are unable to) use.

That is, if I can use attack A and produce add-on A, or I can use attack B and produce add-on B, assuming add-ons A and B are roughly the same value, why can't I use attack A and produce add-on B? If it really is a quick prayer to my deity, why is the add-on effect determined by the form of the attack?

This is what I mean by the disconnect between cause and effect for divine powers. If I want to use a specific buff, why am I restricted in the attack I can use at the same time, if the buff is only supposed to represent a prayer to my deity? I'm talking more about clerics here, since I can sort of see it for paladins. "Sorry, my son, but I cannot grant your ally extra vitality right now, since you attacked with your mace instead of holy fire. But I can give him a nifty bonus to defence!"

 

[Kwalish Kid]

Ioun's philosophy is that the only way to transcend the imperfections of mortal existence is to meditate on the mysteries of the cosmos.

You forgot about the part of making rocks orbit your head. That`s a big part of Ioun`s philosophy.

 

[hong]

You forgot about the part of making rocks orbit your head. That`s a big part of Ioun`s philosophy.

They're the meditation aids!

 

[cangrejoide]

You bestow healing power on your weapon...so why doesn't it heal the opponent you hit with it? I'm still bothered by this disconnect for divine powers. Your weapon is imbued with healing power, so that when it hits something...an ally 50 feet away gains some hit points? There's a gulf between cause and effect that bothers me. I understand the game design reasons for it, I just don't know if I'll ever be comfortable with it.

The way I see it's no more healing than boosting morale. If you see hit points as your characters 'morale' & 'will to fight', it makes sense that when you witness the paladin striking the enemy you should regaing hit points. In this case the paladin is more 'inspiring you to fight' than healing your actual wounds.

YMMV.

Healing Font • Hospitaler Utility 12
A short prayer bestows your weapon with Healing power, so that whenever it strikes an enemy it heals an ally.
Daily • Divine, Healing
Minor Action • Personal
Effect: Until the end of this encounter, when you attack on your turn and hit at least one enemy, you heal an ally. Choose one ally within 10 squares of you. That ally regains a number of hit points equal to 1d6 [?] you Wisdom modifier.

Life-Giving Smite • Hospitaler Attack 20
You ? your weapon with radiant power, and as you strike at a foe the power of the attack heals an ally.
Daily • Divine, Healing Radiant, Weapon
Standard Action • Melee Weapon
Target: One Creature
Attack: Charisma vs. Fortitude
Effect: Choose one ally within 10 squares of you. The ally can spend a healing surge. Add your Charisma modifier to the hit points regained.


.

The main problem is they use the word 'healing', which just confuses people. But then its the word they have used always, why change it now.

Actually if you play Lord of the Rings online you will realize hps=morale.

I actually like this conceptualization a lot. And I rather like the focus on hit point abstraction the 4th edition is heading.

 

[katahn]

The "hit points ~= morale" argument also opens up the door for more kinds of "leaders" than just straight up cleric/healers which is also good. It allows for the martial leader (warlord) and the arcane leader (bard) as well as others. Players might not like the specific instantiation of an archetype such as a cleric, but might like the general playstyle of the role. So count me in the camp that hit points aren't just health, or health is perhaps a smaller overall part of hit points than before, as being a very good thing.

 

[Fifth Element]

The way I see it's no more healing than boosting morale. If you see hit points as your characters 'morale' & 'will to fight', it makes sense that when you witness the paladin striking the enemy you should regaing hit points. In this case the paladin is more 'inspiring you to fight' than healing your actual wounds.

I am overjoyed, in fact, that hit points are no longer just physical wounds, mechanically. I think the real problem in that case is how it's described. It says your weapon is imbued with healing energy, or whatever. This goes against the morale-boosting interpretation.

So much of my problem is that there may be a whole lot of the flavour/description text for divine powers I'll just have to ignore completely.