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<blockquote data-quote="Puggins" data-source="post: 4046514" data-attributes="member: 12386">I'm going to issue a rebuttal not because I like the 1-1-1-1 system anymore than you do (I don't), but because I think play balance isn't really threatened by the change.The key aspect of this change that precludes it from unbalancing the system in ways that powergamers can exploit is that every character, whether PC or NPC, will be able to exploit the diagonal system.&nbsp; Your Shadowrun example showed a genuine problem with balance- the system allowed a character to make specific choices for his character that allowed him to simply outstrip other PCs and NPCs unless they too made those choices.&nbsp; The Power Attack change for 3.5e&nbsp; exhibited this type of issue- what melee character didn't carry a 2-H weapon anymore, barring very specific prestige classes (dervish, for example).&nbsp; You either carried a greatsword or you looked silly in combat next to the guy who did.This change, on the other hand, will apply equally to all characters, making it far less of a balance issue.&nbsp; The only change in balance I can come up with is that character speed will matter slightly less- a dwarf would now be able to traverse a room in much less time than he used to.&nbsp; So the +10' bonus speed for a barbarian will be worth slightly less, while the 20' base speed dwarves and halflings suffer wouldn't be as painful.&nbsp; And we're talking incremental differences here- 20' base speed would still be a hindrance Compared to 30' or 40' base speed. So I wouldn't worry about balance with this change (famous last words, I know).&nbsp; It's all about the cognitive dissonance for me.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="Puggins, post: 4046514, member: 12386"] I'm going to issue a rebuttal not because I like the 1-1-1-1 system anymore than you do (I don't), but because I think play balance isn't really threatened by the change. The key aspect of this change that precludes it from unbalancing the system in ways that powergamers can exploit is that [i]every character[/i], whether PC or NPC, will be able to exploit the diagonal system. Your Shadowrun example showed a genuine problem with balance- the system allowed a character to make specific choices for his character that allowed him to simply outstrip other PCs and NPCs unless they too made those choices. The Power Attack change for 3.5e exhibited this type of issue- what melee character [i]didn't[/i] carry a 2-H weapon anymore, barring very specific prestige classes (dervish, for example). You either carried a greatsword or you looked silly in combat next to the guy who did. This change, on the other hand, will apply equally to all characters, making it far less of a balance issue. The only change in balance I can come up with is that character speed will matter slightly less- a dwarf would now be able to traverse a room in much less time than he used to. So the +10' bonus speed for a barbarian will be worth slightly less, while the 20' base speed dwarves and halflings suffer wouldn't be as painful. And we're talking incremental differences here- 20' base speed would still be a hindrance Compared to 30' or 40' base speed. So I wouldn't worry about balance with this change (famous last words, I know). It's all about the cognitive dissonance for me. [/QUOTE]

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