Oh wow. Countdown to Essentials

[ggroy]

Notice how wizards are getting a boost to their encounter powers? Hmmmm, kinda makes you think...

Wonder if they're changing the wizard daily power "flaming sphere", into an encounter power.

 

[Zaran]

I think its much simpler. Do this experiment (yes you can do this at home, don't worry it won't cause you to explode like our friendly wizard here : Replace your fighter's daily powers with encounter powers. For this experiment you can just use encounter powers of the next higher level or the next lower level, it won't matter much.

I don't think there is room in the Essentials line to have alot of encounter powers either. I think Essentials characters will have level 1 choices for powers and will have some kind of ability to kick them up a notch like the psionic powers. Mearls said they got ideas from the power point system. So I conclude that Essentials will not be as useful to experienced gamers.

 

[doctorhook]

There's really no point in buying any books. You spend a lot of money on books (they are quite expensive even through amazon) and they become obsolete a few months later when a whole new batch of rules updates nerfs a good chunk of the crunch. QA must be a really low priority for WotC, because I see little evidence of it in their products.

Nice try, but I won't fall for your hyperbolic flame-baiting!

 

[Dungeoneer]

I applaud WotC for realizing that the advent of the digital age means they can be constantly honing and fine-tuning the rules of the game. This is an advantage previous editions have not had, and they should embrace it.

 

[Mustrum_Ridcully]

I think its much simpler. Do this experiment (yes you can do this at home, don't worry it won't cause you to explode like our friendly wizard here : Replace your fighter's daily powers with encounter powers. For this experiment you can just use encounter powers of the next higher level or the next lower level, it won't matter much.

Is this character significantly different in power level? No, not really. He's trading say a level 1 daily power he can use ONCE in 5 or so encounters for an encounter power he can use every time. Furthermore without the daily resource he's actually more likely to get those multiple uses out of it. There is a slightly different balance between encounter and daily powers for other classes, this might not work with wizards for example, but it is a pretty viable concept and is dirt simple to implement (Essentials can simply implement encounter powers for levels 5, 9, etc for these classes).

Notice how wizards are getting a boost to their encounter powers? Hmmmm, kinda makes you think...

There is a difference, unfortunately. What if there was only 2 encounters per day? Or just one? What if there are 6 easy ones and 1 really hard?

That's why encounters and dailies are equally available across all classes in 4E. It means that it doens't matter how the encounters are distributed across hours and days, everyone is affected the same.

That's why it would surprise me if they actually removed any concept of a daily resource from a class. I am not discounting the possibility that they do, but it would surprise me and I am interested in the mechanic and rationale.

Edit:
Also I think you underestimate the value of an extra encounter power. Encounter Powers are not as strong as Dailies, but the difference is not that big. But Dailies have not just compared to individual encounter powers, but to the fact that if you have Dailies, you have more powers available for one encounter. You don't choose between the encounter and the daily power, you use both.

 

[Votan]

There is a difference, unfortunately. What if there was only 2 encounters per day? Or just one? What if there are 6 easy ones and 1 really hard?

In Star Wars Saga they made all force powers, as far as I recall, encounter powers. This actually worked really well as it smoothed out the use of daily powers across encounters. It's only an issue if they mix the two approaches (some classes have dailies, others do not) but it might be interesting to see if the essentials classes are purely at will and encounter powers . . .

 

[UngeheuerLich]

daily powers is what makes the combat interesting... and what makes going on or resting a meaningful choice...

 

[doctorhook]

daily powers is what makes the combat interesting...

I'll agree that resource management "are" an interesting aspect of combat, but there's no way it's the only one; if it was, D&D would merely be a fancy game of bridge.

and what makes going on or resting a meaningful choice...

Not really, though. Where's the meaningful choice in, "Continue on without your strongest abilities, or stop to rest and recover them?" This leads to what's called "The Five-Minute Workday".

 

[ExploderWizard]

Not really, though. Where's the meaningful choice in, "Continue on without your strongest abilities, or stop to rest and recover them?" This leads to what's called "The Five-Minute Workday".

The people you need to rescue are killed and eaten.

The orc war party has left their camp and ransacked the helpless village.

The evil NPC that needed to be killed before he assassinated the mayor.

The dwarven mining crew who ran out of oxygen while awaiting a dig out.


I would call these situations meaningful.

 

[SkidAce]

Not really, though. Where's the meaningful choice in, "Continue on without your strongest abilities, or stop to rest and recover them?"

The meaningful choice is when you press on without your best ability due to a perceived risk versus reward and you surmount the odds and win!

Player 1: Hey remember that time we were in the dungeon of uber death and all we had left was our at wills?

Player 2: Yeah, Orcus came through the door and we though we were toast.

Player 3: Yup, three of us were down and out when Bob's paladin swung that last blow!

Player 4 (Bob): That was sweet...

I exaggerate but you get the gist of what I mean. And sometimes you will press on (choosing...poorly) and lose. That makes the winning times even better.