Power Based Games

[Mustrum_Ridcully]

This was a question brought up by a player in my group that was wondering if D&D 4 design might also be found in other games. He was focusing more on new games, and basing it on certain concepts that seem to have been introduced in D&D 3E and can now be found in other (not necessarily d20 System) games. For example, the distinction between skills and feats can be found in Warhammer 2e, too, and German RPG The Dark Eye 4e also seems to have similar concepts.

The unique feature to me and him seemed to be D&D 4s "powers".
He speculated that this might influence new games, too.
So, what other games exist with such an approach?
(For purposes of my thread, it is not relevant whether they existed already before D&D 4 or were created later, though it might be interesting to see which games might have influenced each other. I wouldn't claim that 4E was the first to use such a system.)

I think Exalted (at least 2e) and its Charm system might be pretty close to that (Exalted 2e came before 4E D&D). What other games might you come up with?

I am mostly interested in a list of games, not whether it is a good or a bad idea to have that. But if you feel the need to discuss that, who am I to stop anyone? As long as I get that list of games, I am happy.

 

[Doug McCrae]

What is it about 4e powers that makes them unique? The at-will/encounter/daily distinction? Earlier editions of D&D had long lists of at-will and daily powers of course and barbarian rage was once per encounter.

RuneQuest had battle magic and divine magic. Battle magic used up power points (which I think were recovered by rest, not sure) and divine magic was more Vancian fire-and-forget, recovered when you returned to your temple.

In Champions, powers cost Endurance by default, which recovered very rapidly. You could pay more points and make a power cost 0 Endurance which meant it was effectively at-will. Alternatively a power could have limited charges which reduced its point cost, which were usually assumed to recover between adventures or when a hero returned to base. Like a Green Arrow type character might have a sonic attack with only 2 charges to indicate he's only carrying 2 sonic arrows.

Neither of these are quite the same as D&D powers, I admit.

 

[Mustrum_Ridcully]

What is it about 4e powers that makes them unique? The at-will/encounter/daily distinction? Earlier editions of D&D had long lists of at-will and daily powers of course and barbarian rage was once per encounter.

RuneQuest had battle magic and divine magic. Battle magic used up power points (which I think were recovered by rest, not sure) and divine magic was more Vancian fire-and-forget, recovered when you returned to your temple.

In Champions, powers cost Endurance by default, which recovered very rapidly. You could pay more points and make a power cost 0 Endurance which meant it was effectively at-will. Alternatively a power could have limited charges which reduced its point cost, which were usually assumed to recover between adventures or when a hero returned to base. Like a Green Arrow type character might have a sonic attack with only 2 charges to indicate he's only carrying 2 sonic arrows.

Neither of these are quite the same as D&D powers, I admit.

I think the primary thing for me is that everyone gets these powers, including non-spellcasters - and that the variety of powers are among the cruicial, character defining aspects.

A unified progression/system on how to attain powers and how to use them might be a further element. (Which would include 4E at-will/encounter/daily mechanic, but is not limited to it.)

I think something that uses "points" to fuel powers/abilities is already going further away, but I wouldn't see it's entirely out - as long as the mechanic is universal to all characters, I think.

 

[Ariosto]

The "per encounter" category is the most distinctive.

I strongly associate arbitrarily limited uses per period of time with magic (or the "super power" equivalent in Champions). For instance, a paladin could "lay on hands" to heal but once per day.

"A barbarian can fly into a rage a certain number of times per day" is the sort of thing I first encountered in 3E D&D. I understand that a supplement introduced mechanisms similar to 4E "martial exploits". I would not be surprised to learn that 2E had included stuff along that line at some point.

 

[El Mahdi]

I don't play nearly the variety of systems that others here play. Honestly, I'm probably a bit tunnel-visioned on just a few.

I really can't think of any other than the 3E powers playtest of Book of Nine Swords. I think it definitely had the concept of defining a character through their use, but it wasn't universal across all classes, and definitely didn't have the progression mechanics of 4E.

It really does seem like a new evolution in RPG mechanics. Although nothing is developed in a vacuum, and every mechanic seems to have some kind of basis in a previous form, the 4E powers concept seems to be a rather new and unique construct. At least I've never come across anything quite like it.

 

[BloodyBandage]

I think just about any skill based online game today fits this criteria..if I'm reading correctly. Through use of skill you determine what powers get stronger and which don't or get worse. Example of this is early Ultima Online, and Darkall Online today.