Power Play: Martial

[Phaezen]

New short article for today which ties together class and skill powers, awesome work Ari.

Basically 3 powers for each of the martial classes, to qualify for the powers you need to be trained in a specific skill.

The Fighter powers key off endurance and provide resistance of temporary hitpoints. The Ranger powers use athletics, 2 are beast, the beast powers are charges with followup attacks by your beast and the third is a jumping attack which knocks the target prone. Rogue powers use acrobatics and are very interesting, darting strike is an opportunity action, tumbling stike is a minor action and reaching blade is a stance. The warlord powers need a trained intimidate and have nice flavour to them, canceling a mark on an ally or providing combat advantage.

 

[NMcCoy]

A Reliable daily power with an Effect? Is that kosher?

Other than that nitpick, I'm quite liking these, especially the rogue opportunity attack.

 

[Cadfan]

The reliable daily with the effect actually works. The effect is a bonus that lasts until the end of the encounter, so there's no advantage to be had in activating it multiple times.

 

[Intrope]

The reliable daily with the effect actually works. The effect is a bonus that lasts until the end of the encounter, so there's no advantage to be had in activating it multiple times.

But if you miss, the Effect will occur--and then you could save the Daily for a later encounter!

 

[Cadfan]

But if you miss, the Effect will occur--and then you could save the Daily for a later encounter!

Hmm, you're right.

 

[MrMyth]

Brazen Assault is honestly cause for concern to begin with - a really powerful effect (Resist 5 for an encounter) (with decent damage to boot) with a level 5 power you can get back via Salve of Power. Adding Reliable completely breaks it, and I have to imagine is a mistake; that said, even without the Reliable issue, it is the one poorly conceived power in an otherwise excellent selection of flavorful abilities.

 

[Matt James]

I think the only saving grace is that Salves of Power are pretty expensive until you get to high-levels. If managing the system efficiently, PCs should not have a stockpile of salves unless they are seriously deficient in other areas (due to saving money for the salves).

 

[FireLance]

The cost to brazen assault is that you grant combat advantage to all attacks, so effectively, the trade-off is -2 to all defenses for resist 5 all. Good when you're facing hordes of minions, not so good when you're more worried about conditions than straight damage.

I'm still not too fond of Reliable powers that have effects, but this one is borderline acceptable in my view.

 

[MrMyth]

I think the only saving grace is that Salves of Power are pretty expensive until you get to high-levels. If managing the system efficiently, PCs should not have a stockpile of salves unless they are seriously deficient in other areas (due to saving money for the salves).

Sure - but a problem only being an issue at higher levels is still an issue. Mid-Paragon tier, a character could stock-pile enough Salves to have this power in every fight, and Resist 5 all day long is pretty strong - especially since, by then, there are ways to reduce the penalties from combat advantage. (And even without, -2 Defenses is an easy trade to make for Resist 5 to all damage.

Even at low levels, this puts the Battlerager back pretty close to impervious for a fight. Conditions might still be an issue, but it is still a bit more durability than I am comfortable with. And, of course, prone to abuse as long as it has the Reliable tag. If the Resist only lasted until the end of your next turn, I'd have a lot less of an issue with it, honestly.

 

[Mouseferatu]

Hey, guys.

Brazen assault works differently post-development than it did in my turnover, and while I like the power better now that development's tweaked it--it's frankly more interesting than my original*--I actually agree that it should no longer be reliable. I don't think the tradeoff between "resist 5 all" and "combat advantage" is as slanted as some of you do, but I do agree that there's abuse potential.

I've e-mailed my concerns to Chris. Hope you at least enjoyed the rest of the article.

*(Truth be told, I'm actually not satisfied with my ability at creating PC powers so far. I've spent most of 4E so far focused on DM-side material, and while I prefer that sort of material, and expect to continue focusing on it, I'd like to improve my PC-side stuff as well.)