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Message: <blockquote data-quote="RangerWickett" data-source="post: 5026239" data-attributes="member: 63">I dunno. I personally prefer the older style, where how you were most effective in a fight depended on where your talents lay. So if you were strong, you wanted to hit hard with big things. If you were nimble, you wanted to hit and run or fight from afar. If you were big enough, you could just grab someone and take the hits as you slowly crushed them. Mental abilities generally only helped with planning or subterfuge, or with magic.Now, it wasn't as balanced then as it is now, but it fit the way I envision combat better. If I could revise 4e with regards to ability scores in combat, I might consider creating a list of combat powers for each ability score, and have them available to any class. That would require tons of rewrites, though, and probably an overhaul of the existing class system. Maybe there would still be classes, but they'd work different. The Striker class would offer a variety of class abilities to increase damage - sneak attack (prereq: Dex 15), divine aim a la avenger (prereq: Wis 15), arcane power a la sorcerer (but it affects all your attacks, prereq: Cha 15), brute strength (extra [w] of damage per attack, prereq: Str 15).The Defender class would likewise offer different marking options based on what stat you focus in. Leader would enhance the party in different ways (not quite sure how this works, though; how does being nimble make your allies better in combat?). You could sort of 'multi-class' too, if you had high stats in two different abilities. It would give you a reason to go for two 16s instead of an 18 and a 12.As for powers, you'd have Str powers that targeted AC and let you use your strength in different ways: pushes, slides, knock prone, high [w] damage, 'reaping strike' style hits, and so on. You'd have a few weaker options that involve heavy thrown weapons.Dex powers would either focus on nimble melee (giving bonuses when attacking with light weapons, shifting a lot, making multiple light attacks, targeting Ref), or precision ranged attacks (ignoring cover and concealment, extra damage if you aim, multiple attacks again, etc.). Also a fair number of reaction or interrupt defensive powers.Con powers would be about using your size and durability. Lots of grappling. Smash enemies against each other or against walls and floors. Throw them. Pin them. Bonus saves to avoid physical ailments.Int powers might be based on inflicting conditions. Mostly they'd be minor actions that let you make follow-up secondary attacks if you hit with a primary attack using another power. Like you spend a minor action to aim your next arrow for his knee to slow him. Or you apply poison to your blade, or pin him in a sleeper hold, and so on. Also giving good tactics to your allies.Wis powers might let you figure out your opponents' moves to get bonuses against them, or to notice weak spots. Maybe some reactions so that if an opponent attacks and misses, you can inflict conditions. Think judo. Probably a lot of defensive powers. A good support ability score, but hard to use on the offensive. Sort of like playing blue/white in Magic: the Gathering.Cha powers are showy or deceptive, and like with Int they'd mostly be minor actions that enhance your other powers. Feints, sliding foes by 'tricking them into moving,' demoralizing them. Also bolstering your allies.Sorry for the tangent there.For your original idea, I am intrigued by the idea of a strong wizard who somehow creates fire with his muscles, but I guess if you do that, ability scores lose all their point. Aside from the occasional skill check, what mechanical impact do they have? I mean, sure, from a flavor perspective, saying "I create fire with my muscles" is different from "I create fire with my keen understanding of arcane lore," but mechanically there's no difference between the Str-wizard and the Int-wizard. So if there's no difference, why have ability scores in the first place?</blockquote>

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