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Message: <blockquote data-quote="RyvenCedrylle" data-source="post: 4641463" data-attributes="member: 66726">I think having a penalty to a failed check is problematic because you've only balanced the possibilities, not the actualities.  That is, a character who is built correctly to make certain attacks is going to get the benefit far more often than the penalty and can spam 'better' powers by twinking.  I'm not terribly dead-set on 4E's balance in the first place, and so I don't have much trouble with it.  It's not in the spirit of the game, though, so here's a similar but related idea. Steal a page from the new Dresden Files RPG (and yes, I know other systems do this as well) and introduce a modified Compel.  In Dresden, a Compel requires the character to get him or herself into a bad situation in order to get another 'fate point' or whatever it's called.  If you want the extra oomph, you have to put yourself in a place where you're going to need it.  This can be anything from say, an Aunt May-type character (like the GURPS Dependent Disadvantage) to playing out your character's overconfidence.  ("I want the extra bonus die for something later, so I'll charge these three mooks by myself like an idiot now to get it.") Returning to 4E, you want to use Tide of Iron to knock the guy prone?  Fine, you lose your shield bonus to AC until start of your next turn.  It just happens.  And then if you hit, you get to knock the guy down automatically.  Again, it just happens.  This way, the characters still have a reasonable incentive to 'stunt' so long as the drawbacks are slightly less severe than the advantages, but you shouldn't (I think) end up with characters twinked to spam out At-Wills that have the oomph of Encounter Powers</blockquote>

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