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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Alex319" data-source="post: 4658099" data-attributes="member: 45678">To continue the discussion and analogy above, we can think of the problem in the following way. There are two basic ways that a game system can try to enable more flavor/creativity/variety in character design and construction:Decreasing Type A Balance:The system can be designed in such a way that it is okay for players to have wildly varying power and still all have fun. (In the restaurant analogy, this is increasing your food budget so you can go to a more expensive restaurant.) This is possible, but still good. One way of doing this is to increase character specialization, so even a weaker character is still probably specialized in at least one area that nobody else in the party is. The pitfall with this is that it tends to put the onus on the DM to make sure that everyone has a chance to shine, and requires the players' willingness to accept an uneven distribution of power.Increasing Type B Balance:The system can be designed in such a way that there is a large variety of flavor choices that can be made that don't have much impact on power. Then players can get the flavor they want without sacrificing balance. (In the restaurant analogy, this is analogous to getting discounts at restaurants or cooking the food at home so it is cheaper.) There are lots of ways to do this. Here is a (non-exhaustive) list:Effect-based power building: This method allows players to build the power they want, with its cost determined by its effects. Then players can choose whatever "flavor" they want, but it is still balanced because they have to pay based on the effects. The HERO System and GURPS use this method.Free reskinning: This method uses a list of existing powers like those in 4e, but says that you can describe them however you want, and as long as they have the same mechanical effects as before you can use it the same way. For example, if you want to be a Ranger that fires off ranged attacks in the form of magic, perhaps you could declare some or all of your bow powers to be "magic," and as long as it works the same way it did before then there is no loss in balance.</blockquote>

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