6E Theory Theory Craft: Should Nova Abilities Be Cut?

[Zardnaar]

A 2 hour combat as part of a 27 hour session? We should all be so lucky...

In my current game I have had a few multi-session combats, but its that sort of campaign, very tactical and inspired by Fire Emblem.

In that game I have been using a system that falls between 4e and 5eand I can say Nova as a strategy has not been super helpful. I dont typically allow for constant resting and it basically always comes with some sort of consequence when done mid-mission at least for now, most of my players build for attrition.

Yeah it was a once off thing.

Back then we would start 10 or 11 am, mum wild bring in baked goods and we played through to whenever usually the evening.

That night we just kept going. Finished early afternoon the next day.

 

[Coroc]

So my hypothetical simple balanced D&D is 10 lvls and cuts dailies and short rest/encounter stuff.

No dailies, encounter powers, action surge. Basically there will always be a problem of a group having thrm available vs ones that dont (they're on cool down).

You can roflstomp the monsters to easily. 4E it msthibslky speeds you up. Either way the result is mostly pre ordained.

If you built a very simple prototype for testing (4 races, 4 classes potentially race=class again).

Each class gets 1 attack. Damage scales lvl 5 and 10. Wizards have a basic elemental blast. Havent thought to hard about AoE.

Encounter powers might need to be added. No rest required. They're fairly basic. Fireball for example would be 4d6 damage maybe 5. Theyre fixed each class gets two combat ones. No more than 4 total eg second wind might make it through.

Monster hp goes back to 3.0 levels. Tweaked. If ability scores get cut maybe back to 2E levels maybe marginally more.

A big bad might be equivalent roughly a adult dragon in 5.5. Monsters top out there probably less hp.

Thoughts on resurrection of B/X ability scores. +1 bonus 13-15, +2 16, 17 18 +3.

So thats it. 10 levels, no moving parts as such maybe you get a choice of weapon styles or weapon masteries or what type of elemental damage you want to use.

Magic tops out at 3rd to 5th level and its fixed. Want different spells new class. A blasting wizard maybe gets 2 cantrips fireball and fly. Witch might deal psychic damage and some fixed control spells.

Martials deal more damage plus skills, spellcasters get 1 maybe 2 utility things on top of basic cantrip level stuff.

No choices beyond class and race minor class abilities.

If youre using bounded accuracy ability scores are to high. Potentially bring back +3 ceiling vs +5.

Monster hp bloat nuked from orbit.

Monsters kind of hybrid 4E/5.5 but 3.0 level hit points. PC damage is vastly lower.

Nova abilities drastically reigned in or eliminated.

How do you include bound accuracy into this? I did not calculate your numbers exactly, but i believe BA will not be possibly with your simplified system, meaning e.g. by omitting damage spikes and over the top abilities (like action surge or dailies like you say) you can never throw something a bit overwhelming at the group.

 

[Zardnaar]

How do you include bound accuracy into this? I did not calculate your numbers exactly, but i believe BA will not be possibly with your simplified system, meaning e.g. by omitting damage spikes and over the top abilities (like action surge or dailies like you say) you can never throw something a bit overwhelming at the group.

BA is more accuracy vs damage. Theres no BA for that.

5.5 stuff hits like a truck.