Warlock's Curse, Fey Pact and a Bag o'Rats...

[jasin]

Is no one else bothered by the ability itself?
you kill someone so bamf! you teleport? what's the connection?

It bothers me, just like the cleric attack/boost at-will powers.

Eventually, I'll probably be able to rationalize them in a way I'm happy with, but now, I'm definitely agree with those "it's more of a boardgame" comments.

 

[hong]

Especially as apparently, there is no such thing as a 'gamist' RPG (or 'narrativist' and 'simulationist'). The Threefold Model is not for describing games.

As to what it is for -I don't think anyone really knows. My theory is that it exists to prove that the denizens of The Forge are smarter than you.


glass.

Whereas "buttkicker RPG" seems to describe 4E quite well, at least going from the combat bits we've seen so far.

 

[jasin]

"By the sacrifice of blood made in the name of my fey masters, I rend apart the veil between this dreary world and the glorious realm of the fey, where time and distance ripple and writhe like the sea in a storm. The misty paths of the Feywild hold no mysteries to me, and no matter how many foes you place between yourself and me, I will find you."

"... as long as you're within 15 ft.!"

The other problem with this power (IMO) is that it (like almost all teleportation) feels like a high-level power in concept, even if the actual effect is appropriate for it's (low) level.

 

[Wulfram]

But it wouldn't become yours. It's no threat to you and its purpose in being there is to help you. From your PoV it is more an ally than an enemy.

From my PoV I'm plotting to kill it and send it's soul to be a plaything of my inhuman master.

Admittedly it's not personal, but it still seems difficult to characterise as anything but enmity.

The other problem with this power (IMO) is that it (like almost all teleportation) feels like a high-level power in concept, even if the actual effect is appropriate for it's (low) level

I doubt this will be a problem for long. We'll adjust to the new reality presented in the new edition. If anything, I fear these sorts of things will become mundane all too rapidly.

 

[hong]

From my PoV I'm plotting to kill it and send it's soul to be a plaything of my inhuman master.

Admittedly it's not personal, but it still seems difficult to characterise as anything but enmity.

It's a tool.

Kind of like from my PoV I'm plotting to grab a steak from the fridge and grill it to a nice medium-rare, and then eat it. There's no enmity, it's just business.

Besides, if 3E managed to survive the bag o' snails and Whirlwind Attack/Great Cleave, this should be easy.

 

[Chris_Nightwing]

Since all of the Warlock's power is derived from his pact, presumably the almighty powers that provide the teleportation would be unimpressed with his defeating a rat? If there's no threat, does he deserve the boon?

 

[Wulfram]

It's a tool.

Kind of like from my PoV I'm plotting to grab a steak from the fridge and grill it to a nice medium-rare, and then eat it. There's no enmity, it's just business.

Taking such a definition of enmity would cause more problems than it's worth, it seems to me.

That wandering monster that's attacking you - it's just looking for something to eat. Sure, you'd rather it didn't do this, but do either of you really consider each other enemies, or is it just business?

That person you've been hired to assassinate. You've got nothing against him personally, you just need the cash, so is he really any more your enemy than a snail or your intended dinner?

Generally, rather few of the things you'll fight in RPGs are your personal enemies.

Besides, if 3E managed to survive the bag o' snails and Whirlwind Attack/Great Cleave, this should be easy.

I agree this is unlikely to be the thing that kills 4th Edition and bankrupts WotC.

Actually, I rather prefer the concept of a Warlock being able to teleport by sacrificing small furry animals, to them getting teleport as a side effect of defeating people in combat. And not only because I'm not a small furry animal.

 

[jasin]

I doubt this will be a problem for long. We'll adjust to the new reality presented in the new edition. If anything, I fear these sorts of things will become mundane all too rapidly.

Well, yes, that's the problem. It's killing my sense of wonder!

 

[hong]

Taking such a definition of enmity would cause more problems than it's worth, it seems to me.

That wandering monster that's attacking you - it's just looking for something to eat. Sure, you'd rather it didn't do this, but do either of you really consider each other enemies, or is it just business?

That person you've been hired to assassinate. You've got nothing against him personally, you just need the cash, so is he really any more your enemy than a snail or your intended dinner?

Generally, rather few of the things you'll fight in RPGs are your personal enemies.

This is why I prefer the definition of enmity to be one that the universe, in its all-seeing, all-knowing inscrutability, contemplating over the set of all possible definitions, chooses to produce the results best suited to the purposes of narrative and balance, as opposed to trivial matters of world-simulation.

 

[Zimri]

Whats with all the "bags of" ? Curse that germ, or swarm thereof, and inhale. 8)