It also informed '90s style World of Darkness games, in that the origin of pretty much every character type was "misunderstood teen suddenly gains phenomenal supernatural power that allows you to destroy your enemies and get laid all the time, but you're still sad."
Amusingly this is pretty much what I thought when I read Zeuel's post as well!
So true, total dick move by the OP.
Hatee hatee hatee ho!
I had to agree with pemerton on choice 2. There's an assumption across pretty much every type of game that if the game presents you with a starting choice between multiple asymmetric options, those choices should be roughly comparable in terms of total efficacy across a broad spectrum of play ability and play styles. Look at Street Fighter II, which originated the idea of asymmetric character choices in fighting games. Or Starcraft, which (AFAIK) originated the idea of balanced asymmetry in RTS games.
The evolution of complex game types has continued to prioritize the development of balanced asymmetry, which is why 4e's model felt like a natural outgrowth of trends that had already been percolating in other media for some time.
I know pretty much nothing about Starcraft (you're in a spaceship fighter and you shoot at things...probably), but the Street Fighter II analogy seems on point and then the extension into 4e (especially in the assymetrical leveraging of the action economy betwixt classes and builds). I'm going to dovetail from that into what got me thinking about this in the present moment (that isn't to say it is something foreign to me, only topical with my present gaming).
So it looks like we're potentially going to transition our (what would be 7th level assuming the PCs survive) Dungeon World game to 4e (PCs built at late paragon; 19th level). In Dungeon World, one of the PCs is an Elf Arcane Duelist with multi into Wizard (attached). Basically that is a 1 page character sheet (the wizard moves and spells in the spellbook makes up the rest). The character, in terms of the play procedures of Dungeon World interfacing with the PC build scheme, is not complex at all. It is a powerful character with dynamic options, no doubt. However, the simple (not simplistic) and 1st order nature of Dungeon World play procedures ensure that balance is brutally transparent (intraparty and PC:monster) and intuitive. There is no initiative nor action economy so we can easily resolve player invoked moves just by consulting the fiction and creating danger, defying danger, resolving melee skirmishers (etc etc) with trivial ease. Consequently, there is never a threat that the system will go off the rails balance-wise (due to complex PC build synergies, novas, or action economy hijinx).
Consider the PC that was built for the transition to 4e:
[sblock]====== Created Using Wizards of the Coast D&D Character Builder ======
Otthor, level 19
Wood Elf, Wizard (Bladesinger), Spellstorm Mage
Blade Magic Option: Rapier
Background: Occupation - Military (+2 to Athletics)
Theme: Guardian
FINAL ABILITY SCORES
STR 14, CON 14, DEX 20, INT 22, WIS 14, CHA 10
STARTING ABILITY SCORES
STR 12, CON 12, DEX 14, INT 16, WIS 13, CHA 9
AC: 34 Fort: 31 Ref: 31 Will: 32
HP: 116 Surges: 9 Surge Value: 29
TRAINED SKILLS
Acrobatics +19, Arcana +20, Athletics +17, Endurance +15, Heal +16, Nature +18
UNTRAINED SKILLS
Bluff +11, Diplomacy +11, Dungeoneering +13, History +17, Insight +15, Intimidate +13, Perception +17, Religion +17, Stealth +19, Streetwise +11, Thievery +15
POWERS
Basic Attack: Melee Basic Attack
Basic Attack: Ranged Basic Attack
Guardian Attack: Guardian's Counter
Elf Racial Power: Elven Accuracy
Wizard Utility: Suggestion
Wizard Utility: Spook
Wizard Utility: Mage Hand
Wizard Utility: Bladesong
Wizard Attack: Unseen Hand
Wizard Attack: Dazzling Sunray
Wizard Attack: Lightning Ring
Wizard Attack 1: Thunderwave
Wizard Attack 1: Glorious Presence
Wizard Attack 1: Charm of Misplaced Wrath
Wizard Attack 1: Magic Missile
Wizard Utility 2: Herbal Healing
Wizard Utility 2: Moonstride
Wizard Attack 3: Color Spray
Wizard Attack 3: Icy Rays
Wizard Utility 6: Fire Shield
Heal Utility (2 as 6): Iron Resurgence
Wizard Attack 7: Fire Sea Travel
Wizard Attack 7: Lightning Bolt
Wizard Utility 10: Arcane Gate
Wizard Utility 10: Mass Resistance
Endurance Utility 10: Enter the Crucible
Spellstorm Mage Attack 11: Storm Cage
Spellstorm Mage Utility 12: Sudden Storm
Wizard Attack 13: Dark Gathering
Wizard Attack 13: Prismatic Burst
Elf Utility 16: Communion
Wizard Attack 17: Wand Coupling
Wizard Attack 17: Dancing Flames
FEATS
Level 1: Brawling Warrior
Level 2: Encouraging Shield
Level 4: War Wizard's Expertise
Level 6: Stout Shield
Level 8: Improved Defenses
Level 10: Jack of All Trades
Level 11: Armor Proficiency: Hide
Level 12: Striking Resurgence
Level 14: Deft Blade
Level 16: Battle Awareness
Level 18: Agile Athlete
ITEMS
Ring of Fury x1
Bracers of Mighty Striking (paragon tier) x1
Acrobat Boots x1
Elven Cloak +4 x1
Feral Feyhide Armor +4 x1
Strikebacks x1
Battlemaster's Rapier +4 x1
Belt of Breaching x1
Pennant Helm x1
Master's Wand of Thunderwave +1 x1
====== End ======[/sblock]
Now he and I have been down this road before as he played an Eladrin Bladesinger in my last 1-30 game (reskinned Monk for Heroic). This build has its share of differences but there are going to be some inevitable similarities. My 4e games feature 2 combats per day (generally). Just perusing this, this character is going to be looking at (non-standard action) action economy stuff like this:
No Actions:
* AW Bladespell triggered on MBA during your turn
* 7 Lightning damage to all enemies within 10 sq on Bloodied
* Spend HS and teleport 5 sq when reducing enemy to 0
Free Actions:
* 1/encounter reroll attack
* 1/encounter + 1 to hit or AC
* 1/day Thunderwave after Wand Coupling Daily
* 1/day make 2 MBAs when Bloodied
Opportunity Actions:
* Basically an endless supply of MBA ripostes while Bladesong is active (which will be nearly every round of the day)
Immediate Actions:
* 1/encounter MBA after attack on ally or enemy shift
* 1/encounter shift adjacent to ally, eat attack intended for them, then MBA triggering enemy
* 1/encounter MBA when adjacent enemy hits you
* 1/encounter shift 2 and EoYNT (instead of Fire Shield) when enemy moves adjacent
Minor Actions:
* 2/per encounter Bladesong for 4 rounds/combat (recharges as minor actions with 2 dailies)
* 3/per day MBA after spell (1.5/encounter)
* 1/encounter ally gets HP = HS and you get a bunch of temp HP
* 1/encounter you make save and use Second Wind which gives a Free Action (hijinx) MBA + spend HS
* 1/day spend HS for resist 10 all rest encounter and no Weakness
* 1/day Fire Shield - 10 cold/fire resist and 2d6 + 6 fire damage 1/turn when attacked (further action economy stuff)
* 1/day Mass Resistance or Arcane Gate
* AW stand up from prone
* 1/day spend an HS, gain no HP but all allies can spend HS
Might have missed something, but I think I got it all. Holy crap (and the 2nd PC is a Ranger!). Now this isn't remotely daunting in terms of mental overhead and table handling time for us (we can move through 4e combats swiftly and, rather than being a problem for pacing, off-turn damage actions amplify that speed). I'm not engaging the conversation on those grounds. I'm just looking at this from (1) and Initiative (nova with AP)/Action Economy and (2) PC build complexity perspective. In light of the above, 4e is an amazing piece of engineering. The encounter budgeting system is robust to all of those complexities, those synergies, and action economy hijinx. Truly marvelous.
But consider just how many vectors must be considered, how many 2nd and 3rd order interactions must be considered in order to keep the thing from going UTTERLY wobbly to the point of flat out unplayability.
The analog to the DW character in Cortex + Fantasy Heroic would be a cinch. It has different play procedures from DW, but the PC build mechanics, the simplified turn (action/reaction), and building of dice pools pretty much all work together to ensure that things stay as far away from "borked territory" as possible.
Ok, I'll stop now. This is what inspired me to write the lead post. D&D's initiative, action economy, and complex PC build mechanics are part of its core appeal. But make no mistake, that core appeal is equal parts devil (balance implications) and angel (fun and player agency).