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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Noinarap" data-source="post: 4039613" data-attributes="member: 59730">The exception-based monster design may be the key to more variety. If there is no worry that PC-monster symmetry must exist, each monster type is free to have different abilities. Constraining things for balance means that monsters can't break as many rules. That seems to be out the window. These new abilities will have to be balanced empirically, through playtests, rather than theoretically, but that was the de facto 3e system anyway. CR was broken, so we all ended up using whatever we experienced or estimated would work. It seems that is the overall intent of monster design in 4e.It is indeed hard to say how that will play out. The impression I get is that class powers will be based on overall level, not class level. This means that, say, the ogre chief with warlord levels will have his abilities function pretty well, even with one level in warlord. It won't be necessary to give a high-level monster class levels equal to his hit dice before they become useful. Just an impression though. The paladin smites and other powers they've previewed are largely behind this. If you are basically making an ability check (modified by your level) it doesn't matter how few levels you have in that class.That's sort of a separate issue. Abilities that are fine for a monster (average lifespan = 1 encounter) may be broken in the hands of PCs.</blockquote>