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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Mustrum_Ridcully" data-source="post: 3760138" data-attributes="member: 710">It might be also interesting to note that in describing a map/adventure Mearls built for a D&D 4 scenario, he said he had placed a very difficult encounter so that the players could theoretically get there early in the adventure, and might need to retreat then. This might indicate that 1) either the players will get wary that, if this was the first, we stand no chance for the rest, or2) there are still some significant resources that can be lost and not that easily retained.Which certainly begs the question: How much is the focus on "per encounter "abilities really? What kind of resources are so significant that we can lose them? Can this defeat the supposed purpose of the per encounter abilities? Maybe we are still thinking to much in D&D 3.x terms, here, though.Maybe there are encounters that are difficult when using just the per encounter effects. But some abilities are so difficult that everyone loses more than just that, and they really lose some permanent resources.As an example: Let's say a Wizard prepares Fireball. As long as it it prepared, he can shoot tiny balls of fire (touch attacks, dealing damage comparable to the damage the fighter will inflict.). Once per encounter, he can throw a larger fireball (10 ft diameter, more damage), approximately as powerful as the Fighters once per encounter Whirlwind Strike ability (totally made up). And than he can cast the "real deal", full range, area and damage. But than, the Vancian part kicks in, he loses the spells, and he has to go along without his tiny fireballs. Can this totally avoid the "going nova effect" of a mage? I don't see that, but it can lessen the effect. It certainly doesn't require you to hold totally back. And if the "Full" Fireball isn't vastly more powerful than the once per encounter one, very specific circumstances will actually make it really useful to use the full spell. In 3.x terms, the mechanic is similar to the Reserve feats, but the game effect of the "reserve" ability is stronger. It's more like holding back your 6th level spell in exchange for using your 5th level spells once in each encounter and your 4th level spells or lower at will. But if you put out your 6th level spell, than you also lost your 5th and 4th level ones..That might also be a good reason to have more than 9 spell levels, because you need more gradual differences between the "full" effect and the lower level effect.But well, that's totally guessing and I don't have a clue if it is what we will get to see. But I am eager to find out. Maybe I will even try to come up to house rule something like this in my D&D game. But wait,I am running Iron Heroes...</blockquote>

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