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Wizards in 4E have been 'neutered' argument...
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<blockquote data-quote="Mouseferatu" data-source="post: 4976405" data-attributes="member: 1288"><p>Whereas I'd argue that the game would have swiftly become unplayable for a large number of people.</p><p></p><p>Hear me out. <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f609.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=";)" title="Wink ;)" data-smilie="2"data-shortname=";)" /></p><p></p><p>I'm not arguing that 4E's method was the best way to go. Maybe it was, maybe not. But I <em>will</em> argue that "balancing" wizards by making their spells really powerful, but easy to disrupt, would've been one of the worst things for the game.</p><p></p><p>Here's the thing. I know that lots of people have a problem with WotC's use of the term "fun" lately. I don't pretend to know what <em>everyone</em> thinks is fun, but I <em>do</em> know what most people I've ever met, talked to, or even heard of think is fun.</p><p></p><p>And I don't know <em>anyone</em> who enjoys sitting around twiddling their thumbs because they're unable to contribute round after round in combat.</p><p></p><p>It may not be safe to assume that <em>nobody</em> would enjoy that, but it's <em>absolutely</em> safe to assume that the <em>average gamer</em> doesn't look forward to sitting around doing nothing. That's not what gaming's about.</p><p></p><p>With a wizard who has Phenomenal Cosmic Power, but at the cost of being easily disrupted, every combat is almost guaranteed to go one of two ways:</p><p></p><p>1) The wizard obliterates everything, and the other players are cast in the role of sidekick at best.</p><p></p><p>2) The wizard fails to do anything.</p><p></p><p>Either way, someone's having a really bad experience.</p><p></p><p>Are there some groups who would enjoy playing that way? Absolutely. Would it have worked for <em>most</em> groups? I'm willing to bet <em>no</em>. And would it have turned off more new players than it ever brought in? I'm willing to <em>guarantee</em> the answer is <em>no</em>.</p><p></p><p>Is it possible for balance to grow so strict that flavor suffers? Absolutely. But that doesn't change the fact that a game with any hopes of retaining popularity has to have <em>some</em> focus on balance. And making <em>every fight</em> a swingy one, based on the success or failure of a single class, is absolutely detrimental to any sort of balanced system.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Mouseferatu, post: 4976405, member: 1288"] Whereas I'd argue that the game would have swiftly become unplayable for a large number of people. Hear me out. ;) I'm not arguing that 4E's method was the best way to go. Maybe it was, maybe not. But I [i]will[/i] argue that "balancing" wizards by making their spells really powerful, but easy to disrupt, would've been one of the worst things for the game. Here's the thing. I know that lots of people have a problem with WotC's use of the term "fun" lately. I don't pretend to know what [i]everyone[/i] thinks is fun, but I [i]do[/i] know what most people I've ever met, talked to, or even heard of think is fun. And I don't know [i]anyone[/i] who enjoys sitting around twiddling their thumbs because they're unable to contribute round after round in combat. It may not be safe to assume that [i]nobody[/i] would enjoy that, but it's [i]absolutely[/i] safe to assume that the [i]average gamer[/i] doesn't look forward to sitting around doing nothing. That's not what gaming's about. With a wizard who has Phenomenal Cosmic Power, but at the cost of being easily disrupted, every combat is almost guaranteed to go one of two ways: 1) The wizard obliterates everything, and the other players are cast in the role of sidekick at best. 2) The wizard fails to do anything. Either way, someone's having a really bad experience. Are there some groups who would enjoy playing that way? Absolutely. Would it have worked for [i]most[/i] groups? I'm willing to bet [i]no[/i]. And would it have turned off more new players than it ever brought in? I'm willing to [i]guarantee[/i] the answer is [i]no[/i]. Is it possible for balance to grow so strict that flavor suffers? Absolutely. But that doesn't change the fact that a game with any hopes of retaining popularity has to have [i]some[/i] focus on balance. And making [i]every fight[/i] a swingy one, based on the success or failure of a single class, is absolutely detrimental to any sort of balanced system. [/QUOTE]
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