Would YOU allow multiple picks of a 'Vancian' power?

[Brown Jenkin]

I might ask the player WHY they wanted to double up on a power, though. Seems counterproductive in a way.

The 4e assumption is that people want lots of different powers. There are some players who like playing fighters because they just stand there and hit things. I don't find it strange that someone who plays like this decides that the power that gives him extra damage for standing in place and hitting things would be interested in taking that power twice so he can do what he wants more often.

 

[Hypersmurf]

I'd probably allow it, the question is - when the player later figures out this was a mistake, do I let him un-do it?

It's my understanding that 'retraining' rules will be Core in 4E.

-Hyp.

 

[Pbartender]

I don't see a problem with it... The player is gaining extra uses of the power at the expense of versatility. There's times when it would be very useful to have more than one use of the same encounter or daily power. On the other hand, there'll be times when the player will be kicking himself for not branching out.

It's not unlike the difference between Wizards, Sorcerers and Warlocks in 3E.

 

[Scrollreader]

I really think it would take a strong argument or negative experience for me /not/ to allow 'doubling up'. I also expect this will be be allowed in the main rules. Is there a difference between taking fireball twice, instead of taking cone of cold once, and fireball once in 4e, and allowing a 3.X character to be a specialist? Elemental savant, fire themed sorceror, etc. Sometimes, it will be really, really handy. (White dragons tend not to last long against a fire elemental savant, for instance) and other times, it will be significantly less so. (Red Dragons, however, do much better in 3.X ) IMC, and IME, and IMO, and probably a whole lot of other anectodal acronyms, letting players do what they want, in pursuit of a theme or idea is always a good call as a DM.

 

[ZombieRoboNinja]

At-will powers can only be picked several times to the maximum of at-will powers allowed.

Huh?

 

[ZombieRoboNinja]

Is there a difference between taking fireball twice, instead of taking cone of cold once, and fireball once in 4e, and allowing a 3.X character to be a specialist?

There actually is. The fluff justification for limited per-day or per-encounter powers for martial characters is (at least partially) that you can't use a powerful ability twice in a row, because the enemies would catch on by the second time.