Like the Native Americans, you should use every piece of the game

Hacking D&D4e Part I

In my years as a gamer and GM, it seems that games I’ve been in almost always end up having house rules.  Most that I've seen are slapped together to solved a problem mid-game and ended up sticking.  If you're looking for how to solve a problem in your game though, I would suggest you listen to the experts.  Guys like Monte Cook, Kenneth Hite and Rob Heinsoo know game design inside and out and have playtesters to back them up.What I mean is, if you find some hole in your game, patch it with a piece of a different game.  If there's a rule that improves your experience, bring it with you and see where it fits in other games you play.  Today I want to talk about Dungeons and Dragons 4th Edition.  I chose this first because I suspect that most of you have played it, and whether you like it or not there are some great pieces to work with.

When looking at games I tend to see them in component modules, each part of the game a separate system that can be modified, moved or discarded as necessary.  Here are a few of the more interesting pieces that make up the current edition of D&D (although 5th Edition is now just over the horizon).

• At-Will/Encounter/Daily Powers
• Strong Role Protection
• Skill Challenges

Obviously the game is made up of more components than this.  Some, like the Yes/No skill system don't move between games well.  Others, such as Action Points or Feats are already used to one extent or another in games you'll come across.  However, these three components can find a place in pretty much any game you play.  This week let's talk about the At-Will/Encounter/Daily Power, or timer based powers, and we'll cover the other two next week.

The timer based powers in D&D often draw a lot of hate from the game's detractors. Their argument is that that it makes the game feel like World of Warcraft or similar games.  I'm not interested in addressing that argument and would prefer to point out the places where it can be a benefit instead.  The first is that this system allows for an additional balancing mechanic when creating abilities.  You can safely make a Daily Power several times more powerful than an At-Will without worrying about it unbalancing your game.  Second, it promotes variety on the encounter level by ensuring that no one spends the whole fight only saying “I attack" until it's done.  Lastly, it adds a tactical element of resource management, forcing the players to consider if they should use their big guns right away, or hold them until a more challenging fight.

There are, of course, drawbacks.  Players thinking tactically may not be thinking narratively and it is more details to keep track of which can get cumbersome.  That being said, if you're looking to play a game where the fights play out more like action movies, then this type of set up will help you on your way.

This ability is one of the tougher ones to move to other games, because doing so always requires building new rules around it, specifically creating powers that take advantage of its opportunities.  An example of this is Pathfinder, currently the best selling RPG in the US.  In Pathfinder this structure works best when slotted into the Feats system.   By designating a feat as Encounter or Daily you can improve their power substantially while maintaining game balance.  Another option would be to apply it to existing feats thereby reducing their level and prerequisite requirements (the Whirlwind Attack feat, for example- see below).  There are a lot of requirements to the Feat. Some of them may not make sense to every character, so you can use the timed powers system to balance it instead.  

Here is the original Whirlwind Attack feat.

Whirlwind Attack (Combat

You can strike out at every for within reach.

Prerequisites: Dex 13+, Int 13+, Combat Expertise, Dodge, Mobility, Spring Attack, Base attack bonus +4

Benefits: When you use the full-attack action, you can give up your regular attacks and instead make one melee attack at your highest base attack bonus against each opponent within reach. You must make a separate attack roll against each opponent.

 

When you use the Whirlwind Attack feat, you also forfeit any bonus or extra attacks granted by other feats, spells, or abilities.

With attribute, bab and feat requirements this is one of the more difficult feats to take in the game, and its prerequisites point to a specific fighting style.  Someone who takes this feat is a mobile, agile fighter focused on defense and who fights with wit rather than brawn.  It seems to me though, that the barbarian spinning with his axe would fit well with the effects of this feat.  By putting the balance onto timing you can allow it to be a character's central tactic at the out set.  Here is my proposed alternate version.

 

Whirlwind Attack (Combat)

You can strike out at every foe within reach.

 Prerequisites: Base attack bonus +1

Benefits: Once a day, when you use the full-attack action, you can give up your regular attacks and instead make one melee attack at your highest base attack bonus against each opponent within reach.  You must make a separate attack roll against each opponent.  These attacks cannot receive bonuses from other feats, spells or abilities and you may not take any additional attacks grated by feats, spells or special abilities this round.

Special: You may take this feat multiple times, no more than once a level.  If you take this feat twice, you may use it once per Encounter.  If you take this feat three times you may use it at-will.

This version of the feat allows a fighter, or similar class, to use Whirlwind attack straight from the beginning of the game. This gives them full access to the feat one level sooner than they would have otherwise, but it also denies them the benefits of two of their feats.  In this way it balances itself out.  This design also has a narrative advantage, allowing warriors who aren't interested in defensive fighting styles (like the classic raging barbarian) access at a cost.

This will continue two weeks from now when we'll go over how to use D&D4e's rules for role protection and skill challenges in other games.  Next week though I’ll share with you my experience running a Shadowrun game set at a medieval themed restaurant and my recipe for delicious if anachronistic turkey legs.