Has anyone here tried the essentials melee-ranger dude? One of my players grabbed this class because he's new to D&D and wanted something simple, and this is - right out of the wrapper - by far the most ridiculous striker I've come across. At level 11, he has +21 to hit, can attack reflex or AC, and his minimum damage with an at-will power is more than our avenger's maximum damage. With a damage buff from our wizard, he popped an action point and racked up 118 damage in two at-will powers.
In related news, trying to figure out how to challenge my party, I threw a roper and a bunch of troglodytes at the level 11 party. Gave the troglodytes +1 to hit and turned their <recharge 3+> power into an at-will. So, one of the harder encounters they would encounter in a dungeon, buffed significantly. They mowed through the encounter without anyone getting bloodied, and used only a handful of healing surges in the process. Does 4e's balance normally snap completely in half around these levels?
Sounds like somebody is doing something wrong. What are the specific attacks?
Assuming he gets a modifier from a stance, which happens any time he attacks a bloodied enemy or charges an enemy or attacks an enemy with no other enemies adjacent:
Melee basic attack, +21 vs. AC or Reflex, 1d8+17 damage
followed up by Dual Weapon Attack, +21 vs. AC or Reflex, 1d6+15 damage
he can also Power Strike for an extra 1d8 twice per encounter.
Our wizard gives him +6 to damage rolls for one turn, and an extra 5 damage (iirc) when he uses an action point, making things even more ridiculous.
Why are Dual Weapon Attack and Power Strike only usable once per round? They're Free Action and No Action respectively, so the one-interrupt clause doesn't kick in.
Why are Dual Weapon Attack and Power Strike only usable once per round? They're Free Action and No Action respectively, so the one-interrupt clause doesn't kick in.
Because the rules say they are.
DWA says right in the power it can only be used once per round. When you start getting more uses of Power Strike, it tells you you can use it one additional time per encounter, but still only once per turn.
Also you're thinking of the one free-action-attack-per-turn limit, as neither power is an Interrupt. Power Strike, however, is not a free action anymore, it's a no action, otherwise you wouldn't be able to use both in the same turn.
I somehow did not read that on DWA. That alleviates some of the insanity, I guess.
Now I need to figure out how our swordmage marks everything in a ten-mile radius and explodes anyone who tries not to attack him
He's probably using a class power to mass-mark, but you should reread his Aegis power, because his punishment, IIRC, is an Immediate action, meaning once-per-round.
Back in 2 edition and eairler a turn was a term for 10 rounds. A round was 6 seconds of in-setting time during which everyone would have their actions in a round.
What is the difference between a turn and a round?
Also, specific to this situation, you get one Opportunity Action (usually an Opportunity Attack) per turn, but one Immediate Action (either an Interrupt or Reaction) per round.
I somehow did not read that on DWA. That alleviates some of the insanity, I guess.
Now I need to figure out how our swordmage marks everything in a ten-mile radius and explodes anyone who tries not to attack him
He's probably using a class power to mass-mark, but you should reread his Aegis power, because his punishment, IIRC, is an Immediate action, meaning once-per-round.
Even only being used once per turn, the punishment is so powerful (resist 15 from the attack, 15 damage to the attacker, 15 temps on the swordmage) that it sets up this really silly situation whereby either all the enemies need to attack the swordmage, or all the enemies need to not attack the swordmage, or else they end up doing more damage to themselves than to anything else. If the party ensures that this can't happen, then they can get through most encounters taking hardly any damage.
I somehow did not read that on DWA. That alleviates some of the insanity, I guess.
Now I need to figure out how our swordmage marks everything in a ten-mile radius and explodes anyone who tries not to attack him
He's probably using a class power to mass-mark, but you should reread his Aegis power, because his punishment, IIRC, is an Immediate action, meaning once-per-round.
Even only being used once per turn, the punishment is so powerful (resist 15 from the attack, 15 damage to the attacker, 15 temps on the swordmage) that it sets up this really silly situation whereby either all the enemies need to attack the swordmage, or all the enemies need to not attack the swordmage, or else they end up doing more damage to themselves than to anything else. If the party ensures that this can't happen, then they can get through most encounters taking hardly any damage.
What level is the group, again?
That does seem excessive. Specifically that he can both lower damage and deal damage, and gain temps on top of it. Do you know what power(s)/feat(s) he's using to accomplish this?
Just a small point of order, by the way, THPs never stack, so if he'll never start his turn with more than 15 THP.
The temps are from Improved Silver Shield (Coronal Guard paragon path), the resist is from Aegis of Shielding, and the 15 damage is from a daily so I guess that's not always there.
Aegis of Shielding is an Immediate Interrupt, which means it's usable once per round.
So he can mark everything in the room, and use it whenever it triggers to gain the Shielding reduction, and the THP, but once he uses it, he can't use it again until after the end of his next turn.
Obviously the -2 penalty to attacks for being marked still applies regardless.
Back in 2 edition and eairler a turn was a term for 10 rounds. A round was 6 seconds of in-setting time during which everyone would have their actions in a round.
Back in my day we didn't use these newfangled "squares" to measure battlefield terrain. We used inches dagnabbit, and an inch was three times bigger outside than it was inside! Your movement rate didn't change, though, so you moved three times slower once you were walking on a floor. Did we complain? No! Kids these days have no idea how easy they got it. When I was your age I had to walk through the idol mouth in the Tomb of Horrors every session, and I had to do it in the snow uphill both ways!
StraightziHere we may reign secure, and in my choice,To reign is worth ambition though in HellRegistered Userregular
I mean that is effectively what I am doing. Just also doing it for health. One of the problems my friend brought up is that Arkham is a damn long game. We'd need some watery drinks for this.
Maybe I can switch us to Drinkin' Betrayal at House on the Hill.
Posts
'Shoulders like old potatoes"
Satans..... hints.....
Should still donate, though. It's for Child's Play, after all.
Also I think Legend has rules for hex-based play.
Awesome.
Also, Legend's Creative Lead is over in the CF thread answering questions.
In related news, trying to figure out how to challenge my party, I threw a roper and a bunch of troglodytes at the level 11 party. Gave the troglodytes +1 to hit and turned their <recharge 3+> power into an at-will. So, one of the harder encounters they would encounter in a dungeon, buffed significantly. They mowed through the encounter without anyone getting bloodied, and used only a handful of healing surges in the process. Does 4e's balance normally snap completely in half around these levels?
It should be noted that both Dual Weapon Strike and Power Strike can only be used once per round/turn, respectively.
Not really. (it's liekly falchion with a feat that allows you to reroll any damage die 2 or under)
That means his [w] damage range is 6-8. That's fairly decent, if definitively average.
Assuming he gets a modifier from a stance, which happens any time he attacks a bloodied enemy or charges an enemy or attacks an enemy with no other enemies adjacent:
Melee basic attack, +21 vs. AC or Reflex, 1d8+17 damage
followed up by Dual Weapon Attack, +21 vs. AC or Reflex, 1d6+15 damage
he can also Power Strike for an extra 1d8 twice per encounter.
Our wizard gives him +6 to damage rolls for one turn, and an extra 5 damage (iirc) when he uses an action point, making things even more ridiculous.
Because the rules say they are.
DWA says right in the power it can only be used once per round. When you start getting more uses of Power Strike, it tells you you can use it one additional time per encounter, but still only once per turn.
Also you're thinking of the one free-action-attack-per-turn limit, as neither power is an Interrupt. Power Strike, however, is not a free action anymore, it's a no action, otherwise you wouldn't be able to use both in the same turn.
Now I need to figure out how our swordmage marks everything in a ten-mile radius and explodes anyone who tries not to attack him
He's probably using a class power to mass-mark, but you should reread his Aegis power, because his punishment, IIRC, is an Immediate action, meaning once-per-round.
Satans..... hints.....
everyone has a turn in a single round
I am the best time traveller.
Satans..... hints.....
Also, specific to this situation, you get one Opportunity Action (usually an Opportunity Attack) per turn, but one Immediate Action (either an Interrupt or Reaction) per round.
Crazy!
Satans..... hints.....
Even only being used once per turn, the punishment is so powerful (resist 15 from the attack, 15 damage to the attacker, 15 temps on the swordmage) that it sets up this really silly situation whereby either all the enemies need to attack the swordmage, or all the enemies need to not attack the swordmage, or else they end up doing more damage to themselves than to anything else. If the party ensures that this can't happen, then they can get through most encounters taking hardly any damage.
What level is the group, again?
That does seem excessive. Specifically that he can both lower damage and deal damage, and gain temps on top of it. Do you know what power(s)/feat(s) he's using to accomplish this?
Just a small point of order, by the way, THPs never stack, so if he'll never start his turn with more than 15 THP.
Aegis of Shielding is an Immediate Interrupt, which means it's usable once per round.
So he can mark everything in the room, and use it whenever it triggers to gain the Shielding reduction, and the THP, but once he uses it, he can't use it again until after the end of his next turn.
Obviously the -2 penalty to attacks for being marked still applies regardless.
Back in my day we didn't use these newfangled "squares" to measure battlefield terrain. We used inches dagnabbit, and an inch was three times bigger outside than it was inside! Your movement rate didn't change, though, so you moved three times slower once you were walking on a floor. Did we complain? No! Kids these days have no idea how easy they got it. When I was your age I had to walk through the idol mouth in the Tomb of Horrors every session, and I had to do it in the snow uphill both ways!
My current plan involves a red drink, a blue drink, and two graduated cylinder health bars
But I don't know if I have that many graduated cylinders lying around
...but that just makes me think of running a Cthulhu game with shots in place of a sanity mechanic.
Holy Shit, that sounds amazing.
Maybe I can switch us to Drinkin' Betrayal at House on the Hill.