Martial Dailies - How so?

[GnomeWorks]

I have reconciled myself with the idea of at-will and encounter abilities. I was a bit skeptical at first, but I've come to really enjoy the idea. It works, and it solves a lot of problems.

However, the martial power source causes problems here.

At-will martial powers? Obvious. I have no qualms with these.

Encounter martial powers? A little less obvious, but still conceivable. I used to load trucks at FedEx, and I'd have to take a breather after lifting some of the heavier boxes. So encounter martial powers can make sense to me - things like trip being an encounter power irk me, but I don't have an issue with the base concept. It's case-by-case now, but the exceptions that irk me don't invalidate the plausibility of the concept.

But... daily martial powers? Just. Not. Getting it. I don't see how a martial ability would ever be something you can only do once between rest periods. It feels like a rather artificial restriction. I specifically have an issue with the ranger double-shot power (I forget what it's called) being a daily power - that doesn't make any sense to me.

This is strictly a simulationist issue. Please don't respond with "you're thinking too hard about fantasy" (hong, I'm looking at you).

Anybody got any ideas?

 

[Wystan]

It is a game, pretend that every other shot you take that day uses two arrows but it seems to not work too often. (Just remember to scratch off 2 arrows every time you shoot.... )

 

[Fallen Seraph]

One of the main ideas/views on this is the idea of probability.

A martial character, will always be trying to set up and perform his most powerful attacks, ie: dailies.

However, since it is extremely difficult to find yourself in the right circumstances, stance, etc. to perform this the chance of it happening is only once-per day. It is simply up to the player to decide when this probability becomes an actuality.

Same goes with per-encounter it is simply there is a greater probability of you pulling off this move, which is once-per-fight.

 

[keterys]

Did Legolas do it over and over? Why not?

Okay, but that's a movie... even if D&D is a game of cinematic combat.

How about real life then... why don't golfers get an Eagle every time? They don't have the ability to pull together the perfect shot every time. Using your daily power is a game mechanic for deciding when you burn the adrenaline, seize the moment, etc.

 

[CleverNickName]

You could just say that your character has performed a maneuver that was so physically and mentally draining that he only has the fortitude to do it once per day.

Of course, then you would have to ignore healing surges...

...I think I see the problem...

 

[GnomeWorks]

It is a game, pretend that every other shot you take that day uses two arrows but it seems to not work too often. (Just remember to scratch off 2 arrows every time you shoot.... )

I said my issue with the idea was from a simulationist view, not a gamist one.

However, since it is extremely difficult to find yourself in the right circumstances, stance, etc. to perform this the chance of it happening is only once-per day. It is simply up to the player to decide when this probability becomes an actuality.

Seriously, though, if you know how to shoot two arrows at once, why wouldn't you be able to do it and get it right all the time? Or the vast majority of the time, anyway (such that it would be an encounter power)?

Same goes with per-encounter it is simply there is a greater probability of you pulling off this move, which is once-per-fight.

Encounter powers are sensical to me.

How about real life then... why don't golfers get an Eagle every time? They don't have the ability to pull together the perfect shot every time. Using your daily power is a game mechanic for deciding when you burn the adrenaline, seize the moment, etc.

I am confused by your sports reference.

But seriously, though, even if you use the daily power that lets you shoot two arrows at once, you can still miss with them, right? So I don't think your analogy quite applies.

 

[Zinovia]

It's not hard to rationalize as people have already pointed out. It's a difficult maneuver to pull off, and requires everything to happen just right in order to make it work. How often does the critter you're fighting open itself up to your attack in such a way that you can land your mighty smite on it? About once a day. Sure, it's giving narrative control to the player because she is determining when she wants to use that big attack, but that's part of D&D. You want the players to exert some control over the story.

In reality there'd be a great opening that your character would see, and she'd seize the moment whenever it happened to come. Daily powers just let you create that bit of luck. Don't think too hard about fantasy though. Oh wait, you said not to tell you that.

 

[Daniel D. Fox]

Simply consider it a "lucky blow". Meaning, although you the player declare you wish to do it, the character executes the attack without making a conscious effort to do so.

The power names and usage are simply a game mechanic to illustrate on paper what happens.

 

[Stilvan]

I don't think there's any real-world way to justify daily martial powers. I believe they are daily partly for balance reasons but also to give the designers leeway to create really heroic maneuvers without worrying about the players using them to the exclusion of everything else.

In a strongly realism-oriented game, like GURPs for example, you have to balance the benefits of a fancy maneuver with a set of drawbacks because you know that anyone can use it at any time. So for example, you can attempt a whirlwind attack at will but you will suffer fatigue, must make a balance check and your chance of hitting is significantly reduced (not actual rules here btw but I think this conveys the idea). Often the drawbacks are so significant that you have to wait until the optimum moment to use the abiliity anyways - which effectively makes it 'daily' in any case. I think D&D, particularly 4e is trying to build a more heroic environment that maps more to fantasy fiction than to reality. So limits are placed on how often you can use a power, but there are few to no drawbacks when using it. Conan might cleave a soldier in half and carrying the momentum lop off another soldier's head, but he doesn't do it in every battle.

This is how I justify it in any case.

Edit: Hah - must learn to type faster

 

[Fallen Seraph]

It can be a variety of things, the placement of the enemies, perhaps your hands are shaking too much from adrenaline and cannot hold the two arrows, etc.

There are many reasons why the chances of you pulling of the move is too the point where it is only once-per-day. View it less like... A move, where the character decides to do this specific move and more a narrative control of the battle where the character manages to pull of this amazing feat.