Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 Tsuul Feb 25, 2010 12:47:28	I am not fond of the proposed 4e mechanic for Defiling which can be found here. 57109698 wrote:
#2 sir_sparhawk Feb 25, 2010 14:47:03	I like all three options but when it comes to Defiling, I'm going to wait for their final version when the books are printed.  There's still time to change the rules we've seen already and I have no doubt that Rich Baker and the other designers are all over these forums trying to get the feedback of the public and other ideas shared here. I do agree that the "only affect allies" feels odd when you're draining a 20 yrd radius that obviously includes other forms of life.  I think that's why your Option 3 sounds so good, because it's a way to affect everybody on the battlefield.  The wording is a bit confusing at first, but I get what you're saying with it all. When I first heard of 4e Defiling, I thought they were going to go the route of draining Healing Surges.  That to me made sense and doesn't directly effect the battle in a drastic way instantly.  Having a Defiler effectively Mark the targets it defiles from is also pretty interesting, and could lead to some fun moments I think.  Maybe a combination of Options 1 and 2 would work well. I myself don't think it's correct for a Defiler to drain the life force from living beings at the Heroic levels.  I think it should strictly be the old 2e version, which was just seeing a radius of ash eminate from the defiler.  I think at Paragon levels of defiling there should be some sort of affect that we're talking about now.  The draining of either your allies, foes or both.  Epic levels, well...I guess melt your city of choice to cast Nuclear Warhead.  I don't know, I'm still working on that one.  lol Fact of the matter is, I'm waiting for the final print.  They said they were going to have optional rules on such mechanics, so before I go crazy and house rule a rule that's not been finalized...I sit and brainstorm my first campaign.
#3 big_goon Feb 25, 2010 14:52:46	A couple of points (exclusively mechanical comments): The current power is not an attack. The current power is an augmentation to an attack (like Combat Advantage). Clarification: An attack is any power that deals damage or gives a condition to an enemy - regardless of whether it hurts any allies/yourself. An augmentation does not do this directly. Example: Combat Advantage (+2 to an attack) is an augmentation and is useless without another attack power. All of the options you mentioned can be construed as attacks (even if they don't, at first glance, appear to be useful attacks). If you do make it an attack, make sure it fits the role of all arcane classes and is comparable to other attack powers (if defiling is an at-will power, make it comparable to other arcane at-will powers). Taking away healing surges from enemies is very powerful (daily-powerful), un-balanced if you don't need to roll to hit. I think WotC is heading in the direction of not making it an attack in itself. I like the idea of that, but also agree that the current power is not exactly what I expected to see.
#4 Pennarin Feb 25, 2010 16:10:01	You can send a respectful message to Rich Baker to voice your discontent over the rules.