Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 wjmacguffin Feb 17, 2010 14:17:43	Hi folks, I'm running a homebrew 4E game in a few weeks and I've been designing some new classes and powers. Classes I can handle, but creating new powers is getting me worried about balance. Are there any guidelines, rules, suggestions, or similar advice on creating new powers? For example, when deciding how much damage a level 1 at-will power would cause, should I guessetimate based on what other lvl 1 at-will powers can do or has WOTC released anything that says something like, "First level at-will powers should cause damage within the 1d4 - 1d8 range"? Thanks for any help you can provide.
#2 BRJN Mar 12, 2010 22:50:21	I am creating an Astronomer's Star Pact for warlocks.  I am doing this by looking through all the hardback books I can get my hands on and stealing the cool-sounding powers from other classes.  I will have to tone down some of them to match each level's average (and take out non-Warlock abilities like granting healing surges to allies).  By and large this has worked out fairly well.
#3 tequila_sunrise Mar 13, 2010 0:50:51	...has WOTC released anything that says something like, "First level at-will powers should cause damage within the 1d4 - 1d8 range"? Thanks for any help you can provide. Unfortunately, no. Hi folks, I'm running a homebrew 4E game in a few weeks and I've been designing some new classes and powers. Classes I can handle, but creating new powers is getting me worried about balance. Are there any guidelines, rules, suggestions, or similar advice on creating new powers? Here are the real basics: At-Will Powers deal 1 damage die at 1st level, and 2 damage dice at 21st level. Encounter powers with the weakest effects deal 2 damage dice at 1st level, and 1 more damage die per later tier (11th and 21st). Powers with stronger effects deal less damage. Daily powers with the weakest effects deal 3 damage dice at 1st level, and 1 more damage die per later sub-tier (6th, 11th, 16th, etc). Powers with stronger effects deal less damage. Encounter effects should last no longer than until the end of the PC's next turn. Daily effects should last no longer than (save ends), or sometimes until the end of an encounter in the case of buffs, conjurations and zones. Unfortunately that's all the solid guidelines I can give for writing powers -- heck, sometimes published powers break even these basic guidelines. The best way to balance powers is to compare them to published powers, particularly ones from more recent splat books, and then post them online for critique.