First I'll state the reasons of why I'm spending many nights thinking about this. In my group, we don't use dungeons very often. Actually, almost never. Combats may happen in underground terrain, but that's not the point. The point is: combats are not very often. If I run one session with 3 combats, there will problably be some weeks (in game) between the second and the third combat. More than one combat per day is a rare thing.
The problem is, I realized 4e does not support this kind of gaming. After a while, the players started using their dailies on every combat, knowing that these would probably be the last one of the day. And I don't blame them: where I the player, I would to the same.
So, we already implanted an additional system: a character can sleep and rest, but, in rules, choose to not get the benefits of an extended rest. Why? If a session is made up of 3 combats, a character can choose to not extended rest between them, thus gaining a milestone at the end of the second combat.
Thing is: this is also rare for a PC to do. They prefer to have their dailies reseted than gainin an action point and daily item power. And, again, I don't blame them.
But now they'll burn in hell
VALIEN'S "LET'S KEEP FIGHTNING, PAL" COMBAT SYSTEM
Just a homebrewed "system" to encouraging characters achieving milestones.
First and foremost, every character suffers a -1 penalty to attack rolls when using daily attack powers. Obviously, I would have to think about something for those annoying exception daily powers that do not require attack roll, but that's for later. I have all the time of the world.
However, they gain something in return. Every class (ok, I still didn't make anything for the upcoming PHB II classes, but I will) gain new Class Features, all of them encouraing the achievement of milestones. I'll post them here.
NOTE: It's important to note that they are not balanced! But they should be :D I would appreciate help for balancing it. (Consider it a beta version... I believe, for example, that the Wizard feature is far superior than the Ranger's feature, but I'll wait for some opinions)
NOTE 2: The word "day" is for mechanical purposes only. Acording to our first houserule, a "day" in rules can last weeks or months in history terms.
Here they are!
Cleric: Powers that you use that have the healing keyword restores 2 extra hit points for every milestone you reach this day. If you have reached at least one milestone this day, the size of your healing word class feature increases to close burst 6.
Fighter: You gain a +2 bonus to damage rolls with opportunity attacks and melee basic attacks granted by your Combat Challenge class feature for every milestone you reach this day. When you reach your first milestone this day, you gain one extra healing surge this day.
Paladin: Your can use one extra lay on hands this day for every milestone you reach this day. If you have reached at least one milestone this day, you gain a +1 bonus to Fortitude, Reflex and Will defenses.
Ranger: When an encounter attack power, a daily attack power or an utility power allows you to shift, you can shift a number of extra squares equal to the number of milestones you have reached this day. If you have reached at least one milestone this day, your Hunter’s Quarry class feature deals an additional 2 damage.
Rogue: When you have combat advantage against a target, you deal an extra 2 points of damage against that target for every milestone you reach this day. Once per round, if you have reached a milestone this day and you hit a target but you have no combat advantage for the attack, you deal an extra 1d6 damage against that target. If you have dealt Sneak Attack damage this round, you cannot apply this extra damage this round. If you have applied this extra damage this round, you cannot apply Sneak Attack damage this round.
Swordmage: If you have reached at least one milestone this day, the size of your aegis of assault or aegis of shielding class features increases to close burst 3. A number of times per day equal to the number of milestones you reach this day, you can restore your Swordmage Warding as a minor action, instead of taking a short rest to do so.
Warlock: On your turn if you move at least 3 squares away from where you started your turn, you can choose to gain total concealment until the end of your next turn instead of gaining concealment until the end of your next turn. You cannot make Stealth checks to escape notice in this total concealment. You can use this ability a number of times per day equal to the number of milestones you reach this day.
Warlord: A target of your inspiring word class feature gains a +1 bonus to attack and damage rolls for every milestone you reach this day. This bonus lasts until the end of your next turn. If you have reached at least one milestone this day, you and each ally within 10 squares of you who can see and hear you gain a +1 bonus to Initiative.
Wizard: If you reached at least one milestone this day, you can sustain two powers with an unique action – you must use the “heavier” action if two different types of action are required (for instance: if you are Sustaining Standard and Sustaining Minor, you can sustain both powers with a Standard action). Whenever you reach a milestone this day, you gain the ability to cast an utility spell that you know, even if you have not prepared the spell and even if you had already cast the other utility spell of the same level.
Before you banish me to the Elemental Chaos, any tip for balancing these things out?
How did I not think about that? My god, you are a genious!
I'd also turn Healing Surges per day to Healing Surger per week, of course...
Ok: ignore the original post, and thank you for your help :D
How did I not think about that? My god, you are a genious!
I'd also turn Healing Surges per day to Healing Surger per week, of course...
Ok: ignore the original post, and thank you for your help :D
Seeing this after reading all of your post made me laugh really hard for a while.
Seeing this after reading all of your post made me laugh really hard for a while.
My player's too :D
And I created a consumable magic item (Healthstone) that allows the group to use Extended Rest when consuming it. It'll help me in my sporadic dungeon
(Though the Wizard milestone benefits rocks!)