Riposte said:
Every time I've tried to run DnD online, it has never panned out. Either too slow or too messy. How are you going about it? (I am not throwing my hat in, just curious. A little too busy unfortunately.)
MapTool with Rumble Framework v5; it tracks initiative, it applies and removes debuffs, it prompts for saving throws, manages rechargeable enemy powers... it keeps combat moving efficiently - at times better than a DM could otherwise sitting a table with pencil and paper... though not always. It can't do everything automatically, but you wouldn't really want it to...
ChiTownBuffalo said:
OK, questions for the DM's.
Do you ever nerf at-will powers?
Example, Paladin's laying hands or Warlock's Curse.
These are both at will powers, and in Warlock's case a minor. It seems weird that warlock can just curse a target every turn, especially for the status effect it causes.
Wondering about this for an upcoming level 1 adventure I'm running.
The Warlock's various curses (based on their pact) are their method, as a Striker, of doing bonus damage (and all Strikers have a bonus damage ability). All in all, Warlocks are some of the weakest Strikers from a pure DPR perspective, however, they get some amazing and useful abilities and many of their powers come with strong debuffs, making them a Controller-lite in addition to being a Striker.
* * *
Warlock's Curse
At-Will
Minor Action
Effect: You can place a Warlocks Curse on the enemy nearest to you that you can see. A cursed enemy is more vulnerable to your attacks. If you hit a cursed enemy with an attack, you deal extra damage. You decide whether to apply the extra damage after making the damage roll. You can deal this extra damage once per round, so if you have dealt Warlocks Curse damage since the start of your turn, you cannot deal it again until the start of your next turn.
A Warlocks Curse remains in effect until the end of the encounter or until the cursed enemy is defeated.
You can place a Warlocks Curse on multiple targets over the course of an encounter; each curse requires the use of a minor action. You cant place a Warlocks Curse on a creature that is already affected by your or another characters Warlocks Curse.
As you advance in level, your extra damage increases.
Level Warlocks Curse Extra Damage
1st10th +1d6
11th20th +2d6
21st30th +3d6
* * *
So, I mean, that's pretty weak, right? Sneak attack is also once per round only by default, and that starts at 2d6 and goes up to 5d6. Also, even if multiple people are cursed and you have an attack that hits multiple people, you only apply the bonus damage once a round (so pick one).
The sweet stuff is not in the curse itself, it comes from killing someone that is cursed and gaining the benefit, like a free teleport, or some extra THP, or whatever.
Absolutely no reason to nerf or consider overpowered.
As far as Lay On Hands goes???
Lay On Hands
Your divine touch instantly heals wounds.
At-Will Divine, Healing
Minor Action Melee touch
Special: You can use this power a number of times per day equal to your Wisdom modifier (minimum 1), but only once per round.
Target: One creature
Effect: You spend a healing surge but regain no hit points. Instead, the target regains hit points as if it had spent a healing surge. You must have at least one healing surge remaining to use this power.
Especially with a standard point buy, at level one, this is a 1-3x per DAY heal. Even with focusing only on Str and Wis, my rolled-stats Paragon L14 Paladin can only lay on hands 5x day.
I realize it used to be a 1x day, very dinky heal in 3.5 and earlier editions, but daily healing is emergency healing in 4th. You can't routinely rely on it because all Leaders now get some kind of 2x per encounter, and encounters are written with that expectation.
It's only "at-will" in the sense your entire quota of Wis mod per day can be used up in the space of one encounter.
