I'm thinking of using the bounded accuracy model for my 4e game. Basically, characters (and monsters) won't advance in defenses, attack scores, or skills as they level up.
I'm wondering what some of the challenges might be. Any thoughts?
The biggest issue is that you have invalidated the tools and will need to either build your own monsters or reverse engineer them.
I don't think that will be too hard. I think I can easily figure out a number for their attacks/defenses. Damage output will remain the same. My biggest concern is that the overall system isn't set up for bounded accuracy. There might be some unforeseen hiccups regarding the actual math and other items.
How will characters get better at things without the 1/2 level bonus? Back to assigning a number of skill points per level?
How will characters get better at things without the 1/2 level bonus? Back to assigning a number of skill points per level?
The short answer: feats. There is also the consideration of magic items that improve skills.
Right now, as far as skills, there is a hodgepodge of some things getting a higher DC the higher the PC's level or a set DC for specific challenges. Bound accuracy will allow me to keep the same DC's at all levels. With feats, the PC's can add +2 to a trained skill. Perhaps I'll allow the PC's to take that feat indefinitely. Perhaps, in addition, I could let them increase a skill by 2 every 5 levels or so.
I was kinda waiting for this to start. 4E fans vs. D&D Next adventists, fight!
I think this may be a bit off-topic, as this wasn't necessarily supposed to be a thread that considers the merits of bounded accuracy, just some of its potential challenges if incorporated into 4e. But I will describe what caused me to conclude why I want to try bounded accuracy in 4e.
For myself, I like a lot of the concepts of D&DNext, but when my group tried playtesting it, we did not have a good experience. It could have been the circumstances or the given adventure wasn't really my group's style (although I liked it), but I eventually had to stop playing as at least one player was showing no interest in my three player group.
We've had a lot of success with 4e, a system I overall like although I have some challenges with it. So I thought, how difficult would it be to incorporate some of the ideas of Next into 4e?
Some of the ideas: bounded accuracy, playing without a grid, avoiding powers that require the subtly of grid positioning, avoiding immediate actions in powers and monsters, and allowing a power's flavor text to supersede the crunch text if the circumstance comes up.
I don't know how any of this will work, but I'm willing to give it a try. If it doesn't work, I can just as easily revert back to the ruleset as given. We'll see!