4e power inundation

[Lint of Death]

Heyo dudes,

I have been seriously considering working on a 4th edition D&D campaign, but have run into a bit of a dilemma (polylemma?) regarding how to manage powers. There are just so many and these are the solutions I know of, but really would like to know what you guys recommend.

1. Pass around the PHBs. Pros: no extra paper, no writing. Cons: extremely cumbersome, no way to track which powers have been spent.
2. Print out cards. Pros: no writing, easy to keep track of spent vs available powers. Cons: time spent formatting cards, costly in paper.
3. Digital records (e.g., use a character sheet website). Pros: no writing, no paper, easy to keep track of spent vs unspent powers. Cons: requires a slew of PCs, costly in electrical power, physically cumbersome.
4. Single sheets with powers written on. Pros: less paper spent than on cards. Cons: writing and erasing 'spent' markers would eventually ruin the sheets, perhaps becoming more wasteful than the cards in the long run; time spent formatting.

Anyone have better ideas, or is that pretty much it?
Thanks in advance!

P.S. Yes, one could be snarky and say 'go back to 3.5e, your friends already have the resources for it anyway,' but the point is that I would like to try 4e.

[Libuke]

I think cards would be best you could just print them out on regular paper then stick them in sleeves with an actual yet unrelated card for support. Initial investment time my be high but I think it would pay off in the end.

[nnanji]

If you are that concerned with managing powers, I would go with cards. The biggest con (not including price) was formatting the cards. I'm sure you could find some Power card templates already made on the web. Better yet, make the players do it, and defray the cost and prep time accordingly. Who cares if the player wants to save a buck by writing on index cards, as long as they are legible and usable.

Actually, power management should really be the players' problem. Even at 30th level they should only have 10 powers (not counting utilities) to use, and 4 of them are dailies. So in any given combat, a 30th level character is looking at 6 powers, 2 of which are usable at will. A player should really be able to handle that. And if they can't just xerox several extra blank character sheets, and check them off in the margins as they are used.

[Hotcod]

The wizard character builder will give you correctly formatted cards for a characters powers with all the numbers and such adjusted for the characters stats which is just freaking awesome. If we get our group going again there will be a few people who will have trouble with everything but these cards sort them out since they don't have to remember how there stats effect things.

[Lint of Death]

The wizard character builder will give you correctly formatted cards for a characters powers with all the numbers and such adjusted for the characters stats which is just freaking awesome. If we get our group going again there will be a few people who will have trouble with everything but these cards sort them out since they don't have to remember how there stats effect things.

I did play around with the character builder earlier today. I notice I'd have to become a subscriber on their site to unlock the whole program, but it seems cheap enough to be worth it. I gotta double check to make sure the power cards can be 'generally' written with the builder, rather than including numbers that change with stats and levels.

I also very much like the idea of making the players responsible for printing/managing their own cards to divide costs.

I just finally started writing out my campaign plans instead of keeping them in my head, and your responses are definitely good help. Thank you! (Obviously other ideas are still welcome ;))

[Scull]

I don't know of any way to make generic cards using the Character Builder, it calculates all the values based on your character and equipment. That being said, there is a Bit Torrent floating around that does have a ton of generic power cards already made up for you, buy I don't think it covers all the latest releases. But that is also ok, since you get blank cards with it as well.

[rifter]

So, I have to go with what Hotcod said. Everyone in our group uses it. You can print your character sheet off, AND print off the power cards. It is really simple.

[Telefrog]

Here (http://www.nzcomputers.net/heroforge/default4e.asp) are some of the files I use.

[TheKeck]

Just play online. :p

[Lint of Death]

Awesome!

Another question: let's say, as a DM, I create NPCs through normal PC character creation. Printing stacks of cards sounds like such a total waste for them, since they might only live or participate in a few encounters or less and also I'd prefer if the players didn't know at a glance how many powers the NPC had remaining. I'm thinking of just tracking their powers digitally with a nearby PC; is that what you guys do?

edit: also, anyone think it's worth it even as a newb DM to subscribe to the D&D Insider for full access to Wizards' digital tools?

[Lint of Death]

Just play online. :p

They live just minutes away! :p

[TheKeck]

They live just minutes away! :p
Don't play with them! Play with your REAL friends! (You know, your acquaintances from CoG.) :D

[Pale Ale]

Awesome!

Another question: let's say, as a DM, I create NPCs through normal PC character creation. Printing stacks of cards sounds like such a total waste for them, since they might only live or participate in a few encounters or less and also I'd prefer if the players didn't know at a glance how many powers the NPC had remaining. I'm thinking of just tracking their powers digitally with a nearby PC; is that what you guys do?

edit: also, anyone think it's worth it even as a newb DM to subscribe to the D&D Insider for full access to Wizards' digital tools?


1. I would just write the npc's like a monster stat block. After it works for Wizards.

2. I haven't found the "premium" to be that compelling. It doesn't help that you can get all that from your good buddy, Mr. Internet, for just the tiniest sliver of your morality.

Also since hasn't been mentioned yet, you can buy power cards by the class. They're sold in the exact same fashion as M:tG decks.

[Lithium Flower]

I second Keck! Play online with your real friends! Do you really want THIS? (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vChEPj0dXXk) :D

[Lint of Death]

Oh yeah, I did notice today that they sell power cards... That'd be real handy I think, I know where I can get 'em.

Haha, I'm already involved as a PC in two 3.5e games with the same group, I've just gotten stoked about making a neat story. I have been considering doing it twice, once in P&P, once online, but I think my head would just explode mentally managing 6 games while DMing 2 of them. That or I'd start flunking some academics :p

[rifter]

1. I would just write the npc's like a monster stat block. After it works for Wizards.

2. I haven't found the "premium" to be that compelling. It doesn't help that you can get all that from your good buddy, Mr. Internet, for just the tiniest sliver of your morality.

Also since hasn't been mentioned yet, you can buy power cards by the class. They're sold in the exact same fashion as M:tG decks.

Hell, get the 1 month subscription. Get the character builder with all of the updates. Hold onto it for 6 months, and do it again. Also, while you are there, download all of current editions of Dragon and Dungeon magazines.

[Lint of Death]

I really do think I will do that very soon!

[Clark]

I second Keck! Play online with your real friends! Do you really want THIS? (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vChEPj0dXXk) :D

I've seen this a dozen times and still crack up watching it.

[Lint of Death]

I've seen this a dozen times and still crack up watching it.

It has yet to get old for me either. :)

[Matthias]

I found a PDF that has power cards for all the PHB1 classes. Is there any reason why these would be contraband if you own the book? If not, I can share the pdf with y'all.