I’ve put a lot of thought lately into the composition of this unique and unofficial variant for making solos, and I wanted to share them with people who are wondering about creating their own worldbreakers. Before I get philosophical though, I need to redefine the mechanic once more.
Special thanks to Rob Donoghue (for his awesome thoughts on timing) and Mike Shea (for a special chat at Gencon which inspired the change).
Worldbreaker
A power with the keyword ‘Worldbreaker’ has the following characteristics:
- Generates an overriding effect on the battlefield
- Has a duration of three rounds
- Enables the use of worldbreaker attacks and summons. Powers with the name of the worldbreaker attack can only be used when the worldbreaker power is in effect. Example. Maim has the worldbreaker attack “True Power”. His power “Terror of the Border Realms” has the keyword “True Power Attack”, meaning it can only be used during the three turns
- The power triggers after the monster loses a quarter of its HP, and recharges each quarter HP loss after that.
- The worldbreaker power is a free action that can only be used on the creature’s turn, but may always be used, no matter what other conditions are on the creature and no matter what actions are available to it.
- triggering the worldbreaker removes all dazed, stunned, immobilized and unconscious effects from a monster.
- each worldbreaker triggers a mini-skill challenge known as an opening, where the PCs are given a chance to mitigate some of the effects of the worldbreaker.
Other effects of the power will change; the above lists the commonalities of all worldbreakers.
I’ll detail more thoughts on worldbreaker design later; for the meantime sit back and enjoy as I create more and publish some others that are coming in! Today we will have Etherkai, the Nightmare Dragon.
A Jack of All Trades ,or if you prefer, an extreme example of multi-classing, Gamefiend, a.k.a Quinn Murphy has been discussing, playing and designing games straight out of the womb. He is the owner and Editor-in-Chief of this site in addition to being an aspiring game designer. As you would assume, he is a huge fan of 4e.
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Nice changes.
“The worldbreaker power is a free action that can only be used on the creature’s turn, but may always be used, no matter what other conditions are on the creature and no matter what actions are available to it.”
Why not just make it “No Action (only on the creature’s turn)”? No Action abilities are usable all the way up to stunned, and I think unconscious as well.
Duration
Still requires round counting, though it much better now. My preference would be to make it a “Save Ends” sort of thing, but that would be tricky to work.
Losing Conditions
Awesome. Losing conditions when activating the worldbreaker is far more fair-seeming than a 300-hp monster droping a condition in exchange for only 11 damage (with the Brutal Shakeoff house rules). Flavourful and fitting.
(No offense Mike Shea. You already knew I didn’t like Brutal Shakeoff from our Wave discussion.)
Just gotta say, I love the Worldbreaker!
@graham Yeah, No Actions are so good, you can use them when you are stunned/unconscious/dying, etc. In fact, I’m pretty sure you can use them when you are DEAD, since being dead isn’t a clearly outlined rule state
There’s a few epic destiny features that count on this.
I like the new rules. I’ll be testing them on my 4th level Eberron party soon, see if they still work well at heroic tier.
Thanks guys!
I’ll look at switching to no action in the next rev. Right now I’m going to focus on making more monsters. Consider me on notice
When do characters make checks for the skill challenge and is it a standard action?