The new version is still pretty good for a fighter power, but no longer better than strikers’ powers.

And BRV was just broken… especially in the hands of a dwarf.

I’m surprised that Orb of Imposition wasn’t clarified, though. The obvious fix is to apply the penalty to only a single save — just like the other implement mastery abilities apply to only a single roll. Then the orb wizard gets a free “power lasts an extra round,” basically, instead of “power lasts forever.”

I haven’t met most of these problems (though I have heard about them since Gleemax is always crying about it) because I don’t usually allow material from anything other than stuff I make (Spirits of Eden) and the game core. I don’t physically own any books outside the first set of PHB/DMG/MM and Adventurer’s Vault, so I don’t feel obligated to allow material from any other source.

I will allow some things from newer books by petition of player (familiars for example, or a few powers), but ultimately I designed a campaign setting and its options so I could play the game I want, as I learned from D&D 3.5 that I don’t really enjoy a constantly mutating game unless I’m the one holding the surgical instruments.
.-= Wyatt´s last blog ..Spirits of Eden Gets…Errata? =-.

@Tim
I think those playing Battleragers will begrudge the fix, while everyone playing something else along with DMs everywhere will agree that changes were necessary.

@Tom
Was RoB really 2 attacks followed by 2 more attacks? Wow. This was one of those powers I wasn’t really familiar with. If that’s the case then I can see why Wizards amended the power. That’s just crazy. Thanks for clearing that up.

As for BRV I wasn’t sure if the temp hit points stacked any more. The new wording says “… plus any temporary hit points normally granted by the power.” Would that not include those provided by the Invigorating powers? I think you’re right, but I just wasn’t sure how to read that part.

@wickedmurph
You are correct; the extra dice (granted from magical weapons) are always rolled on a crit and are not maximized. The new version of this power gives you a little something extra (maximized extra dice) if you actually roll a crit.

@njharman
Excellent point. As with any game the rules are presented as a starting point and then it’s up to the players to use or discard the ones they want to use. My group relies on the character builder so we’re more inclined to just accept WotC’s changes since they’re eventually going to be incorporated into Character Builder updates. I don’t think there are too many Battlerager Fighters out there that will forsake their PC because of these changes, but I’d be very interested to hear from anyone considering it.

@Shades
I’ve never read this power before now but it does seem remarkably powerful. I think your suggestion to make it a sustain, minor will make it a little bit more balanced.

The one thing they’ve missed that really needs to be adjusted is this:

Grasp of the Grave
Skeletal hands burst from the earth and ghostly claws swirl from the air to snatch at your foes.

Effect: The burst creates a zone that lasts until the end of the encounter. An enemy that enters the zone or that starts its turn in the zone takes 5 necrotic damage and is dazed until the end of your next turn.

It’s a Wizard level 5 daily from Dragon #372 and it is ridiculously powerful. It frustrates our DM no end (I’m thinking about pre-emptively banning it in my Eberron game). This literally breaks encounters. Daze is such a powerful condition that as soon as it goes down, otherwise challenging encounters merely become a contest to see who can slide more badguys into the zone.

To top it off, outside a few random powers, there’s no way to get rid of it. It doesn’t need to be sustained and it survives the death of the wizard.

At a bare minimum it needs a sustain minor added onto it, if not more.

It’s not like 4ed is an MMORPG where we all have to accept WotC nerfing our classes.
.-= njharman´s last blog ..Pliosaur is Science Talk for Swims Well has Big Teeth =-.

I thought with Crits, you always rolled the extra dice, and that they were never maximized. The power is still quite good, it just is less good at low levels, and about the same or better once you have magical weapons.
.-= wickedmurph´s last blog ..Incorporating High Level NPC’s =-.

On BRV, it wasn’t made clearer, it was changed. The temp HPs no longer stack at all, and no temps when monsters hit you.

1. I’d have liked to see Hospitaler’s Blessing, a power that drastically reduces the effectiveness of solo creatures, turned into a “once per turn” power. We’ve houseruled it in my game and its still very effective this way. As an always-going ability, it completely negates the damage done by creatures who hit more than one target.

2. I hear lots of people describing Orb wizards as too powerful. Orb wizards with sleep seem particularly over-effective.
.-= Mike´s last blog ..DM Tips: June 2009 Archive =-.