4th ed Multi-questions

[HMS Invincible]

First, which 3.5 special attacks should I import into 4th ed? I was thinking the Tumble skill
Disarm
Sunder
Trip

What should I change so it is worthwhile but not overpowered? I was thinking each of these is an encounter power or has to be combined with an encounter/daily power to get the effect + the effect of the used power.

Next, when should you use the Aid Another ability for melee attacks? It says you can only use it on those who you are next to (PH287) to either add 2 defense or -2 attack roll. What is a good time to use it?

Lastly, if I decided to rob my players of an item or two, how many chances should I give them to counter it before moving to the ensuing chase/retrieval?

[NPCMook]

First, which 3.5 special attacks should I import into 4th ed? I was thinking the Tumble skill
Disarm
Sunder
Trip

What should I change so it is worthwhile but not overpowered? I was thinking each of these is an encounter power or has to be combined with an encounter/daily power to get the effect + the effect of the used power.

Next, when should you use the Aid Another ability for melee attacks? It says you can only use it on those who you are next to (PH287) to either add 2 defense or -2 attack roll. What is a good time to use it?

Aid Another is best used when you have a cramped area and any of your squishies are in Melee, its best for them to Aid you in attacking, or Aiding each other to up their defense

[Colmarr]

Aid Another is best used when you have a cramped area and any of your squishies are in Melee, its best for them to Aid you in attacking, or Aiding each other to up their defense

I would go so far as to say that PCs should generally rarely use aid another, even the squishies.

The only times I can think of where it would be useful is:


a weakened PC (thus doing half-damage) Aiding a PC that isn't (because the weakened PCs damage output is so low that it might be better to help someone else hit instead); or
A PC has an encounter-changing power (such as the warlord's Lead the Attack) that you really want to hit.

[sonofzeal]

Next, when should you use the Aid Another ability for melee attacks? It says you can only use it on those who you are next to (PH287) to either add 2 defense or -2 attack roll. What is a good time to use it?
IMO, the best time for Aid Another is on skillchecks. In combat, it's really only useful if your ally's attack (or defense) is absolutely vital to beating the monster. The defense is especially useless, as the enemy can just target YOU instead. But if your ally is the only one who can beat the enemy's hefty DR, then aiding their attack is better than lobbing a totally ineffectual one of your own. Even then, moving to flank gives the same benefit and lets you try and use your actions for other things.

....of course, this is based on 3e. Dunno how it applies to 4e.

[The New Bruceski]

First, which 3.5 special attacks should I import into 4th ed? I was thinking the Tumble skill
Disarm
Sunder
Trip

What should I change so it is worthwhile but not overpowered? I was thinking each of these is an encounter power or has to be combined with an encounter/daily power to get the effect + the effect of the used power.

Next, when should you use the Aid Another ability for melee attacks? It says you can only use it on those who you are next to (PH287) to either add 2 defense or -2 attack roll. What is a good time to use it?

Disarm and Sunder are going to have similar effects, since monsters don't have discrete weapons/armor in their stat block. Disarm would be temporary, while sunder would be permanent. I'm not sure what I'd base the attack on (as in chance to succeed) but I'd probably say disarm would disable weapon powers until the weapon was picked up (have it fall in the same space, minor action to pick up). Do note that in one of the expansion books Fighter gets a disarm power at some level, but I can't look it up right now.

Sunder is a tough one, because while it's more useful weapons and armor are BUILT to take blows. I'd make it a daily at best because of this.

Tumble is very similar to abilities halflings and rogues currently have. Artful Dodger rogue style, Halflings have Nimble Reaction/Second Chance, and the Lost in the Crowd feat.

Aid Another should be used when the ally particularly needs to hit (added effect, or big attack), or be missed (low HP). Do note that if you boost defenses the enemy isn't obligated to attack the guy you helped.

[Mando Knight]

Tumble is very similar to abilities halflings and rogues currently have. Artful Dodger rogue style, Halflings have Nimble Reaction/Second Chance, and the Lost in the Crowd feat.

And then there's the Tumble power...

[Decoy Lockbox]

And then there's the Tumble power...

Which belongs to the rogue for a reason.

I felt like the tumble skill in 3.5 reduced the tacticalness of the combats by letting people who had tumble just go wherever they pleased, all the time. Keeping it as an encounter power means you have budget it like any other resource.

Now tripping, I feel like that should be in the game. I think that you should be able to make a grab attack, which normally immobilizes a foe, but instead have them fall prone. Then again, being grabbed is worse for the foe than being prone, so this would only make sense from a thematic sense. Maybye there would be a Trip at-will that would be str/dex + weapon enhancement vs reflex, causing the target to fall prone and take dmg equal to str/dex mod.

Sundering was bad juju in my old 3.5 games, and its probably best to leave it out of 4e.

For disarming, I liked the 3.5 rules which just had opposed attack rolls. I see no reason why you couldn't port that directly into 4e. With ad-hoc bonuses for certain things, like spiked chains or whips.

[HMS Invincible]

Hmmm, I agree with your reason for tumble and leave it as is.
What is so bad about sundering?