4e Power Chart

[Yakk]

This is a chart of what powers a level X 4e character has.

It takes into account what levels you can replace a lower level power with a higher level one.

The "retraining" you can do each level only lets you get a lower level power to replace a higher level one -- so these are the highest level that can fit in each "power slot". Characters can always choose to keep lower level powers.

    Encounter      Daily         Utility
1   1              1             -
2   1              1             2
3   1  3           1             2
4   1  3           1             2
5   1  3           1  5          2
6   1  3           1  5          2 6
7   1  3  7        1  5          2 6
8   1  3  7        1  5          2 6
9   1  3  7        1  5  9       2 6
10  1  3  7        1  5  9       2 6 10
11  1  3  7  P     1  5  9       2 6 10
12  1  3  7  P     1  5  9       2 6 10 P
13  3  7  13 P     1  5  9       2 6 10 P
14  3  7  13 P     1  5  9       2 6 10 P
15  3  7  13 P     5  9  15      2 6 10 P
16  3  7  13 P     5  9  15      2 6 10 P 16
17  7  13 17 P     5  9  15      2 6 10 P 16
18  7  13 17 P     5  9  15      2 6 10 P 16
19  7  13 17 P     9  15 19      2 6 10 P 16
20  7  13 17 P     9  15 19 P    2 6 10 P 16
21  7  13 17 P     9  15 19 P    2 6 10 P 16
22  7  13 17 P     9  15 19 P    2 6 10 P 16 22
23  13 17 23 P     9  15 19 P    2 6 10 P 16 22
24  13 17 23 P     9  15 19 P    2 6 10 P 16 22
25  13 17 23 P     15 19 25 P    2 6 10 P 16 22
26  13 17 23 P     15 19 25 P    2 6 10 P 16 22 E
27  17 23 27 P     15 19 25 P    2 6 10 P 16 22 E
28  17 23 27 P     15 19 25 P    2 6 10 P 16 22 E
29  17 23 27 P     19 25 29 P    2 6 10 P 16 22 E
30  17 23 27 P     19 25 29 P    2 6 10 P 16 22 E

Notice that Utility powers keep accumulating, while attack powers (encounter and daily) get replaced. I'm presuming, balance-wise, that was to make sure your "at will" powers are still used at higher levels.

When I had a chance to upgrade a power, I always chose the lowest level power -- with retraining, if you want a lower level power, you could always choose it if you want in any case. However, if you are building "instant" higher level characters, a chart like this should make it much easier. :)

Does anyone see any errors? Oh, and does anyone know what happens when/if you can replace a paragon or epic power with another power from the class list?

[Azerian Kelimon]

Can you make a multiclass chart? If I remember correctly, you can up two powers, instead of one, every time you can swap for something of higher level.

[Dark Tira]

Can you make a multiclass chart? If I remember correctly, you can up two powers, instead of one, every time you can swap for something of higher level.

I don't think it actually changes anything. I think that if you originally traded out a first level power for another then you choose to upgrade to 7th level you get your 1st level power back and trade out a 7th.

[Tsotha-lanti]

Notice that Utility powers keep accumulating, while attack powers (encounter and daily) get replaced. I'm presuming, balance-wise, that was to make sure your "at will" powers are still used at higher levels.

Yep, especially considering that all at-will powers scale with level (from 1[W] to 2[W] to 3[W], generally).

[Azerian Kelimon]

Yep, especially considering that all at-will powers scale with level (from 1[W] to 2[W] to 3[W], generally).

Nope, they just go up to 2 W at level 21. None of them goes to 3 W.

[Kurald Galain]

Actually....

Am I the only one who expected something like "at level 10, choose one of your level-1 per-encounter abilities; you can now use that at will"?

[Azerian Kelimon]

Actually....

Am I the only one who expected something like "at level 10, choose one of your level-1 per-encounter abilities; you can now use that at will"?

Oh, you mean something like a Swordmaster who uses a precision weapon?

[TheOOB]

Your at-will ability's stay pretty static throughout your career, you can change them through retraining, but otherwise they are a core part of your build.

That said, and you gain levels you gain more and more abilities, eventually topping out at a minimum of 17 abilities, not counting racial powers, bonus class powers(such as healing word), powers from feats, and magic item powers. An average epic level character will likely upwards of 24-25 different powers to choice from, and thats apart from all the combat actions anyone can attempt.

[RukiTanuki]

I believe this table's on page 143 of the DMG. It was also in a Wizards preview, but I can't find the link at this time. Other than listing higher-level powers before lower-level powers, it seems identical at first glance.

[AKA_Bait]

Actually....

Am I the only one who expected something like "at level 10, choose one of your level-1 per-encounter abilities; you can now use that at will"?

Nope. And I've been trying to figure out how to houserule that into a broader mechanic without breaking the system ever since I found out it didn't happen.

[Yakk]

Nope. And I've been trying to figure out how to houserule that into a broader mechanic without breaking the system ever since I found out it didn't happen.

First, this will require a boosting of the HP of higher level monsters...

Base Weapon Damage increases to 2[W] at Paragon (11+) tier, then 3[W] at Epic (21+) tier.

At-will powers scale similarly, doing 2x damage dice at 11+ and 3x at 21+.

At level 8, pick one 1st level per-encounter attack. It is now a Refresh[5,6] power. (If you have it as a real per-encounter power, it must be replaced with another power).

At level 11, you can retrain it up to level 3.

At level 18, you can retrain it up to level 7

At level 21, you can retrain it up to level 13.

At level 28, your power is now Refresh[4,5,6].

Monster HP have to be scaled up to make up for this at the Paragon and Epic tiers.

(The idea is that these powers are slightly better than the at-wills, because they have cooler side effects: by having the at-will damage go up, this leaves room for better per-encounters to be used as pseudo-at-will.)

[JaxGaret]

Nope. And I've been trying to figure out how to houserule that into a broader mechanic without breaking the system ever since I found out it didn't happen.

I'm thinking that it has to have a cost; perhaps a pair of feats, like the multiclass trees?