Exempting Races from the +1 rule

Runny · Oct 29, 2017

skerritthegreen said:
Actually the reasons for it were articulated several pages ago, its just some people said "I don't believe your reasons, so they don't matter." That said, the Admins have heard your feedback and note that in general, this forum excepted perhaps, the overwhelming feedback we get is that the PHB+1 rule is good and should be kept as is. Given that the rule is handed down from WOTC anyway, if you want change, this is a situation where contacting Customer Service may be your best bet.

Thanks Greg. I agree with the majority, the PHB + 1 rule is good. I initially wrote into WoTC to ask for an exception to allow XGE + PHB + 1, which would allow cool race/class combos, but then I stumbled upon this discussion and realized that just making an exemption for race is an elegant solution. I will write to WoTC to ask for this.

On the other hand, I’m sure that if numerous AL admins asked WoTC to amend the rule, they would. So one way to get the rule changed would be to convince you and your peers. So what do you think? Do you think that the pros of increasing some players enjoyment are worth the cons of ensuring that all future races are moderate enough in power as to be backwards and forwards compatible? That is the fundamental trade from what I can glean from this conversation.

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skerritthegreen · Oct 29, 2017

Runny said:
So what do you think? Do you think that the pros of increasing some players enjoyment are worth the cons of ensuring that all future races are moderate enough in power as to be backwards and forwards compatible?

That last time I checked, all 7 of the admins agreed with and supported the PHB+1 rule.

Runny · Oct 29, 2017

skerritthegreen said:
That last time I checked, all 7 of the admins agreed with and supported the PHB+1 rule.

Good. Have they had a conversation about making an exception for race? I hope that conversation happens. I think it would be a minor tweak to the rule that would make AL more fun. Concrete example: at the Guild House there is an amazing AL scene. For many players and DMs it is the only way they play DnD. There are a certain subset of players that have tried many of the existing race/class combos, so when tortles were allowed they jumped all over them. Same thing happened when Volos was introduced. To me this shows some pent up demand for new options, which is to be expected given the deliberate splat book release schedule. For these players, allowing any race would improve the AL experience. And given the modest level of mechanical power associated with race, it wouldn’t infringe on the enjoyment of the other players.

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kalani · Oct 30, 2017

Unlikely. This topic is raised every few weeks on the FB group, and as an ex-Regional Coordinator - I can say for the record that this topic has also been largely debated to death with over 1000 pages of discussion over the past 2 1/2 years. The rule is almost certainly here to stay until the end of AL, especially considering that this rule was implemented as a result of 4 years of feedback from the "kitchen sink" rules of 4E Living Forgotten Realms, and the nightmare that caused DMs, and even home games thanks to the endless stream of errata (the PHB itself was errata'd some 9 times over 3 years, usually to nerf combos which only affected LFR and which most home games didn't even know existed if they didn't follow said) - however the nerfs themselves were to core features of the game which affected 100% of all games, even those which were unaffected by the broken combo (eg. they errata'd the weapon focus/weapon mastery feats 3x to my memory, or they errata'd the core attack bonus rules, or some such in order to nerf a broken combo, but also nerfing the feats into almost uselessness in a home game as aresult)

jasper · Oct 30, 2017

skerritthegreen said:
Actually the reasons for it were articulated several pages ago, its just some people said "I don't believe your reasons, so they don't matter." That said, the Admins have heard your feedback and note that in general, this forum excepted perhaps, the overwhelming feedback we get is that the PHB+1 rule is good and should be kept as is. Given that the rule is handed down from WOTC anyway, if you want change, this is a situation where contacting Customer Service may be your best bet.

Or do what Armand Hammer did. You know the baking soda guy who was not the baking soda guy.
BUY THE COMPANY.

Warmaster Horus · Oct 30, 2017

The past informs the present. As we've heard, there's a good reason for caution. I'd rather have guarded stability than the admins running around with nerfing bats all the time.

Runny · Oct 30, 2017

Warmaster Horus said:
The past informs the present. As we've heard, there's a good reason for caution. I'd rather have guarded stability than the admins running around with nerfing bats all the time.

It would be a shame if 4e battle scars dictate the current AL decisions. It’s important to learn from the past without over reacting. It’s a hard balancing act. In this case I wish the AL admins would examine this request on its own merits without conflating it with the “please get rid of PHB +1 rule” request.

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skerritthegreen · Oct 30, 2017

Runny said:
Good. Have they had a conversation about making an exception for race?

Just had that conversation again today (admins and WOTC). No one was in favor of exempting race.

jasper · Oct 30, 2017

Runny said:
It would be a shame if 4e battle scars dictate the current AL decisions. It’s important to learn from the past without over reacting. It’s a hard balancing act. In this case I wish the AL admins would examine this request on its own merits without conflating it with the “please get rid of PHB +1 rule” request.

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But it is "getting rid of the PHB +1 rule", just an exception at a time.

Runny · Oct 30, 2017

skerritthegreen said:
Just had that conversation again today (admins and WOTC). No one was in favor of exempting race.

Thanks for bringing it up! It makes me feel better knowing that it was at least considered. What was the main objection? Don’t mess with success? Or was it fear of a slippery slope, as Jasper alluded to?

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Exempting Races from the +1 rule

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