Li Shenron
Legend
I think the healthiest is to tell newcomers nothing.
Tell them the rules and show them the options. Let them figure out the rest.
What makes Great Weapon Master and Sharpshooter so good?
I think the healthiest is to tell newcomers nothing.
Tell them the rules and show them the options. Let them figure out the rest.
I don't agree with this at all. Reading Dragon magazine - including Forum letters, which were the early-mid 80s version of a message board - helped me a lot in learning how to approach RPGs.
Li Shenron
Legend
Yeah but did you do it because someone told you? Nobody told me anything when I was a beginner, I was driven only by my curiosity, but not everyone is like that. Curious players will ask, or will look for insight by themselves. I largely prefer DMs who listen and answer, rather than DMs who tell their players what is better for them.
I'm not sure I've properly understood your point here. I'm not seeing how GM-player relations factor into the question of what sort of advice (including perhaps refusing to answer requests for advice) does or does not make for a healthy D&D community.
UngeheuerLich
Legend
That is for sure equally healthy.
UngeheuerLich
Legend
If they are asking specifically, not responding seems kind of rude, doesn´t it?
Li Shenron
Legend
Yes maybe I didn't understand you either, and overreacted to Ungeheuer's sentence.
Obviously (see my previous post).
I kind of took your comment in the last page to suggest that the DM should somehow warn newcomers of potential problems, and just meant to say that it's better not to mention any of those problem at all. Because maybe those problems won't even show up after all, but also because it's best not to introduce the game starting from a point of view of how the game could have been better. For the specific case of GWM or SS, I would suggest not to mention them at all to newcomers: maybe nobody will even pick those feats, and even if they do maybe they won't break the game.
UngeheuerLich
Legend
Of course. I would not bring it up if I am not asked. Sadly the internet is full of posts siggesting that they are broken op. And so the thread started. And my take is: chill. No problem if you don't think hitting once every 4 rounds for 25 damage is better than hitting every 2 rounds for 10 or so.
CapnZapp
Legend
If you hit five times in one round, for something like 100 points, the bloke with a longsword will look like a chump with his 4d8+20.
It is a problem to me. It might not happen every round, but it should not happen at all (without significant resource burn).
And if it isn't to you, you should have no difficulty agreeing to a fix, since apparently no degree of overshadowing is bothersome to you.
It is a problem to me. It might not happen every round, but it should not happen at all (without significant resource burn).
And if it isn't to you, you should have no difficulty agreeing to a fix, since apparently no degree of overshadowing is bothersome to you.
CapnZapp
Legend
I should be so lucky. None of my players are so disinterested (in mechanical efficiency) or inexpert (in system mastery) as to arrive at something as modest as that.
The fact is: the fix is not for you. I am only asking you agree to the fix for the benefit of others.
