Unpopular opinions go here

[Faolyn]

It's possible that those "medieval European (especially English) society, laws, morality, religion, and so forth" that you're talking about are exactly what most D&D consumers think of when they imagine "a compelling world." And if they can't see those things in your new product, they might take their money elsewhere.

On the other hand, Eberron was and is still very popular and about as far from medieval Europe as it's possible for D&D to get.

 

[CleverNickName]

For all its many, many faults, I have to admit: 3rd Edition D&D did some things right.

• I never had a problem with Level Adjustments, they were the easiest way to balance certain species.
• I hate the word 'species' outside of a sci-fi game. It should always be 'ancestry.' This isn't a 3E topic, but I will never let this go.
• The "favored class" mechanic was a good way to keep multiclassing from going too far off the rails. If you hated this mechanic, odds are good that you were part of the problem. >_>
• Prestige Classes were basically subclasses that could be picked up by any class--they weren't locked behind specific classes, and gave you something to work toward.
• Monster templates were so cool, and useful, and fun. I can't believe they stopped using them.

 

[Willie the Duck]

For all its many, many faults, I have to admit: 3rd Edition D&D did some things right.

• I never had a problem with Level Adjustments, they were the easiest way to balance certain species.
• I hate the word 'species' outside of a sci-fi game. It should always be 'ancestry.' This isn't a 3E topic, but I will never let this go.
• The "favored class" mechanic was a good way to keep multiclassing from going too far off the rails.
• Prestige Classes were basically subclasses that could be picked up by any class--they weren't locked behind specific classes, and gave you something to work toward.
• Monster templates were so cool, and useful, and fun. I can't believe they stopped using them.

Just about everything 3e included was something someone had really wanted in the game, and, in theory, would make sense to implement.

There were very specific things that I think were just plain mistakes (ex: 5' step or no full attack, specific spells, specific monster rules, etc.); but overall 3e mostly just didn't perfectly land the execution. The whole many-by-many sets you listed (level adjustments, PrCs, and templates, all of which could be affixed to multiple varied other things) might have been a big part of the problem. Having a effectively innumerate number of combinations by adding any of these to a huge variety of starting characters/adversaries and attempting to achieve a level of formulaic balance between them is challenging when you start with things being equal (which, if you compare fighters to wizards or druids... is not where 3e started).

Overall, it's one of the many games like early Shadowrun, Monte Cook's Invisible Suns, or even GURPS/Hero System* where I love the idea of the mechanics, would love to see another stab at doing the thing, but don't really find what we got to be all that usable as-is. *when applied to the total population of settings for which they are suggested. Each has a place where points-to-balance/fairness just falls apart.

 

[CleverNickName]

Hm. Adding Favored Class back into 5E might look like this.

Spoiler: Favored Class in 5E

How It Works
1. Favored Class is determined by Ancestry. All Mountain Dwarves have Fighter as their favored class, all firbolgs have Druid. Warforged? Artificer. Tiefling? Warlock. And so forth.

Alternate 1: Favored class is determined by Background. A character with the Soldier background has a favored class of Fighter, a character with the Sage background has a favored class of Wizard, and so forth.​

Alternate 2: Favored class is chosen by the player. A character's favored class is whatever class they chose at 1st level.​

2. Every time you gain a level of a Favored Class, you gain +1 hit point.

Alternate: every time you gain a level in your Favored Class, you gain bonus XP.​

Changes to the Multiclassing Rules:
Your Favored Class cannot be more than 1 level away from all other classes. For example, a tiefling has 6 levels of warlock (her favored class). At 7th level, she decides to multiclass and takes a level of sorcerer. She cannot take any other levels in any other class (including warlock) until she raises her sorcerer level to at least 6.

What problem(s) are solved?
Makes a character's choice of ancestry (or alternately, background) more important.
Forces uniform character levels across multiclassed characters.
Restricts (eliminates?) the practice of "cherry-picking" and "level-dips" that can break other aspects of the game.

What problem(s) are created?
Favors non-multiclassed characters.
Can favor optimized ancestry choices (or alternately, background choices).
Makes multiclassing less appealing (maybe this is a feature, and not a bug?)

(Tagging this as a spoiler because it's off-topic for this thread.)

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

Yes there is a good reason not to go get the fish flesh from your local store and make your own sushi -- unless you live in a coastal city, the fish isn't going to be fresh enough at the meats/fish counter to be safe uncooked.

Most seafood used for sushi is flash frozen, even in Japan.* You can get fresh sushi in some places, no question, but that increases your odds of having to deal with parasites or other pathogens, most of which are killed by properly done flash freezing.

Frozen Vs Fresh Sushi | Flash Freeze

What are the main differences between frozen sushi and fresh sushi? Is Frozen Sushi really a better alternative to Fresh Sushi?

flash-freeze.net

* Japan, unlike most countries, does not have regulations requiring fish used in sushi making be flash frozen.

 

[CleverNickName]

In America, the consumption of sushi is often looked down upon because we've been taught that "raw fish" is unhealthy and dangerous. The risks of eating sushi are greatly overstated because...well, let's just say that sushi has a lot of things in common with Monosodium Glutamate in our culture.

 

[Emberashh]

Should be noted that especially when it comes to sushi grade fish that being frozen doesnt diminish the product.

Freezing things tends to ruin product when its frozen slow and then sits frozen for ages, or worse, goes through multiple partial thaws and refreezing.

Sushi grade fish tends to be frozen right on the boat and then its at a consumer within a few days.

 

[FrogReaver]

D&D is the Larry Bird of RPG’s.

 

[MichaelSomething]

To a point, but only to a point.

I'm not sure if I'm coming at this from anywhere near the same angle as @pemerton but I agree with what seems to be his basic conclusion: mechanical reflection of character differences has gained far too much focus as the editions have rolled on in D&D, at cost of differentiation in roleplayed personality, characterization, quirks, mannerisms, memes, and so forth.

I don't need mechanics in 1e D&D to differentiate these two Fighters at the table. They're the same level, both single-class, with the only real mechanical difference being that one is weapon-spec'ed and the other isn't. I've been playing them both on and off for well over 35 years, and both are still active:

---one is a practical-thinking generalist type, honourable enough not to steal but otherwise a greedy sort, who thinks his way through events as they come, who is fiercely loyal to those who are loyal to him and has no time for those who screw him over, and who - when given the opportunity - at least tries to do the right thing without seeking credit or glory. Currently he is trying to retire to somewhere quiet.
--- the other is a foul-mouthed get-outta-my-way swordsman with the diplomatic skills of a shoe who figures his weapon is the answer to every possible problem, that any sword he sees is his even if it's currently in someone else's scabbard, and that wizards are the scourge of the universe. He likes to be the center of attention. Currently he is trying to retire, build a castle, and make it an adventurers' base.

Even though they're close to mechanically identical, you'd be able to tell them apart within seconds were you at the table when they are in play.

And that's the point: if I can differentiate them that much just by roleplay, why do I need mechanical differences as well?

4th Edition

 

[CleverNickName]

D&D is the Larry Bird of RPG’s.

It's more like the Babe Ruth of RPGs.