Shadowdweller00
Adventurer
Categorically awful. Poorly written, poorly organized, poorly thought out, poorly implemented. Toxic for AL membership.
Organization: Information spread over multiple documents, requires referencing multiple tables, expects PCs to be able to access books such as the DMG that were not previously necessary.
XP / Advancement Checkpoints: Not inherently a terrible idea, but they never bothered to check whether the new advancement rate works with existing adventures / hardcovers. Pro Tip: It doesn't. PCs will outlevel acceptable ranges at numerous places in adventure paths unless the DM bends or breaks the rules. Even on slow progression, which the DM doesn't actually have control over. Dragon Heist - the very first hardcover released after implementation of the season 8 ruleset is particularly bad in this regard. Since the overwhelming majority of hardcovers conveniently list expected level per chapter or side adventure it would actually have been pretty simple to replace ACP with milestones for hardcovers, but they didn't try that. The fact of the matter is that standardized advancement rates simply don't work for hardcovers or many ongoing campaigns for the simple reason that expected advancement rates are not the same between them.
Gold rewards and non-magical finds: There is certainly some benefit in trying to standardize gold rewards between adventures or make gold feel more valuable. However, removing the link between PC action and reward is frankly something no adult should ever have considered. The changes ruin immersion, are terrible for roleplaying, break numerous mechanics that were previously functional (such as trapped chests containing non-magical treasure, gambling, pickpocketing, and/or negotiating with NPCs who were given equipment). It would have been trivially easy to make treasure points based on objectives like advancement so there was at least SOME link between what the players do and what (gold) rewards they gain, but they didn't try that. A much better solution to the glut of gold included in some of the existing adventures would have been to introduce options like Pathfinder "vanities". Means of investing treasure that make a PC feel special or accomplished but have a very minor impact, if any, on future adventures. Examples: Estates, castles, titles, servants, non-combat pets, lavish vehicles, side businesses, exotic furniture, charities, schools (e.g. monastery run by an experienced monk or a wizard's apprentices), artwork.
Magic Items and Treasure points: Also bad on multiple levels. Brings back the magic mart. Effectively removes cursed items. Ensures that many of the oddball, limited-use, or merely slightly less effective items that would previously have seen use simply because they were there will no longer see the light of day; since they now have prohibitive opportunity costs. Raises a number of avoidable balance issues: Uses magic item tables that were never intended to be balanced (originally for generating more or less tier-appropriate hoards). Allows anyone to obtain items that were only ever remotely balanced in particular adventures by being limited in number. Detracts from balance regarding magic weapons and monster resistances by allowing anyone to pick precisely the weapon they want (probably best discussed elsewhere). Anachronistic or not, plate mail is a staple of fighters in D&D and should not be the equivalent of a tier 3 magic item. Treasure point system is needlessly complex and cumbersome to keep track of, since treasure points are linked to a particular tier.
Organization: Information spread over multiple documents, requires referencing multiple tables, expects PCs to be able to access books such as the DMG that were not previously necessary.
XP / Advancement Checkpoints: Not inherently a terrible idea, but they never bothered to check whether the new advancement rate works with existing adventures / hardcovers. Pro Tip: It doesn't. PCs will outlevel acceptable ranges at numerous places in adventure paths unless the DM bends or breaks the rules. Even on slow progression, which the DM doesn't actually have control over. Dragon Heist - the very first hardcover released after implementation of the season 8 ruleset is particularly bad in this regard. Since the overwhelming majority of hardcovers conveniently list expected level per chapter or side adventure it would actually have been pretty simple to replace ACP with milestones for hardcovers, but they didn't try that. The fact of the matter is that standardized advancement rates simply don't work for hardcovers or many ongoing campaigns for the simple reason that expected advancement rates are not the same between them.
Gold rewards and non-magical finds: There is certainly some benefit in trying to standardize gold rewards between adventures or make gold feel more valuable. However, removing the link between PC action and reward is frankly something no adult should ever have considered. The changes ruin immersion, are terrible for roleplaying, break numerous mechanics that were previously functional (such as trapped chests containing non-magical treasure, gambling, pickpocketing, and/or negotiating with NPCs who were given equipment). It would have been trivially easy to make treasure points based on objectives like advancement so there was at least SOME link between what the players do and what (gold) rewards they gain, but they didn't try that. A much better solution to the glut of gold included in some of the existing adventures would have been to introduce options like Pathfinder "vanities". Means of investing treasure that make a PC feel special or accomplished but have a very minor impact, if any, on future adventures. Examples: Estates, castles, titles, servants, non-combat pets, lavish vehicles, side businesses, exotic furniture, charities, schools (e.g. monastery run by an experienced monk or a wizard's apprentices), artwork.
Magic Items and Treasure points: Also bad on multiple levels. Brings back the magic mart. Effectively removes cursed items. Ensures that many of the oddball, limited-use, or merely slightly less effective items that would previously have seen use simply because they were there will no longer see the light of day; since they now have prohibitive opportunity costs. Raises a number of avoidable balance issues: Uses magic item tables that were never intended to be balanced (originally for generating more or less tier-appropriate hoards). Allows anyone to obtain items that were only ever remotely balanced in particular adventures by being limited in number. Detracts from balance regarding magic weapons and monster resistances by allowing anyone to pick precisely the weapon they want (probably best discussed elsewhere). Anachronistic or not, plate mail is a staple of fighters in D&D and should not be the equivalent of a tier 3 magic item. Treasure point system is needlessly complex and cumbersome to keep track of, since treasure points are linked to a particular tier.
