D&D 5E Anyone else finding character advancement pretty dull?

[Olive]

I'm a long term D&D player, starting with Red Box but I also played a fair bit of 2e, tons of 3/3,5(& PF) and while I skipped 4e I've been playing 5e for about a year and a half now. The first year was as a DM and it was a revelation - easy to prep, easy to run and a total relief after 3.5. I played a few one shots and enjoyed the same things as a player - clear rules and little maths.

Now I've been a player for 6 months and I've noticed that I find character advancement really dull, something I never found in 3.5. Even playing as a wizard, I've found spell selection etc boring.

I know I'm not alone as a friend (not in my group) has said the same but has anyone else found this? And any thoughts on improving the situation?

 

[ccs]

For the most part, whatever the edition or system, leveling up has always been just a mechanical book keeping task as far as I'm concerned. Spend a few minutes adjusting #s, jotting down new abilities & spells. Maybe different equipment....
I'm quite happy that 5e requires I spend less time doing this task.

For me the exciting, entertaining, bits are all the sessions leading up to that paperwork.

 

[Charlaquin]

Character advancement is indeed extremely... I’ll say streamlined, in 5e. I find it immeasurably preferable to 3.5, where it was easy to accidentally make your character fall behind, which in my experience encouraged planning builds out in advance instead of letting them develop organically.

By the same token though, I find that 5e overcorrects. You choose a Subclass somewhere between 1st and 3rd (and lets be honest, even if your Class picks their Subclass up at 2nd or 3rd, you usually decide which one you’re going for at character creation). If you’re a non-caster, that’s basically it. Maybe you pick a couple of Maneuvers or Expertise skills. Maybe a Feat or two (although that’s kind of a non-choice too, there are only a few best options that your choice of weapon pretty much determines for you). If you’re a caster, you pick one new spell each level. If you’re a warlock you at least get to choose Invocations from time to time (which is why it’s my favorite class to play in 5e). Maybe if you’re feeling extra saucy, you might decide to take a level from another class. But overall, there is very, very little to make leveling up interesting.

Fortunately, I DM more than I play, and my players seem content with the amount of build choices they get to make. Still, I would very much like to see the next edition strike a better balance between those extremes. 4e pulled it off, but has other issues that keep me from going back to it. PF2 pulled it off, but in its current state, the system does not look like a good fit for my group.

 

[Nerditorium]

Personally I find it to be 'just right'. Not too little, not too much. For my group, it is more about the story and their personal character arcs. I haven't heard complaints from them as of yet, though all of them have a shorter history with RPGs than myself.

 

[MechaPilot]

Character advancement has always bored me. Sure, it's cool to get new things you can do, and some people get a thrill of anticipation between acquiring abilities and using them in play, but the fun for me comes in actually doing those things and playing the game.

 

[ad_hoc]

Is it a game you're looking for during level up or is it effect in play?

I don't care whether there is much choice when leveling. I care more about getting on with the game.

What I care about is how the new level will impact play. That works well for me. Some levels are more important others. This is well implemented to prolong tiers so people can play what they like.

 

[mrrockitt]

I do find it a little boring compared to earlier editions. But other than extra hp I have very little interest in character options and differences, its more about the adventure itself and the roleplaying for me, as long as I can keep up and play my part then I'm happy. I guess, in theory, the 5e system *should* encourage quicker levelling although there still seems to be many occasion in our games where a player levelled up in the last session but still leaves it until the start of the next to prepare and then spends 30 mins deciding which 1 feat/spell they will pick

 

[delericho]

I can certainly see where the OP is coming from, but... yeah, I think I'm another in the camp of "not too little, not too much".

I maybe wouldn't mind seeing a few more optional modular systems for customising characters (much like feats currently). But they would have to be strictly optional (and, indeed, I'd prefer them to be setting/campaign specific), and not just "here's a bunch of new ways to eke out a little more power for your PC".

 

[CapnZapp]

I'm a long term D&D player, starting with Red Box but I also played a fair bit of 2e, tons of 3/3,5(& PF) and while I skipped 4e I've been playing 5e for about a year and a half now. The first year was as a DM and it was a revelation - easy to prep, easy to run and a total relief after 3.5. I played a few one shots and enjoyed the same things as a player - clear rules and little maths.

Now I've been a player for 6 months and I've noticed that I find character advancement really dull, something I never found in 3.5. Even playing as a wizard, I've found spell selection etc boring.

I know I'm not alone as a friend (not in my group) has said the same but has anyone else found this? And any thoughts on improving the situation?

This.

We have a long discussion about Pathfinder 2 and missed opportunities; and how 5E desperately needs more crunch on the player side.

What I call deep crunch, not breadth-crunch. Meaning more decision points for new AND existing characters. (New subclasses allow you to create new characters but does nothing to increase the complexity of existing ones)

I have predicted this for years.

Give us an Advanced Player's Handbook now!

 

[CubicsRube]

I bought Shadow of the demon lord mainky necause i liked the modular aspects of it (although it is yet to see table time).

For me it strikes a good balance between streamlining and choice.

For those who arent familiar, at level 1 you choose one of the four iconic fantasy classes. Then at level 3, you choose one of 16 more specialised classes. Then at level 7 you choose one of 64 master classes.

And that's just the core book. Expansions offer more.

The kicker is that there are no prerequisites for any of these classes. So if you are a warrior and you want to become a druid, then you just pick the class. Then maybe you want to become an aeromancer? You pick that class. Then at high levels you're a shape changing, flying warrior.

Or perhaps you want to be a priest tinkerer magical armor pilot. Or a rogue oracle weapon master. Thr choices are near endless, but occur through the game as your player advances. Some might be less optimal than others, but they sure have flavour!