I was unable to get to this with a real keyboard earlier (Kindle good to view, not so much on the reply) so I'll make one big quote/comments post.
Minis not necessary?
*fingers crossed*
Same here. Give us good rules for an option, but don't make them required. I like to pass on them except for large fights with lots of combatants, or Dragons. I figure Dragons always deserve nice set pieces.
I don't think the DM and the players wanting to run/play two dramatically different styles of play is a problem that can be solved by D&D. Heck, I don't think that is a problem that can be solved by *any* RPG system.
Indeed. And if any person could solve that problem, their talents would be put to better use at the United Nations than making games for nerds and grognards.
I worked with a guy in college on a system that used this same principal. The initial reason was to make it so even 1st level characters had a chance against say 10th level characters. So a low level character is somewhat undifferentiated from the baseline for his class where as a high level character is much more unique/specific but not necessarily statistically much superior. He's just able to do things that he prefers better, and the things he doesn't prefer he might be actually worse in.
I would love to see this kind of concept applied to D&D.
Agreed so much, I wish I could give you x5 on the XP.
One of my biggest issues with d20 v3.0, v3.5, Pathfinder, Saga Edition Star Wars, and 4e is that
there is no good reason for the numbers to go that high. Really. The higher the numbers, and the more factors that add to them, the greater the chance for errors and needless complexity. This is not
Final Fantasy XIII where we go from critters with 200 HP to end bosses with 6.5
million.
The lifetime bonuses (sans magic items) should be about +10. HP at Epic levels should be in the 50's range (Demigods might have like 200), with a Dragon being feared because they have 70 HP and some natural DR.
I'd like to see the sacred cow of +X items die as well, to help keep that math working. Have magic items have properties, not bonuses. It keeps the
'numeric arms race' to less insane levels, and makes magic items truly
magic.
In fact, with the swingy nature of the d20 non-curve and the current math, people look for every bonus they can find just to actually be as good as their numbers and class
should suggest. So numbers that stayed on the low end across the life of the campaign would make each +1 a PC got more relevant to the expression of the path from starting squire to
'Big Damn Hero.
Well, no, because I just don't think you need game mechanics to play a "leader" character. That's something that should be roleplayed.
And realistically, if you let someone who doesn't have real world leadership skills try to play a character that does boss others around, it's really not going to work well - lots and bickering and such.
So, the only people that should be playing Paladins are Political Science or Management majors and all Bards should be played by actual musicians? I think you are missing a vital point to role-playing...