D&D 5E Feats: Do they stifle creativity and reduce options?

[iserith]

We're a bit hit and miss for inspiration. I know that when I DM, I really, really need to up my game and award it more often. It just tends to get forgotten.

The main issue with inspiration though, like a lot of fuzzy, DM arbitrated rules, is that the DM has so many plates in the air, it's easy to forget. The DM isn't deliberately short changing anyone, it's just that it can be hard to remember, "oh, hey, yeah, this character has that trait, so, he or she should get inspiration for doing that thing". I mean, good grief, I have enough trouble remembering the names of the characters my players play, so, trying to remember that Bob has Trait X is often very far down on the list.

Which is, honestly, why I don't see inspiration as a good replacement for feats for rewarding play. With feats, it puts the onus on the player to deal with it. You want your character to be especially tough? Good, take a feat that bumps your HP. Don't expect me, as DM, with four other people around the table plus my own NPC's and whatnot to deal with, to remember that three months ago you told me that your character was a "tough guy" and you should be getting inspiration for playing that up.

All the DM need do is tell the players how they can get it in the game, which can reasonably include claiming it for themselves. Believe me, players have a vested interest in remembering. They will make sure they play to their character's personal characteristics to get that Inspiration. If the DM can't bring himself or herself to remember, outsource it.

I don't use feats in most of my games. I don't use them in my one-shots and didn't use them in two of my three last campaigns. In my current campaign, their availability is gated behind faction membership. But I do use Inspiration in all of them as described. And it works for incentivizing particular behaviors.

 

[BookBarbarian]

I've been thinking of taking all the red d20s I have and putting them in a bowl in the middle of the table and explaining that these are the inspiration dice, and make a big deal about handing them out. So that Players are more aware of having Inspiration and using it more often. At least until I get it into the forefront of our minds that they can be a powerful tool for players to succeed.

 

[iserith]

I've been thinking of taking all the red d20s I have and putting them in a bowl in the middle of the table and explaining that these are the inspiration dice, and make a big deal about handing them out. So that Players are more aware of having Inspiration and using it more often. At least until I get it into the forefront of our minds that they can be a powerful tool for players to succeed.

In a Roll20 game, my players have their character do or say something and then spit the applicable characteristic into chat with the click of a button. Then play continues. At a table game, the players hold up an index card with the characteristic on it. What I have found is that it becomes something of a competition among players to come up with the most clever use of the characteristic. Or in many cases the most funny. That competition and the resulting accolades reinforces its use during play.

 

[BookBarbarian]

In a Roll20 game, my players have their character do or say something and then spit the applicable characteristic into chat with the click of a button. Then play continues. At a table game, the players hold up an index card with the characteristic on it. What I have found is that it becomes something of a competition among players to come up with the most clever use of the characteristic. Or in many cases the most funny. That competition and the resulting accolades reinforces its use during play.

That sound like a lot of fun and would fit in very nicely with my idea to start using character cards instead of traditional sheets.

 

[JacktheRabbit]

What the heck are you talking about? We love Inspiration and use it every session! I've seen it used to great effect in the streaming sessions that are so popular and attracting so many new players, and during AL sessions at multiple locations.



Yeah, he doesn't get it, nor do I, because you have not supported your position in any way. And when challenged you were still unable and unwilling to support your position and are now acting like you fleeing the interview is justified by...reasons?

It is VERY SIMPLE. A vast majority of players have found that DMs do not implement Inspiration the way the rules suggest. They dont like it or more commonly they do not remember to do it. So it does not flipping matter how well the rule is written if as written it is being ignored 90% of the time.

So constantly throwing out the same line that "the DM just needs to do it the way the rules say" is ABSOLUTELY POINTLESS. They are NOT doing it as written so how well it is written doesnt matter.

 

[The Crimson Binome]

HAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHA my players were uber. Sept 1980 I just didn't know they were playing 3E.
Sorry Saelorn I seen this happen way back when my hair line was progressing not receding.

It's not that I don't believe you, but... how were they doing those things? Were they optimizing their non-weapon proficiencies? Practicing their dice rolling in order to try and get the stats they wanted?

The reason this behavior became mainstream in 3E was because 3E introduced point-buy elements into character creation, in the form of feats and expected wealth guidelines; you could plan which feats to take, and which magic items you wanted. AD&D didn't really have avenues by which a player could shape their character, until you got into very late 2E with things like Skills & Powers.

 

[5ekyu]

HAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHA my players were uber. Sept 1980 I just didn't know they were playing 3E.
Sorry Saelorn I seen this happen way back when my hair line was progressing not receding.

Yup.was definitely there pre-prez-ronnie in my groups too.

 

[Satyrn]

AD&D didn't really have avenues by which a player could shape their character, until you got into very late 2E with things like Skills & Powers.

I doubt it got used very much for actual games, but I remember building classes using the guidelines in 2e's DMG; that was quite like building characters in 3e - not exactly, of course, but it scratched the same itch.

 

[The Crimson Binome]

I doubt it got used very much for actual games, but I remember building classes using the guidelines in 2e's DMG; that was quite like building characters in 3e - not exactly, of course, but it scratched the same itch.

That was one of my favorite parts of the 2E DMG! You basically had a list of all of the class building blocks - hit die, THAC0 progression, weapon proficiencies, spell access and progression tables - and you could make any class you wanted by combining exactly the aspects you wanted.

If you wanted to build a full fighter type (with d10 hit dice, good THAC0, good armor and weapons) and also give them access to evocation and healing spells, you could just do that. The balancing factor was that every option increased the amount of XP required to gain a level.

But yeah, I doubt it got used much.

 

[Ovinomancer]

Acting = playing a role = roleplaying.

Same things.

Roleplaying is necessary to acting. Acting is not necessary to roleplaying.