D&D 5E Krynn's Free Feats: setting-specific or the future of the game?

[overgeeked]

I include the DM and the people who run the characters as "players" as they are all playing a game, just assuming different roles.

Ah. See, that's a disconnect then. The players are the players, they control the player characters. The DM is the DM, they control everything else. The DM isn't a player in the same sense as the others. They're all playing a game together, yes. But player means a thing. Something that the DM doesn't do.

What difference does "optional" mean? You can ignore core elements of the game if you choose, can't you?

Well, if something is optional it's not pare of the core game. Flanking is optional, the designers don't assume it'll be used. Likewise, feats and multiclassing are optional, the designers don't assume it'll be used. Race and class are not optional, they're core elements of the game, the designers assume they'll be used.

 

[overgeeked]

i would think "I magically create food" and "I scrounge for food" are BOTH ribbon abilities but both interact with mechanics

The distinction being burning a spell slot to create the food. That's mechanical. You're paying a cost that's generally not open to DM interpretation.

 

[GMforPowergamers]

Maybe they weren't meant to be ribbons? Or maybe the current design team isn't happy with ribbon abilities?

the thing is some of them are already better ribbons then others... some backgrounds let you know people everywhere, others give you places to stay, others give you 3 hirelings, and others still give you some secrete insight into the world (and those are off the top of my head_

 

[Maxperson]

1) it means I may need more thne 3 hour sleep in last 48 hours...

what I mean is how is picking alert or toughness for a homemade background diffrent then choosing position of privilege or some other feature?

I don't think it is, other than perhaps being less fun. I just made a character with the Hermit background for a PbP game starting here, because it fit my concept. After I picked it was reading it through, I saw the feature that gave me some secret of the universe. That's fantastic, even if it's "The gods had green eggs and ham for the first breakfast." Much more fun than Alert or Toughness.

My point, though, was that you don't need to pick a background simply for the mechanics of what skills, tools, etc. it gives you. If I want a Monk whose concept is "Enforcer for the local thieves' guild," I'm not going to want the criminal background. I'm going to want to make up a Mafia background that gives me Persuasion and Intimidation, since that meets the vision I have for my character. A criminal who makes sure that the people being "protected" pay up.

Edit: Also, get some sleep!

 

[GMforPowergamers]

I've noticed a bias towards allowing magic to work when mundane approaches do not over the years. But obviously that doesn't apply to every DM or playgroup.

I see that as a DM bias though not a system bias.

I find it funny because some people say 'only magic can heal' but then say second wind doesn't count... and healing kits don't count

 

[James Gasik]

Ah. See, that's a disconnect then. The players are the players, they control the player characters. The DM is the DM, they control everything else. The DM isn't a player in the same sense as the others. They're all playing a game together, yes. But player means a thing. Something that the DM doesn't do.

Well, if something is optional it's not pare of the core game. Flanking is optional, the designers don't assume it'll be used. Likewise, feats and multiclassing are optional, the designers don't assume it'll be used. Race and class are not optional, they're core elements of the game, the designers assume they'll be used.

Yeah but just because Gnomes exist doesn't mean you have to use them.

 

[overgeeked]

I see that as a DM bias though not a system bias.

I find it funny because some people say 'only magic can heal' but then say second wind doesn't count... and healing kits don't count

Or rolling hit dice during a short rest...or full regeneration after a long rest.

 

[James Gasik]

I see that as a DM bias though not a system bias.

I find it funny because some people say 'only magic can heal' but then say second wind doesn't count... and healing kits don't count

Oh man, I recently had that argument with another poster when talking about Warlords. It got to the point that even when I found examples of a non-caster being able to heal allies (The Banneret), they just said "well I don't use that subclass, and they can't revive dying characters anyways, so obviously it's not the same".

 

[overgeeked]

Yeah but just because Gnomes exist doesn't mean you have to use them.

The category of race exists and it's a core element of the game. The designers assume you will pick a race as a matter of course, not that you will pick a specific race. That seems rather obvious, but sure...why not.

 

[GMforPowergamers]

The distinction being burning a spell slot to create the food. That's mechanical. You're paying a cost that's generally not open to DM interpretation.

I don't know why it matters if it is a slot, but lets say it is an at will cantrip... does that change it?