Gate Pass Gazette Poll Time is Upon Us Again!

[Savannah Broadway]

We're a bit short of our 2 year anniversary, but we wanted to check in and make sure that we're putting out the sort of content you want to see most!

You can choose more than one option, and of course if you don't see what you want here or want to get more specific, let us know in the comments.
Note: This poll is also on Patreon, which includes the same options and will be weighted a bit heavier than this one.

 

[Distracted DM]

Everything that falls on the GM side of the screen

 

[CleverNickName]

Eh, we've got plenty of backgrounds, classes, subclasses, and all that player-facing stuff. I'm way more interested in GM-facing stuff like mass combat rules, exploration challenges, new lore, new regions and world-building tools, new monster templates, and new treasures.

 

[grimmgoose]

Tertiary (GM-facing stuff) and it's not even close. We have enough races to last us a lifetime. There's over 500 spells. There's plenty of questionably-balanced classes and subclasses.

What we don't have is an engaging way to run a mass battle. Or a way to run an encounter that doesn't involve a convoluted combat engine.

When I look at running an avalanche encounter in 5E vs Savage Worlds, it's so much more clear which system cares about the GM-side of things, and which one doesn't.

In SW, it's a Dramatic Task. It's incredibly easy to setup, and the subsystem is designed to be engaging at the table. Anytime we do a Dramatic Task, it's hype at the table. And it can be "designed" in my head at the table in about 15 seconds.

In 5E, assuming I have Rime of the Frostmaiden, I have to note:

• how big it is (300 feet wide, 150 feet long, 30 feet thick)
• what initiative counts the avalanche goes on
• how fast it travels per turn
• what Saves a character makes when the avalanche hits them
• how much damage they take
• what happens when they are buried

It's cool and informative, I guess, but it just feels so damn wasteful, considering most campaigns will never encounter an avalanche, and those that will, will probably only deal with a single one. So...why not create a generic "skill challenge" (yes, I know) system that can be tweaked by GMs on the fly?

 

[W'rkncacnter]

When I look at running an avalanche encounter in 5E vs Savage Worlds, it's so much more clear which system cares about the GM-side of things, and which one doesn't.

In SW, it's a Dramatic Task. It's incredibly easy to setup, and the subsystem is designed to be engaging at the table. Anytime we do a Dramatic Task, it's hype at the table. And it can be "designed" in my head at the table in about 15 seconds.

In 5E, assuming I have Rime of the Frostmaiden, I have to note:

• how big it is (300 feet wide, 150 feet long, 30 feet thick)
• what initiative counts the avalanche goes on
• how fast it travels per turn
• what Saves a character makes when the avalanche hits them
• how much damage they take
• what happens when they are buried

It's cool and informative, I guess, but it just feels so damn wasteful, considering most campaigns will never encounter an avalanche, and those that will, will probably only deal with a single one. So...why not create a generic "skill challenge" (yes, I know) system that can be tweaked by GMs on the fly?

i mean, in a5e, this would just be an exploration challenge.

though i do agree more tertiary stuff would be great. that and a few more ranged maneuver traditions, just so that there isn't literally only one ranged tradition.

 

[Morrus]

Tertiary (GM-facing stuff) and it's not even close. We have enough races to last us a lifetime. There's over 500 spells. There's plenty of questionably-balanced classes and subclasses.

What we don't have is an engaging way to run a mass battle. Or a way to run an encounter that doesn't involve a convoluted combat engine.

When I look at running an avalanche encounter in 5E vs Savage Worlds, it's so much more clear which system cares about the GM-side of things, and which one doesn't.

In SW, it's a Dramatic Task. It's incredibly easy to setup, and the subsystem is designed to be engaging at the table. Anytime we do a Dramatic Task, it's hype at the table. And it can be "designed" in my head at the table in about 15 seconds.

In 5E, assuming I have Rime of the Frostmaiden, I have to note:

• how big it is (300 feet wide, 150 feet long, 30 feet thick)
• what initiative counts the avalanche goes on
• how fast it travels per turn
• what Saves a character makes when the avalanche hits them
• how much damage they take
• what happens when they are buried

It's cool and informative, I guess, but it just feels so damn wasteful, considering most campaigns will never encounter an avalanche, and those that will, will probably only deal with a single one. So...why not create a generic "skill challenge" (yes, I know) system that can be tweaked by GMs on the fly?

Exploration Challenges are in Trials & Treaures.

 

[foxblade]

Tertiary (GM-facing stuff) and it's not even close. We have enough races to last us a lifetime. There's over 500 spells. There's plenty of questionably-balanced classes and subclasses.

What we don't have is an engaging way to run a mass battle. Or a way to run an encounter that doesn't involve a convoluted combat engine.

When I look at running an avalanche encounter in 5E vs Savage Worlds, it's so much more clear which system cares about the GM-side of things, and which one doesn't.

In SW, it's a Dramatic Task. It's incredibly easy to setup, and the subsystem is designed to be engaging at the table. Anytime we do a Dramatic Task, it's hype at the table. And it can be "designed" in my head at the table in about 15 seconds.

In 5E, assuming I have Rime of the Frostmaiden, I have to note:

• how big it is (300 feet wide, 150 feet long, 30 feet thick)
• what initiative counts the avalanche goes on
• how fast it travels per turn
• what Saves a character makes when the avalanche hits them
• how much damage they take
• what happens when they are buried

It's cool and informative, I guess, but it just feels so damn wasteful, considering most campaigns will never encounter an avalanche, and those that will, will probably only deal with a single one. So...why not create a generic "skill challenge" (yes, I know) system that can be tweaked by GMs on the fly?

I was going to say (Morrus beat me to it) that Trials and Treasures has you covered for what you're looking for. The 3rd party book Stranger Sights (for A5e) has even more.

 

[xiphumor]

It’s interesting to see how the EN World survey breaks down as compared to the Patreon survey. Archetypes dominate that patreon poll, but are only in 6th place here.

 

[Sepulchre]

More class specific non-spell optional features such as knacks, focus features, furious criticals, invocations, empowered smites, and rogue skills tricks.

Also, new maneuvers within existing traditions would be great too.

In general, I think A5e could benefit from more choice within existing buckets, rather than more shallow buckets.

 

[Mike Myler]