D&D 5E Should D&D go away from ASIs?

[Azzy]

Hmmm...not sure whether I should be taking offense at my post being highlighted as a new low for these boards, but whatever...

I'd suggest taking it as the kind of general ENWorld hyperbole that gets thrown about here. Let's just say that my feelings on the 1e cavaliers is comparable to some posters' feelings on rapier-wielding gnome paladins.

 

[Lanefan]

Now, on the last point, it may be that homebrew DMs are weaving official adventures into their worlds, but in that case they aren't entirely homebrew worlds.

In my own case, the world is entirely homebrew but the adventures in it come from wherever I can find them. So far this campaign I've partially or fully run canned adventures from TSR (0e, 1e), WotC (3e, 4e, 5e), Judges Guild, and a few d20 3rd-party types...along with a bunch of my own and at least one written by another DM as homebrew for his world.

Haven't run any 2e modules yet this time around, but 2e isn't exactly known for its great adventures at the best of times...

Lanefan

 

[schnee]

AD&D certainly placed a much, much stronger emphasis on Ability Scores, but did not provide many ways to improve them. I always considered this a bug, not a feature. It did provide plenty of ways to reduce the scores >:|. The only predictable changes were dependent upon the PC's age. (DMG pp. 12-23, for those who need a citation.)

Dunno about your campaigns, but what happened instead in the ones I saw is that everyone collected magic items. 'Monty Haul' was the name of the game. +5 this, Holy Avenger that, Cube of Force and Staff of Power and so many rings they had them attached to little chains that went inside pockets on their wrist guards so they could swap them out situationally.

I much prefer characters that are becoming pinnacles of personal development rather than walking sacks of loot.

 

[Guest 6801328]

Well, one of the biggest and most diverse studies that touches on the issue comes to mind, it's about as close as I have seen to an open and "scientific" one; http://slyflourish.com/2016_dm_survey_results.html

Interesting. Thanks for linking.

 

[Irda Ranger]

Isn't that mostly a refluff of the current system? Could we think of it is as being that way already?

You see what I mean? If we are happy to relocate the modifiers, then isn't the debate becomes principally about not wanting carrying capacity and breath holding to scale with level?

That's exactly what I mean. But isn't that the whole point of this thread?

I am probably against relocating the modifiers if the motive is offenses against fluff.

Why? The entire point of the change (IMO) is to make the story half of the game more enjoyable and less offensive to my sense of verisimilitude. The very first thing I said was that I didn't have a problem with "the math" of 5E.

 

[clearstream]

That's exactly what I mean. But isn't that the whole point of this thread?


Why? The entire point of the change (IMO) is to make the story half of the game more enjoyable and less offensive to my sense of verisimilitude. The very first thing I said was that I didn't have a problem with "the math" of 5E.

That seems coherently motivated

One benefit of the clip-on ASI/Feat is that many combinations are possible. How would a restructure with them locked into classes avoid narrowing character builds? A non-fluff consequence.

 

[TwoSix]

I much prefer characters that are becoming pinnacles of personal development rather than walking sacks of loot.

Interesting. I actually much prefer games where the primary modes of advancement are external/acquisition-based. I'd love an E6 type game where you primarily advance by finding new and better magic items.

 

[lowkey13]

*Deleted by user*

 

[Wiseblood]

I voted Other.
I would like to see reduced emphasis on ability scores. ASIs are just boring IMO. Not that I would not or have not taken them.... I just felt meh.

 

[Guest 6801328]

Ahem.

Don't forget, the Paladin was a SUBCLASS of the 1e cavalier.

The roots go deep my friend, they go deep.

It was MOVED there...