D&D 5E Tedium for balance. Should we balance powerful effects with bookkeeping?

[Asisreo]

Do you think a tedious amount of bookkeeping, even if the tedium is light, is a valid way to balance effects?

For example, if an effect could revive the dead, but only after at least 30 full moons has passed since the last usage otherwise it destroys itself, would this be a bad way of balancing this?

Its not particularly difficult to use by a skill standpoint, but it requires tallying the number of full moons which can be annoying for the player and a DM that doesn't have a calendar prepared.

 

[Fanaelialae]

Do you think a tedious amount of bookkeeping, even if the tedium is light, is a valid way to balance effects?

For example, if an effect could revive the dead, but only after at least 30 full moons has passed since the last usage otherwise it destroys itself, would this be a bad way of balancing this?

Its not particularly difficult to use by a skill standpoint, but it requires tallying the number of full moons which can be annoying for the player and a DM that doesn't have a calendar prepared.

I don't think that tedious bookkeeping is ever a legitimate form of balance. That said, I don't think your example is one of tedious bookkeeping. Yes, there is a bookkeeping element involved, but the real balancing factor is time, which is a reasonable form of balance. You can only use this powerful ability to its fullest every X units of time.

 

[mamba]

No, bookkeeping is a nuisance, balance them in some other way. I like the DCC approach of making spells less reliable and less predictable. Does not have to go quite that far, but that is the direction I would take.

I would even get rid of all the spell components we have today, I doubt most people track those anyway.

I do not really consider your example tedious, unless you start having something like this for a lot of spells

 

[Vaalingrade]

I feel like the entire history of wizards as a class prove that crushing tedium in terms of bookkeeping will not deter those seeking the most powerful class features.

 

[Bigsta]

No

No, no, no

Oh dear god

No

 

[Micah Sweet]

I don't understand the question. Bookkeeping should occur when maintaining the verisimilitude requires it IMO. It has nothing to do with powerful effects.

 

[W'rkncacnter]

i play games to get away from tedium. having it intentionally plugged into my games is infuriating.

 

[Micah Sweet]

i play games to get away from tedium. having it intentionally plugged into my games is infuriating.

I play games to experience an imaginary world. Sometimes that requires keeping track of stuff.

 

[MichaelSomething]

There are a dozen different ways to balance powerful spells. I could list them if you like.

 

[TarionzCousin]

Oops. I should have read the first post first.