The Actual Table of Contents for Xanathar's Guide to Everything

A lot of good stuff there.

Of course, on the DM side, a lot of stuff is not there, but I like what I see.

Actually, one of the most useful things will be the appendix of sample names.

 

[gyor]

I'm glad people are starting to realize how bad the PHB +1 rule is in practice. It's a rule designed for previous editions where material did not go through the public pay testing 5e material does, does not have 5e's bounded accuracy, produced material at rates in orders of magnitude higher then 5e does.

It causes all kinds of problems, like the weird fact that a Drow and Trifling can become Oath of the Crown Paladins, but an Aasimar can't, in effect defacto restoring racial class restrictions when the artificer and mystic come on line.

And recycling subclasses now.

The AL rule of PHB +1 is based on the ghosts of editions passed, none on 5e, but 5e is the one that deal with it.

 

[gyor]

They aren't reprinting anything from Volo's Guide. Two pages from a two year old product that many people wouldn't have bought...small potatoes.

If the PHB +1 is working to grow the game, that's for the good.

There is no evidence that the PHB +1 is helping to grow the game. Yes 5e is popular, but corellation isn't causation.

 

[gyor]

Thought better of my comment, too conscending.

 

[Parmandur]

There is no evidence that the PHB +1 is helping to grow the game. Yes 5e is popular, but corellation isn't causation.

The WotC folks keep saying they have evidence it is helping the AL grow: see no reason to doubt it.

 

[Guest 6801328]

The WotC folks keep saying they have evidence it is helping the AL grow: see no reason to doubt it.

Ah, Grasshoppa, that's because their claims don't conflict with your unshakeable conviction in an alternate truth.

 

[Parmandur]

Ah, Grasshoppa, that's because their claims don't conflict with your unshakeable conviction in an alternate truth.

I can see being frustrated with the rule, but that doesn't mean it isn't helpful for organized play.

 

[Tia Nadiezja]

The WotC folks keep saying they have evidence it is helping the AL grow: see no reason to doubt it.

They have no control group. I can definitely see it working better than the previous, even more absurd "story origin" rule, but they haven't actually tried "let people make the character they want."

 

[Guest 6801328]

They have no control group. I can definitely see it working better than the previous, even more absurd "story origin" rule, but they haven't actually tried "let people make the character they want."

You have no idea what evidence they do or do not have, or what they have or have not tried.

I swear sometimes it's impossible to have a rational debate.

 

[DM Howard]

Ah, Grasshoppa, that's because their claims don't conflict with your unshakeable conviction in an alternate truth.

I agree with the essence of what you are saying, but what would be the aim, from WotC's business perspective to fabricate that conclusion and/or exaggerate it? I have no idea if AL is helping to grow the D&D community, but i will say that it is keeping D&D in the public's (gaming public's) eye. Sure, there may be 1,000 D&D games going on in my area, but due to the (seemingly inherent) insular nature of many D&D groups either because of secret club syndrome or playing in private places are not visible to potential new players. So, only 2,500 of those games (AL games, mostly) are out there to be noticed by the gaming public. I'd say that's worth a few pages of reprinted material, I simply wish the book was beefier overall.

 

[Tia Nadiezja]

You have no idea what evidence they do or do not have, or what they have or have not tried.

I swear sometimes it's impossible to have a rational debate.

'Cept, y'know, I do know what they've tried, because what they've tried has been tried publicly. They can't try things like this privately; you don't know how they work until you let them loose in the wild.

We all know what they've tried, because we've watched it.