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Time to bring back the prose?
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<blockquote data-quote="Crazy Jerome" data-source="post: 5901923" data-attributes="member: 54877"><p>That's why I'm sitting square in the middle on this question. The problem with 3E (and some earlier spells) is that the <strong>flavor text isn't flavor text</strong>. It's a bloody stat block written out in prose. The problem with 4E spells, however, is that they they only fixed half this problem. They said, "Hey, there isn't actually any flavor in this text that isn't already communicated in a good stat block or by assuming the DM can handle legal questions. So let's just have a stat block." So then when they made up some flavor to replace it, it was both sparse and lame. Worse, not infrequently it gives the impression that the spell does more than it does. </p><p> </p><p>What I'd like to see is some flavorful prose that is <strong>necessary</strong>, mainly because the spell goes outside what can be communicated in a simple stat block. That implies some rules effects from the information, adjudicated by a DM where necessary. </p><p> </p><p>Legalese and prose stat blocks are not flavor. They are merely presentation. I get that some people like the presentation. What I'd like is some real flavor.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Crazy Jerome, post: 5901923, member: 54877"] That's why I'm sitting square in the middle on this question. The problem with 3E (and some earlier spells) is that the [B]flavor text isn't flavor text[/B]. It's a bloody stat block written out in prose. The problem with 4E spells, however, is that they they only fixed half this problem. They said, "Hey, there isn't actually any flavor in this text that isn't already communicated in a good stat block or by assuming the DM can handle legal questions. So let's just have a stat block." So then when they made up some flavor to replace it, it was both sparse and lame. Worse, not infrequently it gives the impression that the spell does more than it does. What I'd like to see is some flavorful prose that is [B]necessary[/B], mainly because the spell goes outside what can be communicated in a simple stat block. That implies some rules effects from the information, adjudicated by a DM where necessary. Legalese and prose stat blocks are not flavor. They are merely presentation. I get that some people like the presentation. What I'd like is some real flavor. [/QUOTE]
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Time to bring back the prose?
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