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What does balance mean to you?
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<blockquote data-quote="Shiroiken" data-source="post: 7155153" data-attributes="member: 6775477"><p>1 - A Dex/Acrobatics check. <img src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" class="smilie smilie--sprite smilie--sprite2" alt=";)" title="Wink ;)" loading="lazy" data-shortname=";)" /></p><p>I generally find that the problem of balance isn't that big in 5E. The problems that I have aren't that things are too powerful, but that things are powerful enough. There are a lot of feats that are just not worth giving up +2 to your primary ability score. It's not that GWF is OP, it's that too many things are UP! The only thing I've actually felt is OP is Sharpshooter... and NOT because of the -5/+10 ability, but because the ability to ignore both cover and long range (stacking with the archery fighting style) allows for an archer to fight with such an overwhelming advantage against almost every foe (spellcasters are the only thing that have a reasonable chance).</p><p></p><p>2 - I do not balance encounters. I design areas of challenges and give the players the freedom to do what they will. I've had 2nd level players attack a dragon (yes, they all died), and I've had 8th level characters run away from kobolds. In my last campaign the average encounter (according to the DMG) was about 1.5x-2x the Deadly threshold, and the party averaged about 4 or so a day with the occasional short rest. I never told the party when to rest, but let them know the consequences of time lapse (monster's preparing against a second assault, etc.).</p><p></p><p>3 - The only time I've felt things being unbalanced is if you have two people trying to do the same thing, and one is clearly superior to another. In AD&D I've felt this when I had a lower level character, and in 3E I felt this when someone played the same class with higher ability scores. Since 5E provides such a variety of things that can be done, all in a variety of way, this doesn't happen as often IME.</p><p></p><p>4 - The players have a level of fun, and that it doesn't take too long to get back to the game. Most combats, I like a level of risk, even if it's just the risk of one enemy getting away to sound an alarm. Sometimes an easy fight is fun, but more often I'd like to get back to the rest of the game, rather than waste time rolling out the inevitable. </p><p></p><p>5 - Houserules. 5E is designed to be customized, and I feel that too many people are beholden to RAW. If something doesn't work, change it!</p><p></p><p>6 - D&D is completely different from any other type of game. There were some boardgames that were close (Heroquest comes to mind), but they still had teams, where the "DM" was actually trying to beat you, rather than be a neutral arbiter. Because of this, it's not fair to make a comparison.</p><p></p><p>Oh, and in any kind of competitive game, there is no balanced measurement. Player skill is not balanced, and that is the primary factor in most competitive games (or it's second to luck). I play boardgames all the time, and everyone knows who the "good players" are for each game, and they make sure to keep them in check as much as possible. Back when I played CCGs, any deck that didn't have a win ratio in the 70% range wasn't worth taking to a tournament.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Shiroiken, post: 7155153, member: 6775477"] 1 - A Dex/Acrobatics check. ;) I generally find that the problem of balance isn't that big in 5E. The problems that I have aren't that things are too powerful, but that things are powerful enough. There are a lot of feats that are just not worth giving up +2 to your primary ability score. It's not that GWF is OP, it's that too many things are UP! The only thing I've actually felt is OP is Sharpshooter... and NOT because of the -5/+10 ability, but because the ability to ignore both cover and long range (stacking with the archery fighting style) allows for an archer to fight with such an overwhelming advantage against almost every foe (spellcasters are the only thing that have a reasonable chance). 2 - I do not balance encounters. I design areas of challenges and give the players the freedom to do what they will. I've had 2nd level players attack a dragon (yes, they all died), and I've had 8th level characters run away from kobolds. In my last campaign the average encounter (according to the DMG) was about 1.5x-2x the Deadly threshold, and the party averaged about 4 or so a day with the occasional short rest. I never told the party when to rest, but let them know the consequences of time lapse (monster's preparing against a second assault, etc.). 3 - The only time I've felt things being unbalanced is if you have two people trying to do the same thing, and one is clearly superior to another. In AD&D I've felt this when I had a lower level character, and in 3E I felt this when someone played the same class with higher ability scores. Since 5E provides such a variety of things that can be done, all in a variety of way, this doesn't happen as often IME. 4 - The players have a level of fun, and that it doesn't take too long to get back to the game. Most combats, I like a level of risk, even if it's just the risk of one enemy getting away to sound an alarm. Sometimes an easy fight is fun, but more often I'd like to get back to the rest of the game, rather than waste time rolling out the inevitable. 5 - Houserules. 5E is designed to be customized, and I feel that too many people are beholden to RAW. If something doesn't work, change it! 6 - D&D is completely different from any other type of game. There were some boardgames that were close (Heroquest comes to mind), but they still had teams, where the "DM" was actually trying to beat you, rather than be a neutral arbiter. Because of this, it's not fair to make a comparison. Oh, and in any kind of competitive game, there is no balanced measurement. Player skill is not balanced, and that is the primary factor in most competitive games (or it's second to luck). I play boardgames all the time, and everyone knows who the "good players" are for each game, and they make sure to keep them in check as much as possible. Back when I played CCGs, any deck that didn't have a win ratio in the 70% range wasn't worth taking to a tournament. [/QUOTE]
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