D&D 5E Anyone else finding character advancement pretty dull?

[Maxperson]

Why should I join you in that category?

Because if enough people join in this request, they would listen.

 

[Guest 6801328]

The main reason we're not getting much crunch is because we're collectively letting WotC get away with not providing it.

I'm thinking the main reason is because the "we" you speak of is a minority. Highly vocal and passionate, yes, but a minority.

Lots of us think 5e has plenty of crunch, tyvm, and it's one of the reasons we came back to the franchise after many years away.

 

[Oofta]

Also - it has become quite evident they will happily use any excuse for NOT doing anything.

You could start to wonder if they don't want to rock the boat, but I think the answer is what it always was:

5E is developed by a minimal crew to maintain the brand until Hasbro can diverge into the real money making branches: movies, action figures...

The main reason we're not getting much crunch is because we're collectively letting WotC get away with not providing it.

Yep. Terrible how we're "allowing" WOTC to get away with the best selling versions of D&D ever. Truly a shame that soooo many people seem to prefer this style.

AKA, you can't please everyone but 5E seems to please the vast majority of people.

 

[Tallifer]

"Something else".

If I have any complaint, it's that the levels go by too quickly to actually settle into them. By the numbers, it seems that the PCs are getting new abilities before the players figure out how to best use the ones they have.

Which touches on what my real issue with D&D advancement -- levels are too large grain. I much prefer some sort of character point system where you might get a single skill/ability/whatever bump every session or two, rather than the stair-step every 4-6 sessions.

I agree about the speed of leveling. The first thing I did when I started my 4E (which became 5E) campaign in 2012 was slow down the advancement to a 1st Edition AD&D crawl. The next thing I did was dole out XP in drips and drops. Each session is form 200 to 500 XP regardless of the level. (On the other hand I give 100XP to the whole party for every illustration, map, backgroudn story or journal.)

 

[Parmandur]

Also - it has become quite evident they will happily use any excuse for NOT doing anything.

You could start to wonder if they don't want to rock the boat, but I think the answer is what it always was:

5E is developed by a minimal crew to maintain the brand until Hasbro can diverge into the real money making branches: movies, action figures...

The main reason we're not getting much crunch is because we're collectively letting WotC get away with not providing it.

Put another way, WotC is putting the content at the pace and level they are now due to popular demand and commercial pressure.

 

[Oofta]

Put another way, WotC is putting the content at the pace and level they are now due to popular demand and commercial pressure.

Yeah, I seem to remember an interview where they essentially admitted that 4E was a mistake driven by "a very vocal minority". I'm glad it didn't happen this time and they went with the play test and feedback instead.

 

[Jester David]

Having just finished my review of Pathfinder 2 and blow the better part of week reading that book, I expect a lot of the 4e fans and option hungry fans unsatisfied with 5e will be very happy with that game.

 

[Charlaquin]

Having just finished my review of Pathfinder 2 and blow the better part of week reading that book, I expect a lot of the 4e fans and option hungry fans unsatisfied with 5e will be very happy with that game.

I wouldn’t say very happy with it. I like the wealth of options, but it still needs a lot of polish to be something I’d describe myself as “very happy with.” It’s still got that awful 3e-era rules-as-game-engine design philosophy holding it back.

- an unsatisfied option-hungry 4e fan.

 

[Guest 6801328]

I agree about the speed of leveling.

Yeah, same. I don't feel as invested in my characters as I used to. It's too quick to get them up to a significant level.

 

[Raith5]

Are you really arguing that having advantage on dex saves, the ability to gain advantage on an attack, picking up a feat, gaining an extra attack, moving faster, being able to act during a surprise round, taking half damage from all damage that isn't psychic, and doubling your carrying capacity and gaining advantage on feats of of strength isn't significantly different from level 1? The other 7th level barbarian types also have profound differences than a level 1 barbarian has.

I get wanting to have more choices, but that's a far cry from 7th level being the same as 1st level other than hit points.

Fair point. Yes some of these passive bonuses are significant. I was thinking about decisions and choices in combat. I just mean that in combat I make two decisions - rage or not rage and reckless attack or not. A few more choices and depth in building archetypes would be nice IMO.