Essafah
Explorer
The problem with power creep is that it forces players to buy the latest D&D book in order to keep up with their friends, who are using the new spells and abilities to build stronger, better characters. If you multiply this effect over multiple books (as in 3E, for example), then eventually you reach a point where no one can get into the game without investing tons of time and money into it first. Pretty much all previous editions have reached that point, and it required the release of a new edition to fix.
Then there's the problem with encounter scaling. With enough power creep, players can steamroll older content designed for weaker characters. Similarly, players coming into the game and designing base-line characters will get destroyed in newer adventures designed for more powerful builds. And new DMs won't know how to fix the problem, if they even recognize what it is.
Ultimately, power creep sucks. It directly leads to the death of a game. If 5E is going to be the evergreen edition, as was intended, then it must avoid power creep at all costs.
The problem with power creep is that it forces players to buy the latest D&D book in order to keep up with their friends, who are using the new spells and abilities to build stronger, better characters. If you multiply this effect over multiple books (as in 3E, for example), then eventually you reach a point where no one can get into the game without investing tons of time and money into it first. Pretty much all previous editions have reached that point, and it required the release of a new edition to fix.
Then there's the problem with encounter scaling. With enough power creep, players can steamroll older content designed for weaker characters. Similarly, players coming into the game and designing base-line characters will get destroyed in newer adventures designed for more powerful builds. And new DMs won't know how to fix the problem, if they even recognize what it is.
Ultimately, power creep sucks. It directly leads to the death of a game. If 5E is going to be the evergreen edition, as was intended, then it must avoid power creep at all costs.
See, I fundamentally disagree with this line of reasoning. Why?
D&D is a business. It generates profits by selling products. This on its face is not bad. Indeed most RPG companys have to have additional materials such as splat books to make money. I state splat books specifically vs. adventures because adventures are geared towards DMs not players and most gamers are players not DMs.
Yes, this does require some investment but compare the money spent on D&D to ANY other hobby and even with the vast amount of splat books that existed in 3rd edition (since you mentioned that edition) D&D is a VERY economical hobby. Compare the cost to play and be effective at D&D to the cost of other hobbies such as Magic: The Gathering or tabletop wargames such as Warhammer 40k, Video game systems (PS5 and new Xbox will probaby be priced at $500 for the basic system), let alone sports hobbies like golf and there is simply no comparison. I feel fortunate that I am into an affordable hobby that at its height of splat books which was 2E and later 3E had me dropped $50 a month for an optional book....again compare that to any other hobby.
Also, the encounters are not made to be grindfest to kill PCS. 5E is geared towards cinematic action to make the PCs feel like heroes and again I think this is a good design model. Despite the vocal outcry from I suspect a relative small contingent of OSR fans a lot of people including old school gamers did not want OSR style of play. One reason probably why OSR style games don't dominate the market of RPGs. Also DMS get "power creep" via new monsters being added and so forth. So, no I don't think power creep needs to be avoided. I think attractive options that attracts players is vital for the long-term survival of a game and expecting to have a hobby and spend hardly any money on it is not fair or realistic.