D&D 5E Is 5E Special

[Parmandur]

Not particularly, so I'll just say one final thing on the matter: My experience of 5e skills has not been anywhere even remotely near the level of open-endedness and potency you could get out of 4e skills. I don't know why that is. But it's what I've seen. 5e DMs, IME, have been extremely conservative about what they permit skills to do.

Not to harp on it, but this goes against what the 5E DMG and PHB say.

 

[LordEntrails]

So, did we agree that 5E is special?

With special being defined as "a thing, such as an event, product, or broadcast, that is designed or organized for a particular occasion or purpose."

 

[Parmandur]

So, did we agree that 5E is special?

With special being defined as "a thing, such as an event, product, or broadcast, that is designed or organized for a particular occasion or purpose."

There seems to be a strong consensus that 5E both came at a fortuitous time, but was special in being the right formula at said time.

 

[Minigiant]

Not particularly, so I'll just say one final thing on the matter: My experience of 5e skills has not been anywhere even remotely near the level of open-endedness and potency you could get out of 4e skills. I don't know why that is. But it's what I've seen. 5e DMs, IME, have been extremely conservative about what they permit skills to do.

It's due to 5e skills being both few in number and having few examples of sample checks. Without examples, the DC set are completely up to the DM's discretion withut anysort of guidance of how difficult the game at base assumes actions are.

Jump to overhead attack a dragon. One DM says DC 15, Another DC 20. Another DC 25.

Again,it's why 5e works excels in the level 3-9 sweet spot range common in modern play.

 

[Parmandur]

It's due to 5e skills being both few in number and having few examples of sample checks. Without examples, the DC set are completely up to the DM's discretion withut anysort of guidance of how difficult the game at base assumes actions are.

Jump to overhead attack a dragon. One DM says DC 15, Another DC 20. Another DC 25.

Again,it's why 5e works excels in the level 3-9 sweet spot range common in modern play.

That is precisely what makes it so workable in practice. The DMG suggests only using e numbers, and the variability within that 10 point range from table to table, or even ruling to ruling, is the game working as designed.

 

[Minigiant]

That precisely what makes it so workable in practice. The DMG suggests only using e numbers, and the variability within that 10% range from table to table, or even ruling to ruling, is the game working as designed.

It's not a 10% range. It's a 25% range up or down.

5e runs well in the "Local lower level heroes barely supernatural" range of level 3-9 that streamed D&D games play and is popular with new groups.
5e doesn't work at low level rookie play, fails are Tier 3 paragon play,and flops hard at epic play. But that's not what popular with newbies and streamers.

5e came outat the best time for a RPG. And it just happens to be good at play for newbs and streams that the zeitgiest pushes. However if the fanbase was pushing Drizzt/MCU/DCAU/StarWars/HOTU play, 5e would be a disaster.

 

[Parmandur]

It's not a 10% range. It's a 25% range up or down.

5e runs well in the "Local lower level heroes barely supernatural" range of level 3-9 that streamed D&D games play and is popular with new groups.
5e doesn't work at low level rookie play, fails are Tier 3 paragon play,and flops hard at epic play. But that's not what popular with newbies and streamers.

5e came outat the best time for a RPG. And it just happens to be good at play for newbs and streams that the zeitgiest pushes. However if the fanbase was pushing Drizzt/MCU/DCAU/StarWars/HOTU play, 5e would be a disaster.

See my edit, I meant 10 point range. The game works smoothly, and the Skill system is a good example of that.

 

[doctorbadwolf]

It's not a 10% range. It's a 25% range up or down.

5e runs well in the "Local lower level heroes barely supernatural" range of level 3-9 that streamed D&D games play and is popular with new groups.
5e doesn't work at low level rookie play, fails are Tier 3 paragon play,and flops hard at epic play. But that's not what popular with newbies and streamers.

5e came outat the best time for a RPG. And it just happens to be good at play for newbs and streams that the zeitgiest pushes. However if the fanbase was pushing Drizzt/MCU/DCAU/StarWars/HOTU play, 5e would be a disaster.

I play regularly in the style you are claiming 5e is bad at, at the levels where it “fails”, and have not seen this supposed failure.

 

[Parmandur]

I play regularly in the style you are claiming 5e is bad at, at the levels where it “fails”, and have not seen this supposed failure.

You probably are doing something weird like "reading the DMG."

 

[Minigiant]

I play regularly in the style you are claiming 5e is bad at, at the levels where it “fails”, and have not seen this supposed failure.

According to WOTC, most tables end their campaigns before getting to double digits and few campaigns start near or at level 9+.

And WOTC and most 3rd parties do not release many adventures for Tier 3 and Tier 4 play.

5e thrives on rushing through Tier 1, having fun in Tier 2, and ending at Tier 3 with full understanding of the party's RP and mechanics by both DM and players.

Starting at level 9? At level 13? Most 5e DMs cannot handle it and there is little official and unofficial support to iron out 5e's issues there.