WotC WotC needs an Elon Musk

[Micah Sweet]

I was flipping through the 5E Eberron setting yesterday (2019 release). I would call that an extremely immersive setting, very well done. Unlike that Spelljammer release, which lends credence to your point. The zero deep dives, I don't like either.

I don't buy the PC being powerful thing. Is it the saves every round that gets to you? Or some other mechanic? I started playing in 1982. The level drain, save or die spells... not fun. Straight up terrible design in my opinion. If that type of play is what you mean by PCs being at an appropriate level of power, I'm not on board. Removing those types of mechanics is not the same as making PCs overly powerful; all it means is removing a fun-sucking mechanic out of the game.

Saves every round, infinite cantrips, spells and abilities that eliminate resource management, long rests that fix virtually everything overnight, the list goes on.

I'm not saying that we have to go back to 1e save style, but 5e (and 4e before it) IMO opinion goes too far the other direction.

 

[Bohandas]

Just as a side note there is a theory that we are living in a simulation. You can read more about it here or just google "are we living in the matrix" but the basic idea is that an advanced civilization could create simulations so good that it would be indistinguishable from reality. There are some measurements that have been made that this theory can explain that are more difficult to explain otherwise.

So while it's an unusual theory it's not "my cat is an alien" wacko theory, some serious scientists propose that it is possible or even likely.

I've heard quite a deal of serious BS from intellectuals talking outside of their fields. Do you remember that neurosurgeon with the conspiracy theory about the pyramids?

 

[Voadam]

I'm not saying that we have to go back to 1e save style, but 5e (and 4e before it) IMO opinion goes too far the other direction.

Tastes vary.

 

[Ulorian - Agent of Chaos]

Saves every round, infinite cantrips, spells and abilities that eliminate resource management, long rests that fix virtually everything overnight, the list goes on.

I'm not saying that we have to go back to 1e save style, but 5e (and 4e before it) IMO opinion goes too far the other direction.

I understand some of that.

I will say though that infinite cantrips is a godsend. The 1st level magic user who would fire off his one Sleep spell then rely on a dart until the next rest... ridiculous. That was not really not a good system. Having something magical to do on your turn, every turn, very cool. Do you have something that fits between the two?

Saves every round I would have to say is not bad, but there is a certain lack of satisfaction to it. I hear what you're saying. But it is 100 times better than save or die. Again, if you have an alternative, let's hear it.

Long rests SHOULD fix everything. HPs are about being winded and minor scratches. Lost HPs should disappear after resting. If we want a permanent/persistent damage mechanic, that's a different issue. Do you have an alternative for that?

 

[Ulorian - Agent of Chaos]

I've heard quite a deal of serious BS from intellectuals talking outside of their fields. Do you remember that neurosurgeon with the conspiracy theory about the pyramids?

I will go read about @Oofta 's theories, even though I highly doubt I will be convinced. I never dismiss something out of hand without at least looking into it.

But if you want to experience weird conspiracy theories... look up Jordan Peterson. A sad man-child.

 

[Umbran]

Because I'm a veteran and, quite frankly, WotC has largely stopped making product I want to buy.

I can understand that there's a problem when nobody makes product you want to buy.

But... haven't you repeatedly noted that you'd given up on 5e, and had moved over to EN Publishing's A5E? If you have another provider that does stuff you like, why insist that WotC should make what you want - why not turn to the publisher that seems to fit your needs better, in general?

No publisher can provide everything that everyone wants. They cannot do infinite projects, and not all projects are going to be economic wins, for them. They will pick and choose. I'm sorry if WotC hasn't picked your needs, but... them's the breaks. This is why the OGL is so nice. You can turn to others, rather than continue insisting that WotC should serve your needs.

 

[Cadence]

But if you want to experience weird conspiracy theories...

Over 70 million sold between this and its related titles, and an Academy Award nomination for the "documentary"?

 

[Micah Sweet]

I understand some of that.

I will say though that infinite cantrips is a godsend. The 1st level magic user who would fire off his one Sleep spell then rely on a dart until the next rest... ridiculous. That was not really not a good system. Having something magical to do on your turn, every turn, very cool. Do you have something that fits between the two?

Saves every round I would have to say is not bad, but there is a certain lack of satisfaction to it. I hear what you're saying. But it is 100 times better than save or die. Again, if you have an alternative, let's hear it.

Long rests SHOULD fix everything. HPs are about being winded and minor scratches. Lost HPs should disappear after resting. If we want a permanent/persistent damage mechanic, that's a different issue. Do you have an alternative for that?

Most of this stuff is addressed in Level Up, although cantrips are still a problem. If the only infinite cantrips were the attack kind, and all other effects cost something, it would help while still addressing your concerns about doing something magical (which I don't really care about, but clearly others do).

Hit points are about being winded, scratches, and toughness. They are an abstraction covering a lot of stuff, including physical damage. Otherwise, damage types cease to mean anything if you're not actually getting hit. One night is not enough time to get back everything you might lose in a hard combat where you could drop to zero more than once (before being bounced back by too-prevalent healing), but it is enough time to get spells back after a morning study session, IMO, so I think those things need to be separated more.

 

[Ulorian - Agent of Chaos]

Over 70 million sold between this and its related titles, and an Academy Award nomination for the "documentary"?

View attachment 269735

Yeah... that's another beaut. This really screams 'I hate my life and wish that the world was a more wonderful and magical place'.

 

[Micah Sweet]

I can understand that there's a problem when nobody makes product you want to buy.

But... haven't you repeatedly noted that you'd given up on 5e, and had moved over to EN Publishing's A5E? If you have another provider that does stuff you like, why insist that WotC should make what you want - why not turn to the publisher that seems to fit your needs better, in general?

No publisher can provide everything that everyone wants. They cannot do infinite projects, and not all projects are going to be economic wins, for them. They will pick and choose. I'm sorry if WotC hasn't picked your needs, but... them's the breaks. This is why the OGL is so nice. You can turn to others, rather than continue insisting that WotC should serve your needs.

They served my needs for a very long time, and only recently stopped. I suppose I'm still bitter about that.

Also, I like engaging with the community, and you can't do that without talking about WotC.