Unpopular opinions go here

[TerraDave]

5e is popular because it is a good game.

 

[overgeeked]

Do recipes converted from imperial measurements to metric round things off to manageable numbers, or are there calls for like 37.2mls of olive oil?

When I do it I round down. It’s close enough to not matter even when baking, where precision is more important than most cooking, so for regular cooking it doesn’t matter. I’d expect most people are adjusting to taste regardless.

 

[Lanefan]

While that approach (creating a goal or hook for your character), when people talk about backstories in RPGs they’re generally referring to the “my PC’s so awesome” fanfiction that many players have embraced recently. Things like being 1st-level in a D&D game and already having defeated giants and dragons or having a mountain of lore the player expects the referee to incorporate into the game.

Agreed, but I'll add one caveat: when a player has a 1st-level character spin in-character stories about having beaten giants and dragons etc. as pure fiction just to impress the locals, it can be pure gold.

 

[overgeeked]

Agreed, but I'll add one caveat: when a player has a 1st-level character spin in-character stories about having beaten giants and dragons etc. as pure fiction just to impress the locals, it can be pure gold.

Absolutely. I’ve never seen that. Only the players who earnestly hand over an 8-page backstory of all the cool things they’ve done despite being 1st level and having 0 XP.

 

[Reynard]

Absolutely. I’ve never seen that. Only the players who earnestly hand over an 8-page backstory of all the cool things they’ve done despite being 1st level and having 0 XP.

I have never seen this happen, or even heard of it happening to anyone I know IRL. At most, I have had folks be secret heirs or have great destinies.

 

[deganawida]

I have never seen this happen, or even heard of it happening to anyone I know IRL. At most, I have had folks be secret heirs or have great destinies.

That's 'cause we're getting old (I'm 47, and I think you're a couple of years younger than me; if I'm wrong, my deepest apologies). Never crossed my mind as a kid. Maybe defeat a giant in some Jack and the beanstalk fashion that set my character on a path of adventuring, but that was more luck than skill, and just served as the thing that made them adventurers. It always made sense to me that 1st level was the start of the actual adventuring career.

 

[Reynard]

That's 'cause we're getting old (I'm 47, and I think you're a couple of years younger than me; if I'm wrong, my deepest apologies). Never crossed my mind as a kid. Maybe defeat a giant in some Jack and the beanstalk fashion that set my character on a path of adventuring, but that was more luck than skill, and just served as the thing that made them adventurers. It always made sense to me that 1st level was the start of the actual adventuring career.

We're of an age.

Are you suggesting this is a Millenial or GenZ phenomenon? I admit I don't play with many of them outside running games at cons.

 

[deganawida]

We're of an age.

Are you suggesting this is a Millenial or GenZ phenomenon? I admit I don't play with many of them outside running games at cons.

More like suggesting it's not a GenX phenomenon. GenX was more wanting to end up that person and adventure after that.

 

[Voadam]

I have never seen this happen, or even heard of it happening to anyone I know IRL. At most, I have had folks be secret heirs or have great destinies.

Oh I've done 1st level PCs with big backstories.

Take an existing high level character I played before that I want to continue playing in a new campaign. They have lots of fun backstory and I can go right into playing them as a narratively developed character already.

D&D energy drainers and multiple planes provide easy reasons to be someplace new at 1st level with almost no resources.

 

[overgeeked]

That's 'cause we're getting old (I'm 47, and I think you're a couple of years younger than me; if I'm wrong, my deepest apologies). Never crossed my mind as a kid. Maybe defeat a giant in some Jack and the beanstalk fashion that set my character on a path of adventuring, but that was more luck than skill, and just served as the thing that made them adventurers. It always made sense to me that 1st level was the start of the actual adventuring career.

We're of an age.

Are you suggesting this is a Millenial or GenZ phenomenon? I admit I don't play with many of them outside running games at cons.

I’m about the same age as both of you. I assume the players doing this are significantly younger.