Unearthed Arcana WOTC still can't get the backgrounds right in the new FR book.

[Voadam]

Page 6

"Your DM might set the campaign on one of these worlds or on one that he or she created. Because there is so much diversity among the worlds of D&D, you should check with your DM about any house rules that will affect your play of the game. Ultimately, the Dungeon Master is the authority on the campaign and its setting, even if the setting is a published world."

That is check with the DM for house rules in general, not that backgrounds were DM granted as a default without house rules. This applies equally to whether you can play a rogue or a dwarf or a Neutral Good alignment or any other element of a character.

The shift of custom backgrounds to the DMG and the framing being a DM only grant is a change, one that I think is worse for the game. It is kind of weird, they took away some of the explicit 14 PH DM default choices for their games (feats and multiclassing as options a DM may or might not allow) but made custom backgrounds the thing to be DM campaign dependent.

I am not sure why you think the specific background combos of narrative, skills, attributes, and starting feat "have a greater potential to fail to meet the DM's setting than feats, races, etc." You have been arguing vociferously at length that the ASI is not significant and will not be noticed except in the most corner of cases, for instance.

 

[Maxperson]

That is check with the DM for house rules in general, not that backgrounds were DM granted as a default without house rules. This applies equally to whether you can play a rogue or a dwarf or a Neutral Good alignment or any other element of a character.

The shift of custom backgrounds to the DMG and the framing being a DM only grant is a change, one that I think is worse for the game. It is kind of weird, they took away some of the explicit 14 PH DM default choices for their games (feats and multiclassing as options a DM may or might not allow) but made custom backgrounds the thing to be DM campaign dependent.

I am not sure why you think the specific background combos of narrative, skills, attributes, and starting feat "have a greater potential to fail to meet the DM's setting than feats, races, etc." You have been arguing vociferously at length that the ASI is not significant and will not be noticed except in the most corner of cases, for instance.

That is explicitly a check on the entire campaign and setting.

"Ultimately, the Dungeon Master is the authority on the campaign and its setting, even if the setting is a published world."

And in any case, the DMG also says the DM is not beholden to the rules in the PHB.

Edit: They have a greater chance to fail to meet the DM's setting, because in my experience, DMs usually don't curate races and feats, but settings do have a theme. Backgrounds are more likely to fail that theme than races, feats, etc.

 

[FrogReaver]

Ok here you go, No feats at all.

1. Four 2nd level Fighters vs 2 Ogres (this is your example) with 15 Strength and 15 Constitution, 2 with Longswords (AC19), 2 with Greataxes (AC17) in close melee and random initiative order:

Chance of TPK: 2%
Chance of 3 downed fighters: 5%
Chance of 2 downed fighters: 18%
Chance of 1 downed fighters: 55%
Chance of no downed fighters: 22%

Expected outcome: 1 Fighter downed

2. Four 2nd level fighters with 16 Strength and 16 Constitution with the same weapons and same conditions:

Chance of TPK: less than 1% (0.3%)
Chance of 3 downed fighters: 1%
Chance of 2 downed fighters: 7%
Chance of 1 downed fighters: 35%
Chance of no downed fighters: 57%

Expected outcome: no fighters downed

So there you go. That is the scenario you asked for, without any feats, concentrated attacks and includes Sap, Cleave, Action Surge and Second Windx2. I am sure you will still find a reason to complain about it though.

@Maxperson
Bottom of this post lists concentrated attacks.

 

[Maxperson]

@Maxperson
Bottom of this post lists concentrated attacks.

I still fail to see how the ogres only get in 1 single hit half the time, but then I don't play 5.5e, so maybe all that mastery mumbo jumbo that I didn't like in the playtest does it.

Edit: And I see cleave, so he put the ogres next to each other to get that advantage.

 

[Voadam]

Edit: They have a greater chance to fail to meet the DM's setting, because in my experience, DMs usually don't curate races and feats, but settings do have a theme. Backgrounds are more likely to fail that theme than races, feats, etc.

How so?

The narrative of the backgrounds? The ones in the 14 PH were fairly generic and archetypal and broad and easily applied to a bunch of concepts that would fit most worlds.

The associated feats? In 24 they do have a lot of spellcasting ones from things that I might not expect narratively. Acolyte went from a lay clergy in 14 to a 24 spellcasting magic initiate. Guide is also a spellcasting magic initiate.

 

[FrogReaver]

I still fail to see how the ogres only get in 1 single hit half the time, but then I don't play 5.5e, so maybe all that mastery mumbo jumbo that I didn't like in the playtest does it.

Edit: And I see cleave, so he put the ogres next to each other to get that advantage.

More important is sap mastery, disadvantage on hit and if players spread sap attacks across the ogres or concentrate them on 1.

 

[Maxperson]

More important is sap mastery, disadvantage on hit and if players spread sap attacks across the ogres or concentrate them on 1.

Did I mention that I really dislike masteries? And what the hell? Longswords give you sap? When you sap someone, it's with a blunt instrument, not a sharp one.

 

[FrogReaver]

Did I mention that I really dislike masteries? And what the hell? Longswords give you sap? When you sap someone, it's with a blunt instrument, not a sharp one.

They were a much needed martial vs caster balancing feature IMO.

 

[Voadam]

Did I mention that I really dislike masteries? And what the hell? Longswords give you sap? When you sap someone, it's with a blunt instrument, not a sharp one.

I would say hitting over the head with the pommel, but it is when you do a normal strike that inflicts slashing damage.