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Given the players' ability to collect and interpret any respective PC sensory input is severely muted by the limited amount of information a DM is able to provide during an encounter, I don't see how the game is often improved by further and intentional obfuscation. For those that choose to be...

I will probably buy the books at the discounted introductory price, but I likely won't subscribe until they roll out more features.

The digital movie market is so different than a niche software market that any analogies or direct comparisons are probably worthless. That being said: 1) When you buy a new physical copy of the product, you often receive a free digital copy on the platform of your choice. And as someone...

I'm not sure "too many features" is the real problem. I'd wager that the perceived value of the current feature set is lower than the current pricing model versus competing products and people are wary of future development promises. A lot of the consumers being targeted by DDB are largely...

Regardless of the quality of DDB, I can understand the frustration of those that don't want to pay full price again for digital products they've bought on other platforms. Multiplatform digital licensing shouldn't be this difficult for WotC to nail down.

Strictly as an online rules compendium and searchable reference, how does D&D Beyond compare to Roll20 or Fantasy Grounds?

Or perhaps Big DM just isn't capable of preparing for every contingency without severely restricting the agency of his players. EDIT: I think one of the things that troubles me in regard to these DM labels is that they are often not self-imposed or even necessarily desired. Players have a major...

Because mechanics and systems often intertwine with the plot/story (either planned or impromptu)? Unless you're running a prepared module with little customization or deviation, I'm not sure how you can run a proper game without some understanding and control of the underlying systems, the...

I would generally not attempt to arbitrate as a player unless I was asked to do so by the DM even if my knowledge of the rules clearly exceeded the DM's system mastery. Personally, I've been a player so few times in my years of playing D&D that I'm grateful that someone else is willing to...

I didn't miss your point; I was making a (childish) joke.

I would argue that freedom isn't just a feature, it's the primary feature. The "DM taint" you seek to marginalize at all costs is the very thing that attracts many gamers to the table to play D&D. They enjoy the unique taint a good DM brings to the chair. When they speak reverently of exploits...

The 'infinite game' element is increasingly irrelevant in discussions regarding distinctions between board games, CPRGs/MMOs, and traditional tabletop RPGs. Aside from official expansions, plenty of board games with referees allow people to craft custom scenarios for extended play beyond the...

I concur that a "track" system for settlements (akin to Sanity or Exhaustion) is probably the best fit with predetermined conditions at various tiers as well as variant outcomes linked to tables. Of course, you'll also need to determine what constitutes a shift in the track and how those...

I have seen pictures of your vast collection of terrain and miniatures. They are very impressive, and your players are very fortunate to utilize such elaborate set pieces. As glorious as they may be, though, they are still table dressing. And, in my opinion, no amount of papercraft terrain or...

DM engagement aside, I'd rather play a CRPG on my PC than be a player in a session with a DM that isn't willing to improvise some content or make rulings in the gray areas when the party decides to color outside the lines. If you're severely restricting my dynamic engagement, at least give me...

That's similar to the system/suggestion I posted here.

It's only a bonus if they manage to push through numerous encounters, and they can't ever push beyond a 50% bonus (hence the 150% cap). A party wouldn't break even relative to the standard XP award until they've completed about 6 medium encounters or 4 hard encounters. If they had less...

I could be wrong about this, but I don't think spending earned XP to achieve something is a feature from the 3.x years that's sorely missed by a majority of players. The Challenge Multiplier I suggested earlier could be viewed as an opportunity cost since a group won't immediately gain full XP...

It doesn't feel like D&D... whatever that means. It is interesting, though.

Challenge Multiplier Encourage Resource Management with a Challenge Multiplier In Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition, an Adventuring Day is considered to be the period of time between long rests. Players may often mitigate risk by ending their Adventuring Day early without tapping into a...