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D&D spells have been written with stat blocks for many editions. It's useful for lookup and settling rules arguments. If spells are going to have technical facts (ranges, damage, casting time), then they need to have stat blocks. Call of Cthulhu, in most editions, has spells without stat...

When we have new characters, I specifically ask each player to create their own flavor text to go with their powers. For instance, a new PC in my 4e game has a couple teleport powers. I asked, "What sort of teleporting are we talking?" * Quick blink out and in * Flash of light * Puff of...

I disagree on this one. I'm not interested in arbitrary benchmarks based on previous editions.

Though EGG tells us that D&D is a game, many do not approach it that way, despite having dice in hand. Many people play D&D as cooperative storytelling, or imagine that they do. For those folks, talks of pillars, silos, and all that draws back the curtain. Many people want the Wizard of Oz...

The traps are largely removed by using low level monster summoning spells from wands.

I have also just recently moved to a single page sheet for 4e. Just what is needed to run my PC is on it, and power descriptions are strictly numbers. Before that, I used a fairly detailed sheet, which was two pages. On the other hand, I had casters with 3-4 page long sheets in 2e and 3e...

I think that many people don't think of D&D as a game, in the manner that Settlers of Cataan is a game, or that Monopoly is a game, or that basketball is a game. If you don't think of D&D as a game, with rules, strategies, and so forth, then any game design that reminds you that it is a game is...

I would be happy if there was an explicit discussion about the use of feats to customize or improve your character. So, if feats cover a wide range of things, and you focus on non-combat feats, you won't be as good in combat as some other characters. That may seem obvious, but I think it needs...

My group simply refused. We have an ongoing campaign in my own homebrew setting. "If we get together for D&D, why wouldn't we continue the ongoing campaign, which we enjoy." I wasn't surprised: though I like fiddling with rules, my players mostly enjoy their characters in the established story.

Outside of the hobby, many folks I know and talk to would say everything about D&D games is written just for kids.

I would rather not see D&D return to the days of "nerd snobbery." Luckily, no matter what we opine hear on this forum, the new edition isn't going to be written at the post-high school reading level. The game is being created for a mass market, which means the reading level will likely be...

purple prose There is a name for the writing style of 1e AD&D: purple prose. Remember q.v.? Luckily for us, the new edition isn't headed back in that direction. It was a part of the game that made it more arcane, less accessible. It lent to some of the "nerd snobbery" D&D fans espoused back...

I like the theme-as-feat-list idea. 1. For folks that don't want feats, all the DM has to do is pick the default theme (or maybe a choice of two) for each class. That essentially makes the feats into class features, and you don't need to worry about "feat bloat". 2. For folks that don't want...

I used all those charts and tables in the 1e DMG. I loved them back then. Now, I am not a fan. Still, I see the use in having some charts and tables with lists of ideas, details, and so forth. I do not want subsystems or subtables for conflict resolution. The 3e DMG had tables for...

Yes, thank you, Mike. "Mundane fighters" exist in a world with dragons and spells. That means different from mundane in the real world. I wish I had said that in the context of some of the other debates on this forum.

I think this is a great idea. Not every option needs to be a module. Some options can simply be "tagged", so that the players will know the DM might include or exclude those options because of the particular campaign. Progress.

I like the Far Realm, both the 3e and 4e versions. There is a good tradition of Lovecraftian creatures and themes in D&D, going all the way back to Blackmoor. In literature, you can see it in Ron E Howard, of course, and sometimes in Fritz Leiber or Michael Moorcock.

I like Bruce Cordell's work (2e and 3e) quite a lot. Return to the Tomb of Horrors is great, and I also liked Die, Vecna, Die!

If I didn't know anything about any of the designers, it wouldn't much change my thoughts/hopes/opinions for 5e. Moving on . . .

I think self-healing is a must, and I love Second Wind. I run a 4e game, and like the system, but I don't think "healing surges" are presented very well. I like how the work mechanically, but dislike the fluff around them. I have also run a game using the Reserve Point system presented in the...