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I've got an idea. Hear me out. ;) Let's go with a structure of magic and power scaling to 3E, perhaps knocking off some of the worst saving throw scaling thanks to Next flatter numbers. Also, take advantage of the Next reported intention to have individual spell power scale by the slot it is...

In anything but a very resticted, specialized form of Fantasy Hero, you have the direct opposite of the 15-minute work day. You can't really hurt the party unless you kill a character. :blush: So all your playstyle techniques, instead of wandering monsters or time sensitive missions or similar...

I've yet to see a coherent objection to monster roles, here or anywhere else, that would apply to a game where players make characters using classes, as D&D has traditionally used them. (I suppose some other game could call something else "class" where this wouldn't be true.)

For me, it's two things: Scaling and Consistency. Scaling -- D&D having covered a wide range of play, I'd like it to scale from low powered to high powered. I'm fine with level being the main power scale, since it traditionally has been. I'll entertain replacement suggestions if people want...

Also, there is a different between a starter game and a starter adventure. It's ok to be incomplete as an adventure (once you've reached a certain point), but not ok to be incomplete as a starting game. That is, once you've played that starting adventure with your starting game, then you...

I was going to write a new post on this, but it fits here so I'll just say it: Gary was your wacky uncle. He wasn't your kindergarden teacher. I agree with Arnehnois to the extent that D&D examples, adventures, advice, etc. trying to be your kidergarden teacher is a kind of crutch. You...

Yes. And that's also the problem with the pilot analogy. If we want to equate "pilot" with "spellcaster," then why is it this deal where once the spellcaster crosses some particular threshold (Nth level wizard) that suddenly he can do so much so easily? Pilots don't blink their eyes and...

I'll go ya one better. Write those opening adventure(s) to support at least two or three very different styles, and explain what they are and how to use those modules to get that style in play. People feel better about an emergent style from a new game when they consciously choose it.

Yet another one is the Tomas one, only more repeatable. Great warriors of old have imbued their spirt into their weapons--sometimes consciously at death because of great magic (presumably performed by some Merlin-type character), in other cases due to accident, long-life with the weapon, ambient...

@Dausuul , I think in the games where it would work, it won't be particularly needed, and in the games where it is needed, it won't work. Also, I dispute that it can remain "simple" without having some unintended side effects, as to have any teeth but stay balanced, it makes all kinds of...

Let me explore another slant. Assertion: The characterization of high power in D&D has often been particularly badly named and characterized. For example, "epic" in the last two versions doesn't actually describe what it is. Epic can be relatively low-powered, even gritty in some stories. What...

Every last one of those does "mythic" things, though. I suppose Faramir and Boromir can be read as an exceptions, but I don't read them that way. Besides, by the "translate to exclude the superhuman" standard Prospero, Merlin, Gandalf, etc. aren't much to shake a stick at, either. The...

Glad I read the whole post. Saves time in the long run.

Well, undestand that my take is going to be biased by my take on fantasy literature in general--which I know for a fact is not shared by many people today, but that said I have read the complete Howard Conan recently. Crom's gifts to his people are ambiguous, when you start talking game...

Sure. However, in Conan, the rationale for the destiny is roughly, "Crom gives his people gifts at birth. Then ignores you. And you don't want to get his attention." Most people that say "destiny" don't mean something like that, and certainly Howard wouldn't have thought much of "destiny" in...

That's also essentially half of the early RuneQuest "Divine Magic" solution, where RQ divine magic is very powerful compared to other magic, but only rechargeable in a temple, at some cost. Magic that comes back more readily isn't nearly as effective--though still very useful, of course. The...

Also keywords on the abilities, but explicitly called out as guide to playstyle, not balance/mechanical limits. So if group is playing a "destiny" game, that means that any fighter can pick from any ability (at the appropriate power levels) with the "destiny" keyword, and know that it is...

That's the $64,000 question. The underlying mechanic has to support a range of flavoring, such that it can be destiny in one game, but something different in other games. I think you can read Conan as a destiny example, though I can also see cases made for other readings. That's why it is a...

As another relevant aside, I've thought that the BECMI/RC optional weapon mastery rules have a lot to contribute to this discussion--especially the way that higher mastery does not merely add plusses, but unlocks special abilities. It's possible that an extension of the weapon proficiency idea...

To the extent that magic equipment is the equalizer for the fighter, it has to be a lot like the Hero System "focus" rules versus the "independent" rules. In Hero, if you have equipment that is a focus, then it can be temporarily removed, but it is "part of your character"--and thus you can...