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  1. abirdcall

    D&D 5E (2014) What Level is the Party after 56 Sessions?

    If I did my math right level 17 would be a consistent pace. 1 session each for 1 and 2. 2 per for 3 and 4. 4 per for 5-10. 3 per for 11-16. That brings us to 17. I would then go to 2 per for the remaining levels. It is easy to speed it up or slow it down. Using the XP tables this is about the...
  2. abirdcall

    D&D 5E (2014) Stripping 5e to its core

    I've thought about doing this by adopting The Wandering Inn class and levelling system. There would be no rules for specific classes. Instead, when gaining levels the player and the DM come up with abilities that are thematically appropriate to what the character has been doing. Characters...
  3. abirdcall

    D&D General Seeking Input: A moment of prayer for the Ranger

    This is a good example of multiclassing limiting design. It would be bad for them to have more saving throw proficiencies because of the ability to multiclass to get them which is probably partly why they didn't have them to start with. I could get behind added saving throws as they level. I...
  4. abirdcall

    D&D 5E (2014) I think I prefer backgrounds in 2014

    I've never seen it. I'm sure it's popular among some people who are going for a certain sort of fantasy and more power to them. I'm happy we all get to play however we want. I'm really not sure what you're saying here. You're free to do whatever and I'm free to do whatever and to me that's a...
  5. abirdcall

    D&D 5E (2014) I think I prefer backgrounds in 2014

    +1 to this but also...since people don't think of halflings as the strength species people just don't actually play them that way. So regardless of the rules, we still just don't see high strength halflings. If I were to want to play a high strength halfling I would just include in their...
  6. abirdcall

    D&D 5E (2014) I think I prefer backgrounds in 2014

    Wait, you only allow the character with the highest bonus to participate? 5e is designed so that characters can try to do things regardless of their stats. There is no reason why a character with a -1 persuasion can't attempt to persuade an NPC.
  7. abirdcall

    D&D 5E (2014) I think I prefer backgrounds in 2014

    They're metaphors. You even touched on it in your post. If someone were to say someone was like a Neanderthal or ape because of how they look they're probably not going to take it well. There is even a history of groups of people being called that.
  8. abirdcall

    D&D 5E (2014) I think I prefer backgrounds in 2014

    I think they just used existing design space to give backgrounds mechanical weight. Starting ASI don't make sense as a concept otherwise. Tying it to class doesn't mean anything. It's just part of stat generation at that point.
  9. abirdcall

    D&D 5E (2014) I think I prefer backgrounds in 2014

    It took up a lot of space and slowed character creation significantly.
  10. abirdcall

    D&D 5E (2014) I think I prefer backgrounds in 2014

    In my experience people rarely engaged in choosing traits, and when they did they were often forgotten. The special ability was even more rarely used/applicable. New backgrounds have mechanical weight which makes them have a 'real' impact on who the character is and what they can do. People...
  11. abirdcall

    D&D General 5e D&D to OSR pipeline or circle?

    It reminds me of the DMing advice that a good DM tricks the players into believing they are on the brink of defeat but then make it so they always win. And then the players feel great because they are doing so well.
  12. abirdcall

    D&D General 5e D&D to OSR pipeline or circle?

    I play published adventures and it is often the case that the PCs can't just fight everything. The DM of course can make it so they can but that isn't part of the adventure design. For me 'balance' means that the players get opportunities to make meaningful choices. It isn't good design to...
  13. abirdcall

    D&D General 5e D&D to OSR pipeline or circle?

    5e has that too. My players try to avoid combat as much as possible. Sometimes new players will not heed the warnings of my older players and fight and then characters die or they get too tired to compete their objectives. Just a couple sessions ago they were arrogant about fighting a couple...
  14. abirdcall

    D&D Releases Playtest for Updated Artificer

    We have entirely different views on what D&D is all about.
  15. abirdcall

    D&D General Seeking Input: A moment of prayer for the Ranger

    That doesn't sound like a problem to me. Give them both the chassis of an exploration expert. Then Rangers get Druid spells to represent wilderness expertise and instead of that, Rogues get extra abilities to represent their trickery. Both should be masters of stealth.
  16. abirdcall

    D&D General Seeking Input: A moment of prayer for the Ranger

    I think maybe the best role for rangers in 5e D&D is as magical rogue. Make the both of them the expert at exploration pillar only rangers get druidic magic which represents their theme as coming from the wilderness. So Paladins are magical fighters and rangers are magical rogues.
  17. abirdcall

    D&D General Seeking Input: A moment of prayer for the Ranger

    I don't think it is a problem. It is just the way it is. As others have said, the ranger has always been magical. They used to essentially be an enhanced fighter but now all classes are aimed to be balanced. The game used to be all over the place for the pace of power advancement. Classes had...
  18. abirdcall

    D&D General Seeking Input: A moment of prayer for the Ranger

    The problem is that the archetype you are describing is only fun in 5e for levels 1-4. After that those sorts of wilderness challenges are just too mundane. In a more grounded sort of game where all characters were more mundane the archetype could work. As it stands wizards will be casting...
  19. abirdcall

    D&D 5E (2024) 2024 edition questions

    Sounds like a toxic dynamic. At the end of the day I don't imagine anyone having fun. 2024 dragons will have powerful spellcasting.
  20. abirdcall

    D&D General Conversion question.

    My rule of thumb is that 6 PCs are twice as strong as 4. Even then, with so many in the party there will likely be at least 1 or 2 who will have just the right thing for any given challenge. With a smaller party there will be some challenges that the party will need to be creative to deal with...
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