D&D 5E A simple questions for Power Gamers, Optimizers, and Min-Maxers.

[zaratan]

This is about UA new classes archetypes? Lots of new options, all worse (optimizing point of view) than PHB ones.

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[dave2008]

This is about UA new classes archetypes? Lots of new options, all worse (optimizing point of view) than PHB ones.

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No, this thread has nothing to do with the UA article. Just a general question for power gamers, optimizers, and the like.

 

[Caliban]

As for the original question re optimizing being essential for fun, I can only give a reverse perspective: as a mostly non-optimizer my fun is reduced when someone else intentionally optimizes in order to be better/more powerful/more one-man-band-ish than me and-or the others in the party.

And it's all about your fun. No one should be better than you, and since you deliberately play sub-par characters, other people should be forced to as well?

Can't say I have much sympathy for your position. You seem to think other people are making optimized characters in order to better than your character. It's not about you.

Like I said, I like to play heroes, not gimps. (Sometimes conflicted anti-heroes, sometimes funny/silly heroes, but still generally heroic.) And living heroes are generally more fun to play than the heroic gimp who got killed by the goblins in their second combat encounter because they couldn't hit anything or do any damage. Gimp characters get other characters killed, optimized characters have a chance at turning the tide when things go south.

(Although if the player is an idiot it doesn't really matter how their character is built. Poor playing ability trumps optimized character building.)

But I try not to tell other people how they should make their characters or how to play the game unless they ask me (or they are doing something really egregious, usually because they are new to the game). Telling people how they should play the game tends to reduce the fun for everyone at the table.

 

[lowkey13]

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[TwoSix]

A good player (regardless of whether they are an optimizer or not) cares about the group dynamic. They understand that if the group is having fun, they will have fun, and that its a virtuous circle.

While I do agree with this, it's probably worth noting that D&D groups are small enough that any one player's opinion makes a significant contribution to the "group" dynamic. (Unless it's a new player walking into a existing group with established norms.)

Beyond that, if I like to play characters of power level X, and everyone else says they don't care about their character's power level, what's the harm in me playing at X? I think it's because a lot of times there's a hidden norm for a lot of players where "I don't care about my character's power" really means "No one should play above power level Z."

 

[steenan]

Optimizing for support is a great approach and something I do very often. This way, I can make others shine instead of overshadowing them - and at the same time know that it's me winning the fights.

Another useful thing is helping other people create their characters (of course, if they want me to - some strongly prefer to to it themselves). This can also become a fun optimizing challenge, because typically one is given the story information about the character and a general idea of combat role and needs to make a best possible character within these bounds.

 

[Dausuul]

Would you enjoy playing a version of D&D where you had a lot of character creation and customization options; however, these options do not add up to any additional benefit. That is to say, all options are equally good from a mechanical, optimizing, power gaming point of view.

Basically, would the game be fun for you if you could only build a different character, but not a "better" character?

Sure. I would also enjoy riding on a flying unicorn.

 

[Caliban]

This is a common argument made by optimizers/power gamers everywhere, and usually why they are not welcome at non-optimizing tables (no offense, but ...)*

Too late. Stopped reading there. Have a good day.

 

[Boscogn]

I've started doing that as well. I will Min/Max support as my table just want to play a certain thing/way and I'm insurance that they will live as well as be generally useful. Been thinking about rolling a pally polearm master with sentinel and dipping into lock to cheese darkness and devil's eye mechanics.

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[lowkey13]

*Deleted by user*