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lowkey13
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What happens if WotC's proposed fix for a problem isn't as good for your table as your own house rules?
But apparently not enough to consider that they might feel these "issues" aren't really issues?I value their expertise as designers specialising in D&D-style RPGs, and their access to design resources such as salient data sets, time and playtesting. That's an important part of why I part with money for their game rulebooks.
THIS. As somewhat of an aside, I think the above hits on one of the problems with the "just houserule it" response that is frequently given to comments like those expressed in this thread's opening post. Yes, I CAN houserule it, but I am not a professional game designer, I have a full time plus job, a family, other hobbies, etc. As the above post recognizes, given my life's circumstances, a game design company and professional game designer can bring many more resources -- both in terms of actual resources (time, more extensive playtesting, surveys) as well as in knowledge and experience -- than I can. Yes, I know I can "just do it myself" but, as the above post indicates, I pay WoTC for their expertise and resources, if I have to do it myself, why am I paying them?
To me, on some level, the response of "just houserule it", is like telling someone who wants to go out to eat for a gourmet meal "just cook it yourself". Yes, the average person is capable of cooking something, but they go out to eat and pay a professional chef because that professional chef has more time to devote preparing a meal, has cultivated special expertise and knowledge related to cooking, and has access to more resources (for example, more high quality or unusual ingredients) than your average person. A professional gourmet chef working in a gourmet restaurant will almost always produce a better meal than your average person whose job is not cooking preparing something at home. That is why "we" (as a society) have and pay gourmet chefs and why people can have the job of gourmet chef.
"Just houserule it" does not address the point of this thread. Ultimately, I can just "make up a game myself", but I have chosen to pay others who have more time and expertise than myself to do that for me.
They do... in the DMG... under Variant Rules.You don't need a house rule for skills per se. I'm sure they already state that you can use the most appropriate ability modifier.
I did think of that. It's part of why I'm interested in what they might list.1) These things might be working exactly as they intended.... Didn't think of that, did you?
This could come to feel like an argument between disposable and endurable cultural artifacts.2) These things don't register as being important enough to waste their time tweaking.
This doesn't seem like a sound argument. Partly because it makes it hard to understand why anyone ever bought any of the D&D books. What were they looking for, if it was all "do it yourself"?3) Despite the vast quantity & quality of material that's come along since I first opened that BASIC book nearly 40 years ago, you're STILL involved in a very "do it yourself hobby". So get busy & modify those rules in whatever way your games need.
One of the vexing things for game designers is getting respect for their expertise. It's one of those "everyone can do it" crafts. Except they can't. It takes time, training, experience, access to playtesting resources, access to data, access to analytics. It's a real profession. I will stand up for my colleagues in the games industry against anyone denigrating their craft as a... nothing. I feel that is unfairly dismissive. I have a deep admiration for the WotC design team and absolutely believe they bring more to the table than "DIY".4) Stop trying to claim your too busy to change a rule you don't like.
I think hair dressers are better at hair dressing than I am, I think teachers are better at teaching. I will goddamn 100% of the time tell you that game designers are better at game design than people who are not trained and experienced in that craft.5) Stop thinking the designers are better at this than you are.