April's D&D Feedback Survey Results

WotC has revealed the results of its latest monthly feedback survey. Last month's survey dealt with game scheduling habits, character races, and Adventurer's League content. Additionally, a new survey has been posted covering problem spells, the DRAGON+ mobile app, and the Waterborne Adventures UA column.

The new survey is here. April's survey results are here, but below is a quick list of the take-home points.

• It turns out that that 1st-6th level games are still the most common a year after D&D 5E's launch.
• The most likely end point of a campaign is 10th-12th level.
• There is a preference for more open, sandboxy adventures.
• Smaller races are seen as weaker options.
• Adventurer's League content is reasonably well received, with specifically designed adventures more popular than Tyranny of Dragons adaptions for AL.

 

[Sacrosanct]

Just to make you feel old, someone who was 12 when Final Fantasy VII was released is now 30 years old.

What makes me feel old is that that game is older than my kid. Who is in high school.



Re: the weight discussion, I think it's important to remember that weight =/= encumbrance. Just because a halfling has a 20 STR doesn't mean he or she won't have major issues wielding a 2 handed sword designed for someone twice the size, even if they both can lift the same weight.

 

[justinj3x3]

What makes me feel old is that that game is older than my kid. Who is in high school.

Yup. I was like 17 when that came out. Used my money washing dishes to go to Service Merchandise and buy the Playstation and the game. Time flies.

 

[The Crimson Binome]

Re: the weight discussion, I think it's important to remember that weight =/= encumbrance. Just because a halfling has a 20 STR doesn't mean he or she won't have major issues wielding a 2 handed sword designed for someone twice the size, even if they both can lift the same weight.

So what you're saying is that it's not a matter of grip, but rather of weight ratios?

 

[Jefe Bergenstein]

The equivalent of Strength 14, so about 135 lbs at the bare minimum. If your Strength is lower than 14, then you're not going to use the heavy weapon rules anyway, so they're irrelevant.

What the game rules are trying to tell you is that sheer power isn't the deciding factor in pulling off this particular maneuver. The length of your arm, or some such, is an immutable requirement. Remember, the rules of the game only describe the natural laws of the world; they don't define it.

So a short skinny human or elf wearing gauntlets of ogre power wouldn't be able to use the feat? How about a chimp? They have longer arms.

 

[TwoSix]

So a short skinny human or elf wearing gauntlets of ogre power wouldn't be able to use the feat? How about a chimp? They have longer arms.

How about YOU tell the chimp what he can and can't do? I'll be way over there.

 

[The Crimson Binome]

So a short skinny human or elf wearing gauntlets of ogre power wouldn't be able to use the feat? How about a chimp? They have longer arms.

A human as short as a halfling would be a small creature, but it's not a situation that the game rules are designed to reflect. Likewise, a chimp might be physically capable of it (if it's a matter of arm length, rather than weight ratios or something), but it doesn't matter because chimps can't take feats.

All we know is that, whatever the in-game reality of the situation, the reflection within the game mechanics is that halflings can't power attack with heavy weapons very well. As far as I can tell, they still can use the feat and gain that benefit, but they'll have disadvantage on all attacks.

 

[Mistwell]

I love halflings. But I admit I tend to not choose them, because they're best at being rogues, but they don't have darkvision. Rogues need darkvision almost more than anyone else - they're scouting ahead, sneaking around, and it's hard to do that without being able to see. With more than half the races having darkvision, there are just too many other better options for playing a rogue than a halfling. Which is a shame, as they make great rogues otherwise. The other classes they're pretty good at, like bard and warlock, ALSO tend to benefit from being able to sneak around, and again they need to be able to see in the dark to do that.

 

[Minigiant]

Personally I don't want pikegnomes and greatswordhalflings goblin longbows and kobold halberdiers.

My preference is to make small races better and different in the styles they have. A halfling fighter use to be this high avoidance enemy with their size bonus to AC or nimble escape. And gnome warriors were tricky jerks with their fey magic or hook hammers.

My house rule gives small races +1 to AC and attack rolls when wielding a melee weapon with both hands. I mean they are 3 feet tall. You are more likely to hit the longsword than the gnome swinging it.

 

[delericho]

So what you're saying is that it's not a matter of grip, but rather of weight ratios?

Perhaps two halflings working together? They could use a bit of creeper?

 

[aramis erak]

My prediction is that isn't more than just great weapon fighting.

Small races also can't use reach weapons. So you can't do a halfling halberdier or pikegnome.

And most of the small races are dexterity based. This is counterintuitive when making a heavy armor tank. There goes your power armored gnome.

And no longbow or heavy crossbows.

So small races are forced to dual wield, monk martial arts, or cast spells.

Actually, there IS a reach weapon they can use without penalty: whip.
And a great-weapon they can use: Greatclub.