D&D 5E Are powergamers a problem and do you allow them to play in your games?

[iserith]

I don't have an issue with any player provided he or she is pursuing the goals of play, that is, everyone having fun together and in the doing creating an exciting, memorable story of bold adventurers confronting deadly perils. If a "powergamer," however that is defined, is desirous of "winning" D&D, he or she must achieve those goals.

 

[Blue]

Sorry but when a gaming a system breaks because of "mastery of a system" then that should tell you the game wasn't meant for that style of play. No system in D&D's history can handle system mastery because it will break down. Sorry but it needs to be snuffed out.

Absolute hogwash.

Every game that allows the player to combine things in different ways can have imbalances. Say you played Monopoly but one of the people didn't feel like going for sets or building houses/hotels.

Really, this is part and parcel to EVERY game where you can make meaningful choices that combine.

 

[Corpsetaker]

Absolute hogwash.

Every game that allows the player to combine things in different ways can have imbalances. Say you played Monopoly but one of the people didn't feel like going for sets or building houses/hotels.

Really, this is part and parcel to EVERY game where you can make meaningful choices that combine.

It isn't hogwash and you know it.

 

[Phion]

Sorry but when a gaming a system breaks because of "mastery of a system" then that should tell you the game wasn't meant for that style of play. No system in D&D's history can handle system mastery because it will break down. Sorry but it needs to be snuffed out.

I am not sure how a game system such as d&d can avoid having a mastery of the system, the point to features of a class is to shift the probability of success for certain actions (if not outright make it so you character can not fail in a given action i.e. rogues reliable talent). A person who plays long enough will pick up a few tricks to shift situations in their favour. It sounds like you would have to strip many features that affect probability of successfully completing tasks so it becomes purely about what you roll on the dice ergo luck (and even then mastery of a system would make it so you would take the most efficient actions to avoid wasting resources, putting yourself in danger and maximising the potential outcome through better choice making).

Instead of denying your perspective, I ask how would you achieve your vision mechanically?

 

[Corpsetaker]

I am not sure how a game system such as d&d can avoid having a mastery of the system, the point to features of a class is to shift the probability of success for certain actions (if not outright make it so you character can not fail in a given action i.e. rogues reliable talent). A person who plays long enough will pick up a few tricks to shift situations in their favour. It sounds like you would have to strip many features that affect probability of successfully completing tasks so it becomes purely about what you roll on the dice ergo luck (and even then mastery of a system would make it so you would take the most efficient actions to avoid wasting resources, putting yourself in danger and maximising the potential outcome through better choice making).

Instead of denying your perspective, I ask how would you achieve your vision mechanically?

Taking the most efficient choice isn't system mastery. System mastery is basically breaking the system while staying with in the rules.

 

[WayOfTheFourElements]

Absolute hogwash.

Every game that allows the player to combine things in different ways can have imbalances. Say you played Monopoly but one of the people didn't feel like going for sets or building houses/hotels.

Really, this is part and parcel to EVERY game where you can make meaningful choices that combine.

My little sister did that once growing up.

When trading started to pick up, my brother, father, and I couldn't figure out what her strategy was. She appeared to be wheeling and dealing at random; we all thought she was crazy or had somehow misunderstood the rules. Suddenly she announced she had won the game and left the table. Confused we asked her how she had won. She said, "I got one of every color," and smiled. "I changed the win condition," she added, seeing our bewildered expressions, and continued on her day.

We never played monopoly with her again.

 

[cmad1977]

Entirely wrong. Not surprising though.


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[iserith]

We never played monopoly with her again.

The win condition is never having to play Monopoly again. Smart gal.

 

[dave2008]

Can be and yes

 

[Corpsetaker]

Entirely wrong. Not surprising though.


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How about you actually give an explanation as to why it's wrong?