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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Fanaelialae" data-source="post: 8757592" data-attributes="member: 53980">You seem to be missing that there is a difference between having an ability that lets you do X, but the DM says no you can't because Y, versus having no ability to do X and relying on the DM allowing you to do Y or not (and rendering a ruling on how that will be achieved).Having the ability means the default state is that the answer is Yes. If I have Fireball, the default is that I can throw fireballs. If I have Invisibility, the default is that I can turn invisible.Not having the ability means that the default assumption is No, unless the DM rules Yes. Can my fighter throw fireballs? No. Can my fighter turn invisible? No. Can my fighter get through the porticulis (depends on the DM)? If it is allowed, there's no telling how the ruling will go or what my odds of success will be.Maybe the DM rules that the porticulis is too strong to break or bend, but I can attempt a Dexterity (Acrobatics) check to squeeze through. That's a good day to be the Strength fighter with a 29 strength (belt of storm giant strength) and training in Athletics (but not Acrobatics), no?Now, before you go claiming that I want a sword wizard who can throw fireballs and turn invisible, no, that is not what I am saying. I am simply illustrating that there is a stark difference between having an ability that lets you do a thing, and relying on the DM to allow something.As to wow factor being mere flavor, no. When a wizard rains down destruction upon an enemy army using Meteor Swarm, that's wow factor. When the wizard trivializes a boss fight that the other players weren't confident they could win by trapping the boss in a forcecage, that's wow factor. And when my wizard turned a looming TPK into a sure win by polymorphing the fighter that was about to go down into a Giant Ape, you better believe is was a heaping serving  of wow factor.The fighter has virtually no wow factor, despite that a warrior of legend absolutely should.</blockquote>

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