Blog: Background and Themes a closer look.

[Dausuul]

Thog Smash theme: Get +1 to hit, +1 to damage with the big weapon of your choice. Can take a -2 to hit, to gain a +4 damage, with any weapon. Gain +2 damage on charges. (fluff goes in here somewhere, then at end, have one line with something like) Feats: weapon expertise, weapon focus, power attack, improved charge.

As opposed to some super-charged flavor, no mechanics, followed by a list of feats that you get, to record on your sheet. If themes are only (or even mainly) list of feats, then they are "super feat" blocks, and it would be nice to be able to treat them as such, without touching the internals.

I must spread some XP around, but this is the way to make "feat themes" work. If a theme is just a bundle of feats that you get, you have to read a big list of feats to know what your theme does, and you have to read pretty near all the feats to know what your options are when picking themes. If you do that, you might as well just pick feats. If you don't, you're apt to be punished with feats that aren't really in line with what you want for your character.

For a theme to simplify chargen, it needs to allow you to not have to deal with feats. My preference would be for themes to be their own mechanic, but Crazy Jerome's idea would work too... though I really, really hope that feats which give you stuff like +1 to hit and +1 to damage die in a fire.

 

[steeldragons]

I'm Steel Dragons and I heartily endorse this blog.

Good stuff. Great "dial" possibilities. I see things I won't probably use (i.e. full on pick/swap out whatever you want), but I see plenty of optional ways that I would (just about anything short of pick/swap out whatever you want) use...and that is what I fervently want to see in all aspects of 5e.

I don't need a rules set where I have to use/like everything...I want there to be enough options that everyone (Chris, Laura, Bob, Barbara, Jack and Jill) gets to play how they like/want. This blog seems to present Backgrounds and Themes in a way I can't see anyone arguing with/not getting SOME way of using them, if they want...or at least can live with.

I'll also second DEFCON1's observation that the "next theme at 6th level" makes me cautiously optimistic that we will be seeing a "Basic/Beginners/Starter" set/tier for levels 1-5. YAY!

And making specialist mages (and I agree, this will likely carry over for specialty priests/clerics) a Themed advancement that comes with time and experience is a FANTASTIC way of incorporating them...building the idea of a character "growing/changing/advancing" as they increase level right into the game...don't know where that went, but thrilled to see it back in black and white.

Well done.
--SD

 

[Gundark]

Werewolf as a background? ....that is way cool

 

[dkyle]

"Advanced Theme" seems odd with the "Themes are just prepacked sets of feats" that we were told earlier. Unless they're just prepackaged sets of feats that have minimum level 6?

Anyway, I still think Themes as simply a prepacked set of feats is a waste, if choosing individual feats can do the same exact things, and more.

I'd rather see Themes as their own thing. Some might give bonus feats as part of their progression, to give customizability.

 

[am181d]

"Advanced Theme" seems odd with the "Themes are just prepacked sets of feats" that we were told earlier. Unless they're just prepackaged sets of feats that have minimum level 6?

Anyway, I still think Themes as simply a prepacked set of feats is a waste, if choosing individual feats can do the same exact things, and more.

I'd rather see Themes as their own thing. Some might give bonus feats as part of their progression, to give customizability.

Your assuming that FEATS are just feats.

I'm going to go ahead and say that I *don't* want another bundle of customizable abilities beyond base class abilities and feats. So if the feats are well done (and the class abilities are well done), I'll be satisfied.

Also, I read their language around Advanced Feats *exactly* the way you did. Although, from the examples given, I would expect a fair number of in-game pre-reqs for advanced themes. (Of the "You can't join the Grey Order till you kill your first troll" sort.)

 

[Kaodi]

I am going to go out on a limb and suggest that perhaps what 6th level indicates is not a beginner tier per se, or a new theme every 6 levels, but rather a new theme at 6th, 16th, and 26th, at the halfway point of each "tier" . I could be wrong though. Maybe they will go back to 20 levels.

 

[dkyle]

Your assuming that FEATS are just feats.

I'm going to go ahead and say that I *don't* want another bundle of customizable abilities beyond base class abilities and feats. So if the feats are well done (and the class abilities are well done), I'll be satisfied.

Can't really argue over your preference, but I think there's value in taking what's traditionally part of classes, and splitting them up a bit so components can be mixed and matched, but without getting to the granular level of feats. Less granular chunks of mechanics allow for a wider variety of flavorful, unusual, and powerful abilities, without breaking balance. It's a lot easier to balance something if a character can only have their choice of that big chunk of stuff, instead of mixing and matching a bunch of feats.

Although, from the examples given, I would expect a fair number of in-game pre-reqs for advanced themes. (Of the "You can't join the Grey Order till you kill your first troll" sort.)

Oh, I hope not... I hate requirements like that on feats/PrCs/Paragon Paths/etc. In fact, keep specific in-game factions and organizations out of the character building options, entirely. Just say that the faction members tend to have certain themes, backgrounds or other character building options, but don't limit those things to that faction. I do not want the mechanics so heavily tied to setting.

 

[Mattachine]

One way to manage themes so as to make them something more than a set of feats is to group feats that have minor synergies, perhaps mechanically built in.

 

[gideonpepys]

There are not enough Lauras out there to keep D&D viable as a business for Wizards of the Coast.

That's a shame, but it is my contention that the 'Chris' type doesn't buy the books. They show up at a table with a couple of Lauras and make up numbers. They like the roleplaying elements and enjoy getting in a good hit or two each session, but the complexities of combat, and the nuances of character building are not for them.

Please note, I am not knocking that style of play. But the game should not be built to cater for that player as a baseline because that kind of player doesn't buy the books. Maybe a copy of the Player's Handbook, which remains suspiciously free of spine damage.

 

[gideonpepys]

One way to manage themes so as to make them something more than a set of feats is to group feats that have minor synergies, perhaps mechanically built in.

That's a step in the right direction. But I still think it's a shame to 'mechanise' flavourful game elements like Background and Theme in this unimaginative way.