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General Tabletop Discussion
*Dungeons & Dragons
Can we have a discussion about the assumptions we make in terms of balance?
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<blockquote data-quote="CleverNickName" data-source="post: 9145322" data-attributes="member: 50987"><p>The worst assumption that people make is that every character class <em>must </em>be balanced against all other character classes. It's best to just agree that, depending on the players at the table, and their style of play, there will always be different levels of complexity, power, and versatility. Fighters will always be better at stabbing things than a cleric, but the cleric will always be a better healer, and whether or not those things balance each other will depend on the people playing and the situations the DM puts them in.</p><p></p><p>But I know that's not why we're here. That's not what this thread is about. So with all that said: I think that if people are going to <em>try </em>to balance certain classes against certain others, they should try to eliminate variables as much as possible. So the best approach I can recommend is:</p><ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Don't include multiclassing, and don't include feats. Those two things have a dramatic impact on character options, effectiveness, and ability...they cloud the waters, so to speak. A dwarf rogue with certain feats and levels of certain classes will be more powerful, complex, and versatile than a non-multiclassed fighter who only takes ASIs.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Don't compare apples to oranges: spellcasters are not, and cannot be, equal to non-spellcasters. (For more information, click on any one of the dozen active threads discussing this topic.) So when you are balancing character classes with one another, make sure you are comparing half-casters to other half-casters, full-casters to other full-casters, non-casters to other non-casters. Things won't match otherwise.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">I realize that the point above is going to defeat the purpose of comparing classes in the first place for some readers. There are people who need apples to look and taste and feel like oranges. I don't really know what to say to that, other than "good luck."</li> </ul><p>Anyway, those are my two coppers.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="CleverNickName, post: 9145322, member: 50987"] The worst assumption that people make is that every character class [I]must [/I]be balanced against all other character classes. It's best to just agree that, depending on the players at the table, and their style of play, there will always be different levels of complexity, power, and versatility. Fighters will always be better at stabbing things than a cleric, but the cleric will always be a better healer, and whether or not those things balance each other will depend on the people playing and the situations the DM puts them in. But I know that's not why we're here. That's not what this thread is about. So with all that said: I think that if people are going to [I]try [/I]to balance certain classes against certain others, they should try to eliminate variables as much as possible. So the best approach I can recommend is: [LIST] [*]Don't include multiclassing, and don't include feats. Those two things have a dramatic impact on character options, effectiveness, and ability...they cloud the waters, so to speak. A dwarf rogue with certain feats and levels of certain classes will be more powerful, complex, and versatile than a non-multiclassed fighter who only takes ASIs. [*]Don't compare apples to oranges: spellcasters are not, and cannot be, equal to non-spellcasters. (For more information, click on any one of the dozen active threads discussing this topic.) So when you are balancing character classes with one another, make sure you are comparing half-casters to other half-casters, full-casters to other full-casters, non-casters to other non-casters. Things won't match otherwise. [*]I realize that the point above is going to defeat the purpose of comparing classes in the first place for some readers. There are people who need apples to look and taste and feel like oranges. I don't really know what to say to that, other than "good luck." [/LIST] Anyway, those are my two coppers. [/QUOTE]
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Can we have a discussion about the assumptions we make in terms of balance?
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