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<blockquote data-quote="DinoInDisguise" data-source="post: 9442319" data-attributes="member: 7045806">I think it's a challenging question to answer within the scope of the definition I provided. This is because it is so difficult to assess viability, because power level isn't the sole determinate of what people play. We actually don't even know to what extent power level even matters to the average player. The data we have on usage is contradictory at best or very small samples.So viability has other factors involved as well. Because mathematical power, just figuring our pure DPS, isn't always the same as &quot;real world power.&quot; We see this in other games like many multiplayer video games. This is because there are non-quantifiable aspects to it. Supporting abilities being the obvious example. How do you measure the relative power of those?Beyond that, we have other complications based on the DM that is running the game. In a game I run, different classes may have different levels of utility depending on what obstacles I present to players compared to one you run.Just establishing a baseline from which to start. Just coming up with conditions of measuring viability, not even getting into disagreeing about the definition of the phrase, is difficult if it's possible at all.This is, I feel, not in line with the common use of the word. But if that is your definition, the word is underutilized and does not deserve the negative connotation is carries in many circles.The definition I cited, is far more in line with common use in video games, but its, as described above, impossible to apply to a ttrpg given available data.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="DinoInDisguise, post: 9442319, member: 7045806"] I think it's a challenging question to answer within the scope of the definition I provided. This is because it is so difficult to assess viability, because power level isn't the sole determinate of what people play. We actually don't even know to what extent power level even matters to the average player. The data we have on usage is contradictory at best or very small samples. So viability has other factors involved as well. Because mathematical power, just figuring our pure DPS, isn't always the same as "real world power." We see this in other games like many multiplayer video games. This is because there are non-quantifiable aspects to it. Supporting abilities being the obvious example. How do you measure the relative power of those? Beyond that, we have other complications based on the DM that is running the game. In a game I run, different classes may have different levels of utility depending on what obstacles I present to players compared to one you run. Just establishing a baseline from which to start. Just coming up with conditions of measuring viability, not even getting into disagreeing about the definition of the phrase, is difficult if it's possible at all. This is, I feel, not in line with the common use of the word. But if that is your definition, the word is underutilized and does not deserve the negative connotation is carries in many circles. The definition I cited, is far more in line with common use in video games, but its, as described above, impossible to apply to a ttrpg given available data. [/QUOTE]

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