D&D General D&D Evolutions You Like and Dislike [+]

[Maxperson]

Apparently if I roll high enough on my persuasion check, you'll have to.

Social skills working on PCs is a different problem.

 

[Zardnaar]

It's not a source thing. It's...it's just the meaning of what a "team based game" is.

If it's team based, you need teamwork to succeed. Otherwise, your success is blind luck.

Still player skill. My group punches above its weight and only 1-2 are particularly skilled.

Party full of Zards/ECMO3 we would wreck house i suspect.

Its a player skill. When wife used to play WoW she was a support character. Always in short supply. Players will pick and do whatever a game cant really force it.

 

[CreamCloud0]

Social skills working on PCs is a different problem.

you mean the fact that they don't?

 

[Swarmkeeper]

Situationally dependent, but at least sometimes yes. If the characters are far enough apart that conversation is unlikely (battle is noisy) there'd at best be a roll for the listener to hear what's said; if one or both is in Silence then no conversation happens and thus no effect, etc.

Of course, Commander’s Strike just requires that a friendly creature can see or hear you. Unless both were impossible, I see no reason to impose any restriction - it just works.

 

[Maxperson]

you mean the fact that they don't?

Lots of folks seem to argue that they do. That would drive me insane in play. It would be a deal breaker for me.

 

[jmartkdr2]

Of course, Commander’s Strike just requires that a friendly creature can see or hear you. Unless both were impossible, I see no reason to impose any restriction - it just works.

I think Lanefan's issue is: what if the player being given a free attack doesn't want to attack? Are they then forced to?

 

[Swarmkeeper]

I think Lanefan's issue is: what if the player being given a free attack doesn't want to attack? Are they then forced to?

D&D General - D&D Evolutions You Like and Dislike [+]

 

[Zardnaar]

I think Lanefan's issue is: what if the player being given a free attack doesn't want to attack? Are they then forced to?

One reason i dont play those type of builds. Or picking favorites or reminding people you've used bless on to use it.

Got to have the right players or you're wasting your time.

 

[Gorg]

I guess I disagree with that statement, it is not all heroic. Is it mostly heroic, probably, but I wouldn't say all of it.

Now, I will say I too miss the more grounded style (3e and 4e art were the worse offenders of the crazy heroic style IMO) to some extent, but I really appreciate variety and I feel 5e and in particularly 5e24 is providing that more than any era of WotC art. It is not the wild west of TSR era art, but I am not sure I want that (I think the 2e PHB is some of the worst PHB art of all time).

Totally off-topic, but your comment on 3e art reminded me of an exchange in Dragon Mag's letters. One writer expressed his strong distaste for the new art by calling it Dark Dungeonpunk Noir. Everything spiky and edgy looking- for no functional reason.

A couple issues later someone responded with the (now all-too-common) " As a player of Cyberpunk, I'm offended!!". It was both funny, and sad...

Anyhow:

Likes:

- in general, I liked the direction first 3e, then 5e took. ESP the unified dice mechanic.

- doing away with silly things like racial class and level limits. (which we had jettisoned almost immediately)

- Advantage/Disadvantage. Simple, elegant, does the job.

- making Clerics actually interesting and fun to play!! Rogues, too.

- adding the Barbarian as a core class. I do like the 5e version better than 3e's. It always annoyed me that the extra Rage hp were tied to the Con increase- and thus NOT bonus HP. So a walking, talking Barbarian could just drop dead, if he dropped his rage after taking damage. Giving them Damage resistance was a better solution, IMO.

- the 2014 spellcasting. or spontaneous casting for everyone! I like at will cantrips! I HATED the 3 hp 1st level magic user with ONE spell... (even more so, if you had "that DM" that made you roll to see if you could learn spells, and if no- you could NEVER learn it!) You were an occasionally useful baby that everyone had to carry and protect for quite a few levels. 3e was a big move in this direction, 5e finished the job.

- making all classes attainable right off the bat. Not locking some behind extremely high minimum ability requirements- at a time when 3d6 IN ORDER, was the official method of ability generation.

- a general philosophy of yes you can! (and here's how) vs the old school NO!!! (because reasons)

- the newer multi-classing system. You gain a level. Choose to continue in your current class, or another. The splitting XP, and defined choices of earlier editions were less user friendly...

Dislikes:

- concentration. And more specifically, the one size fits all way it gets used. An awful lot of spells should either be instantaneous or have a defined duration. To me, this is a reversion to the arbitrary mechanics of AD&D.

- the big ol hardcover adventures/ mini campaigns. Pain it the butt to use at a table is what they are... Goodman Games really took that concept and ran with it with their conversions of classic adventures. HUGE books, containing reprints of every release of that adventure, plus the 5e conversion. Great Googly Moogly!! I liked the small, single modules- with maps printed on the inside cover, so I could stand them up and SEE them without paging back and forth constantly... Much easier to find that bit of info I need on the fly, too.

- Warlocks.

- Dragon born

-Tieflings. or for that matter, the anything goes with character race that really accelerated with books like Tashas and Xanathars.

- the introduction of video gamey character BUILDS as the game, or at least a mini game.

- the modern multi-classing system. And the silly one level dips, and I gotta have EVERY SKILL/ABILITY!!!! mentality it supports.

- the new lore changes. uh, no.

- the new undead abilities in the 2025 MM. No save, no way to avoid or cure it, just bam= HA HA!! your character sucks now! They're a hardass evil DM's dream.

- in general, the latest incarnation of the game leaves me cold. Not for me.


minor hatie: I loved the 3.5e version of the monster summoning spells! a much more useful selection, and the ability to summon more lower level ones with a higher level spell. I rolled up a 5e Summoner wizard just to have some fun with this- and those spells are gone... The subclass abilities are kinda meh, as well. BOOOOO!

 

[DammitVictor]

One reason i dont play those type of builds. Or picking favorites or reminding people you've used bless on to use it.

Got to have the right players or you're wasting your time.

I love playing healer/buffer classes. One of the evolutions I'm grateful for is the fact that I'm no longer locked into Cleric if I want to play them. Not only do I just personally prefer keeping my friends alive and helping them fight better, but it makes the more Goodish members of the party more likely to put up with my shenanigans, and somewhat mitigates my tendency toward optimization.

Nobody minds the "broken" character that's staying in the background and giving everyone else the spotlight time.