D&D General Do players expect to use any/all WotC options in campaigns?

[Belen]

I'm sorry for the swipe, but I find this rich considering the rest of the context of your post.

You suppose it's fine? So many options blur together? Generic fantasy land? Please, tell me when you feel you weren't being insulting.

It’s no worse than the previous garbage homebrew comment or any of the comments about it in the thread.

The FR fiction is not bad but I detest the setting for a game although that has a lot to do with reading too much of the fiction. I feel Eberron is worse.

The only D&D setting I like is planescape. It does kitchen-sink in a way that I like.

 

[CreamCloud0]

The stat bonuses are more realistic and avoid the contradiction of, "I'm a lot stronger than a halfing(I can carry a ton more), but I'm not any stronger than a halfling(same stat bonuses). They also allow players to better be able to play against type.

okay, so, i don't think the defining feature of a species should be a single ribbon feature, in this instance a big species 'bigness' being defined by an increased carry capacity, i think they should have a whole host of things that emphasize their size and the strength that comes with it, so when the goliath and the halfling both reach STR 20 what then? will the goliath's +2 head start still make them feel more powerful? as for playing against type, i'm sure that +2 STR is going to be hugely impactful on your goliath wizard or rogue, not wasted at all, whereas features, actual features that emphasize strength can be more widely applicable and synergize with against-type combinations in interesting ways.

these are a write up for a 'better' goliath and halfling that i've made previously.

Goliath
Speed:35 Size:Medium
Powerful Build: you count as one size larger when determining your carrying capacity and the weight you can push, drag, or lift, you have advantage on all STR ability checks and saving throws you make(not attack rolls), additionally you can wield 2-handed or versatile melee weapons that don't have the heavy property in one hand.
Stone's Endurance: as a reaction when you take damage on your turn you can reduce the amount taken equal to your proficiency bonus.
Mountain Born: you have resistance to cold damage, you’re also acclimated to and ignore the negative effects of high altitudes, including elevations above 20,000 feet.
Giant's Toss: the ranges for all thrown weapons you use is increased by 50%, additionally when you take the attack action you may substitute an attack to grapple an adjacent target and if you are successful you may also choose to then subsequently throw that creature, a medium creature can be thrown up to 15ft and small or smaller creatures 25ft, if you have 18STR or more these distances increase by 10ft, if the creature is willing you do not need to grapple them to pick them up and they are not caused to become prone when they land.
Hammer Fist: your unarmed attacks deal 1d8 bludgeoning damage and you may use either the Push or Topple weapon mastery property when you hit with it.

Halfling
Speed:25ft Size:Small
Innate Luck: when you roll a 1 on a d20 for an attack roll, saving throw or ability check you may reroll the dice, you must use the new result.
Lucky Strikes: you have increased chances of striking a critical hit with any simple weapon you are proficient in or any cantrips that require an attack roll, your critical range is increased by 1 meaning deal critical damage on a 19-20, at 10th level your range is increased by 2 (18-20), these increases stack with any other adjustments to your critical range.
Nimbleness: you may move through the space of any creature that is of a size larger than you, additionally as a bonus action you may dash and increase your walking speed by 15ft.
Naturally Stealthy: you have advantage on all Stealth checks you make, additionally you may attempt to hide when obscured by a creature at least a size larger than you.
Undisturbed Passage: your movement speed is not impeded by nonmagical difficult terrain and attempts to track you are made at disadvantage.
Braveheart: you have advantage on saving throws against being frightened.
Sacred Hospitality: if you offer food, rest or shelter to someone in good faith and it is accepted the recipients must make a WIS saving throw to subsequently attempt any action intended to bring you harm or sabotage, this effect ends either an hour after you part ways, immediately when you declare the event over or if you attempt to bring harm or sabotage to your guest(s), additionally add a d6 to any check you make to use any of cook's utensils, brewer's kit or herbalism kit.

put these two alongside each other in a fight, equal STR scores, and they're not going to feel the same, one of these is very clearly going to feel alot stronger than the other, far more than if the goliath had that extra +2 on them, i mean, sure, number go up, you get an extra 10% more success on STR checks or whatever it maths out to, but it never actually makes them feel stronger though does it really?

 

[AlViking]

I'm sorry for the swipe, but I find this rich considering the rest of the context of your post.

You suppose it's fine? So many options blur together? Generic fantasy land? Please, tell me when you feel you weren't being insulting.

I am not criticizing your DMing skills. I have never said you run your game wrong or that you aren't the DM for me - I can't really make that judgement call without you running a game for me or more details.

Meanwhile I have seen FR be described as generic (D&D) fantasy land by people who have written content for it. It's whole design is centered on being the ultimate kitchen sink. TSR originally chose to publish it because it was so open-ended. I don't prefer kitchen sink campaign myself even if I do recognize their value to others. I find it difficult, if not impossible, to really distinguish between all the different species allowed if I can't see their stat bonuses. Even then, I couldn't tell you what half the species are without seeing a picture. So yes, for me they all blur together.

 

[AlViking]

Im confused because I honestly am not hiding something.

For over 40 years, D&D has displayed the idea of playing the archetype of the Big Guy.

ME lacks Big Guy Cultures, History, mechanics, or gameplay.

AND not only that, the cultures are so few and narrow you cant even pick on that is on the map. The large barbarians are on Sauron's side. The orcs are evil.

This is one of many reasons why I said Middle Earth unaltered by DMs is a bad setting for D&D. If you curate D&D to match the books, it wont have enough options for D&D to be fun for 90% of tables.

That 90% is way, way off in my experience. My curated list comes pretty close to Tolkien and the last time I had anyone ask to play something not on my list was in 4e. Even then we discussed it and came up with a solution that worked for both of us. Before that? I think it was in 2e when someone wanted to play a drow (without any of the associated penalties of course).

I get that it's important to some people but as far as I can tell it's more like 10-20% that care much than 90%. Of course like 64.3% of all percentages my guess is just a made up number.

 

[doctorbadwolf]

Middle Earth 100% has half-orcs. They call them uruk-hai.

What. No. Uruk-hai are specially bred super orcs.

Half orcs in middle earth are bascally human.

Still a circular argument. You need a big guy species to play a big guy because a big guy can only be played by a big guy species.

It isnt circular. It is about mechanically representing what makes the character actually be the character you want to play.

So the loop continues:
1. "I don't do it because <insert reasons>"
2. "You can always do it my way."
3. Go to #1.

We know we could do it your way. We have reasons not to. What else is there to say since this is the zillionth time this argument has been repeated?

If you are this tired of discussing it...you could just not continue.

 

[Umbran]

Mod note:
The jerkitude seen in this thread, by various posters, has gotten too high and doesn't look to be coming down.

Thread closed.