D&D General ENWorld is better that the pundits…change my mind

[Warpiglet-7]

After some years of making 5e characters in particular, I am struck by the usefulness of ENWorld vis a vis dedicated blogs and sites regarding optimization and other matters.

Where ENWorld has a usually robust discussion about choices, both pros and cons, I am amazed at the certainty of some pundits with relatively little critical analysis.

I have been reading here and there tier recommendations about various choices and am amazed at how wrong they seem to me.

What is more, they are wrong without realizing the other choices available, other goals involved and so on. No disclaimer…X is best, Y sucks.

Here on the community section I disagree with a lot of opinions but they’re side to side with other opinions and context.

The collective wins most of the time from my perspective. Sadly I know newbies want quick answers for tonight’s game…but man what a minefield of subpar advice out there…

Take some time and read conflicting viewpoints. Play and see what you like! And be armed knowing your wants and needs should guide character creation.

Sometimes you will find you know more than a pundit/blogger…

Robust discussion wins and teaches. Following a blowhard usually helps make a character they would make for the games they play in with choices they find interesting. Take it for what it’s worth.

 

[MatthewJHanson]

It's almost as though a forum designed for discussion produces more nuance than a platform that lives or dies by generating clicks.

I am shocked. SHOCKED!

 

[TaranTheWanderer]

It's almost as though a forum designed for discussion produces more nuance than a platform that lives or dies by generating clicks.

This should be inscribed on a stone tablet

 

[Warpiglet-7]

It's almost as though a forum designed for discussion produces more nuance than a platform that lives or dies by generating clicks.

I am shocked. SHOCKED!

Yes.

And yet…

 

[GMMichael]

This should be inscribed on a stone tablet

That sounds difficult. I'd rather just click on the pundit video about it.

Let's rejoice; the pundits will soon be gone . . . because AI won't even require clicking. I'll still be on ENworld. (So don't rejoice too much!)

 

[Morrus]

That sounds difficult. I'd rather just click on the pundit video about it.

Let's rejoice; the pundits will soon be gone . . . because AI won't even require clicking. I'll still be on ENworld. (So don't rejoice too much!)

Assuming all the posts aren’t made by AI bots by then… I had to spamban one this week. It’s started, and they’ll get harder to detect.

 

[AlViking]

I think having different points of views is a good thing and that's something you get on a forum like this. For me, too often the "best" build is based on white room analysis with a sole focus on DPR, especially when the improvement is 1.3 extra damage at level 12.

But that analysis is always based on assumptions and what people value. So the best people can do is read a few different options, ask questions and make up their own minds.

 

[FrogReaver]

It's almost as though a forum designed for discussion produces more nuance than a platform that lives or dies by generating clicks.

I am shocked. SHOCKED!

*there were no actual electrical shocks involved

 

[mearls]

I like that on forums the only algorithm is other people deciding if they want to engage.

 

[FrogReaver]

After some years of making 5e characters in particular, I am struck by the usefulness of ENWorld vis a vis dedicated blogs and sites regarding optimization and other matters.

Where ENWorld has a usually robust discussion about choices, both pros and cons, I am amazed at the certainty of some pundits with relatively little critical analysis.

I have been reading here and there tier recommendations about various choices and am amazed at how wrong they seem to me.

What is more, they are wrong without realizing the other choices available, other goals involved and so on. No disclaimer…X is best, Y sucks.

Here on the community section I disagree with a lot of opinions but they’re side to side with other opinions and context.

The collective wins most of the time from my perspective. Sadly I know newbies want quick answers for tonight’s game…but man what a minefield of subpar advice out there…

Take some time and read conflicting viewpoints. Play and see what you like! And be armed knowing your wants and needs should guide character creation.

Sometimes you will find you know more than a pundit/blogger…

Robust discussion wins and teaches. Following a blowhard usually helps make a character they would make for the games they play in with choices they find interesting. Take it for what it’s worth.

I find it’s usually about core assumptions.

Either that or not factoring in all abilities.

Sometimes it’s just from not properly evaluating abilities because it’s hard to do so. The Battlemaster maneuver precision attack was a great example of seeing that in practice.

Sometimes it from incorrect evaluation. I’ve recently seen that in trying to treat initiative bonus as an extra turn. (It only is when the bonus difference would take you from last to first, which mostly occurs in unrealistic 1v1 scenarios).

And finally there’s the fundamental issue of comparing defense/ mobility/ healing/ control / damage / etc abilities to each other.