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Message: <blockquote data-quote="GVDammerung" data-source="post: 2607405" data-attributes="member: 33060">I voted not very important.Until 3X, "balance" discussions were comparatively rare.  "Builds" were all but nonexistant.I like 3X well enough but it is a heavy rules set that has had the unfortunate side effect of raising "balance" and "builds" to great prominence.To paraphrase Judge Dredd - as DM, "I am the balance."   Two points -(1) Fun is more important than "balance" and is not dependant upon it.(2) The quest for "balance" can mute otherwise fun designs when the "wahoo" factor has to be toned down to such a point that the concept looses its essential flavor.  Balance can lead gray designs.This last point is my biggest complaint about the quest for "balance."  The Epic Level Handbook has already been cited as a victim of the quest for balance.  I find a number of Malhovoc products, for me, suffer a similar circumspection in design that leaches what could be a wild ride into a Sunday drive with grandma.  Balanced?  They are applauded for it.  Yet, I find them lack luster.This said balance and tight design are not mutually exclusive.  Legends of the Samaurai, for example, is kicka$$ fun but it is also an amazing tight design.  Very "balanced."  Not to pick on Malhavoc, When The Sky Falls is a Malhavoc design that rocks but that is also fairly well balanced.Unfortunately, any number of products seem to have to choose between maximizing the fun or maximizing the "balance."  I will take fun any day.  Balance?  I am the DM.  I _AM_ the balance.IMO  <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f642.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":)" title="Smile    :)"  data-smilie="1"data-shortname=":)" /></blockquote>

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