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General Tabletop Discussion
*Dungeons & Dragons
How much should 5e aim at balance?
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<blockquote data-quote="Ratskinner" data-source="post: 5987298" data-attributes="member: 6688937"><p>I would actually quibble with your assessment of "no uncertain terms". While you are (I think) technically correct, I would argue that text does a poor job of presenting it that way. pp 54-55 of my PHB do <u>not</u> describe it as a "suggested" interpretation of the power's mechanics. Instead, the first paragraph, (you know, the one you're most likely to read if you're skimming the rules as an experienced gamer) says:</p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>The second paragraph <em>does </em>make it fairly clear that you can do "reflavoring" of powers. However, after reading that first paragraph, I doubt many gamers read the rest of the section (at least, until they reread it later, after their impressions had already been formed.) "Flavor Text--brief description--got it" would be the typical thought pattern, I would guess. Making the matter worse, there's a page break and the "Keywords" section starts about 2 inches down, drawing the casual reader away from the rest of the Flavor Text description.</p><p></p><p>So what happens when that casual reader comes back and reads more carefully later? They are told that they can reflavor <em>Magic Missile</em> by turning little bolts of light into flying skulls. Which, while cool, is a stylistic choice, that sounds like it would be a permanent thing for the "spooky" wizard. Its hardly an example that would lead a fighter player to conceive that he might regularly reinterpret his powers (which have no similar "special effects" to alter) in any significant way. The paragraph doesn't include the words "each time" (or similar) to make that clear.*</p><p></p><p>I know that for me, this wasn't that big of an issue. I've played MtG, and I'm used to the concept that "Flavor Text" is generally unimportant (and that you can ignore italicized text in WOTC product.<img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f609.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=";)" title="Wink ;)" data-smilie="2"data-shortname=";)" />) However, if I wasn't familiar with that idea.... If I didn't play magic.... If I hadn't played other narrative games like Capes (where mechanics and Story are totally "disassociated")....I'm not sure I would have interpreted it the same way. Heck, having looked at the text closely now while writing it, I'm <em>less certain</em> that the original intent was to reflavor at each use of a power, than I was when I started writing this post.</p><p></p><p>*I would make the following suggestion as being "clearer" than the original paragraph two (and three).</p><p style="margin-left: 20px"> A power's flavor text is one example of how you might describe or narrate it when you use it. You can alter this descriptions as <u>often as</u> you like, to fit your own idea of what your powers look like, or what's happening in the story as you use it. A wizard could have his <em>magic missile</em> take the form of flying green skulls rather than bolts of light. A rogue might say that his <em>trick strike</em> power takes the form of chasing his enemy around the room while shouting "Aha!" rather than a series of feints and lures.</p> <p style="margin-left: 20px"> The Flavor Text cannot change the function of the power, though. When you need to know the exact effect, look at the rules text that follows.</p> <p style="margin-left: 20px"></p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Ratskinner, post: 5987298, member: 6688937"] I would actually quibble with your assessment of "no uncertain terms". While you are (I think) technically correct, I would argue that text does a poor job of presenting it that way. pp 54-55 of my PHB do [U]not[/U] describe it as a "suggested" interpretation of the power's mechanics. Instead, the first paragraph, (you know, the one you're most likely to read if you're skimming the rules as an experienced gamer) says: The second paragraph [I]does [/I]make it fairly clear that you can do "reflavoring" of powers. However, after reading that first paragraph, I doubt many gamers read the rest of the section (at least, until they reread it later, after their impressions had already been formed.) "Flavor Text--brief description--got it" would be the typical thought pattern, I would guess. Making the matter worse, there's a page break and the "Keywords" section starts about 2 inches down, drawing the casual reader away from the rest of the Flavor Text description. So what happens when that casual reader comes back and reads more carefully later? They are told that they can reflavor [I]Magic Missile[/I] by turning little bolts of light into flying skulls. Which, while cool, is a stylistic choice, that sounds like it would be a permanent thing for the "spooky" wizard. Its hardly an example that would lead a fighter player to conceive that he might regularly reinterpret his powers (which have no similar "special effects" to alter) in any significant way. The paragraph doesn't include the words "each time" (or similar) to make that clear.* I know that for me, this wasn't that big of an issue. I've played MtG, and I'm used to the concept that "Flavor Text" is generally unimportant (and that you can ignore italicized text in WOTC product.;)) However, if I wasn't familiar with that idea.... If I didn't play magic.... If I hadn't played other narrative games like Capes (where mechanics and Story are totally "disassociated")....I'm not sure I would have interpreted it the same way. Heck, having looked at the text closely now while writing it, I'm [I]less certain[/I] that the original intent was to reflavor at each use of a power, than I was when I started writing this post. *I would make the following suggestion as being "clearer" than the original paragraph two (and three). [INDENT] A power's flavor text is one example of how you might describe or narrate it when you use it. You can alter this descriptions as [U]often as[/U] you like, to fit your own idea of what your powers look like, or what's happening in the story as you use it. A wizard could have his [I]magic missile[/I] take the form of flying green skulls rather than bolts of light. A rogue might say that his [I]trick strike[/I] power takes the form of chasing his enemy around the room while shouting "Aha!" rather than a series of feints and lures. The Flavor Text cannot change the function of the power, though. When you need to know the exact effect, look at the rules text that follows. [/INDENT] [/QUOTE]
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