D&D 5E Is D&D 90% Combat?

In response to Cubicle 7’s announcement that their next Doctor Who role playing game would be powered by D&D 5E, there was a vehement (and in some places toxic) backlash on social media. While that backlash has several dimensions, one element of it is a claim that D&D is mainly about combat.

Head of D&D Ray Winninger disagreed (with snark!), tweeting "Woke up this morning to Twitter assuring me that [D&D] is "ninety percent combat." I must be playing (and designing) it wrong." WotC's Dan Dillon also said "So guess we're gonna recall all those Wild Beyond the Witchlight books and rework them into combat slogs, yeah? Since we did it wrong."

So, is D&D 90% combat?



And in other news, attacking C7 designers for making games is not OK.

D&D 5E - Doctors & Daleks - Cubicle 7 Brings Doctor Who to D&D 5E

Cubicle 7 -- makers of the official Doctor Who roleplaying game -- has announced that the Doctor will officially be coming to 5E soon under the name Doctors and Daleks. There are no dates or details yet, over than that the Doctors and Daleks Player's Guide will launch 'soon'. A NEW COMPANION...

www.enworld.org

 

[Thomas Shey]

i see this alot, and where I understand wanting to replicate the show, I wonder if an option to have a war Tardis with 3-5 timelords in it in the middle of the time war changes that? or all 'companions' running more like a mix of sarha jane chronicals and tourch wood.

You can make a "Timelords and Companions" game work, the same way they made the BtVS game work, but it still isn't likely to lead to games with the more incapable companions. It works better in a system with a well-integrated luck point system of some sort, though.

 

[Thomas Shey]

I have seen many, many players shut down after being asked to do anything more complicated than rolling a die. A lot of players just don't engage with even moderately complex rules. It's a real issue.

There should absolutely be a space for simple-to-play characters in most games, but I'm hard pressed to see that the proper way to do it is to simplify down the system so there's no space for anyone wanting to do more. The best is usually builds that are mostly passive benefits that don't require much consideration; they're pretty much going to limit you to fighters and extremely straightforward mages of the sorcerer variety, though.

(And, I might add, if the player rolls that way, then they don't get to get soggy because players more willing to engage with the system do more flashy things. You don't get to have it both ways).

 

[HammerMan]

You can make a "Timelords and Companions" game work, the same way they made the BtVS game work, but it still isn't likely to lead to games with the more incapable companions. It works better in a system with a well-integrated luck point system of some sort, though.

yes I understand how it can be done... I just wonder if using the whoverse setting for something OTHER then duplicating the show would work better... I remember lesbian lizard alien sherlock homes and her watson and think that was even a possible spin off.

 

[loverdrive]

yes I understand how it can be done... I just wonder if using the whoverse setting for something OTHER then duplicating the show would work better... I remember lesbian lizard alien sherlock homes and her watson and think that was even a possible spin off.

Is there really a point in tying it into the show, then? Well, other than marketing, but that ain't a good design reason.

I'm not exactly a Doctor Who superfan, but from what I've seen, the setting is mostly, idk, functional? Like, exists solely to enable Doctor's and his companions' adventures.

 

[HammerMan]

Is there really a point in tying it into the show, then? Well, other than marketing, but that ain't a good design reason.

yes the same reason I may play a jedi in a starwars game that isn't a character from the movies... or a smuggler, it is to play the feel and setting not retell episodes.

I'm not exactly a Doctor Who superfan, but from what I've seen, the setting is mostly, idk, functional? Like, exists solely to enable Doctor's and his companions' adventures.

except at least 2 spin offs have happened and there are plenty of hits of other non doctor adventures

The Time agency, Alien hiding on earth, Torch wood, tbh I would just want to introduce Osterhogin as an NPC and have the party be like "Why?!?! What made you think THAT was a good idea?"

heck there are other timelords (and in old Who even other renegade ones)

I understand SOME one may want to play 'the doctor' I can't believe there isn't a bunch that just want to play in that world with those concepts.

 

[Micah Sweet]

Is there really a point in tying it into the show, then? Well, other than marketing, but that ain't a good design reason.

I'm not exactly a Doctor Who superfan, but from what I've seen, the setting is mostly, idk, functional? Like, exists solely to enable Doctor's and his companions' adventures.

This choice by Cubicle Seven has nothing to do with design. And that's ok. We all have to eat.

 

[Oofta]

Now, switching gears a bit.

OK, D&D 5E can handle social interactions. Cool! Does it make talking the most viable strategy?

I think, the easiest way to start scrutinizing the system is to ask: what kind of character you can't create? What capabilities the character is guaranteed to have? In 5E, you can't really create a non-combat character. Every character you can possibly create can fight, and fight reasonably well. But who you can create? A fighter with 8 CHA and no proficiency in anything other than grappling, shoving and sneaking.

Oh, also. I've been reading about "complicated social mechanics that will ruin the flow of the game", and it makes me wonder.... Is this:
View attachment 153001
complicated?

As far as complexity, it's just one tiny slice of a game that has other features, complexity is not my only issue with it. Sounds quite mechanical to me. It's something that would have me thinking in game terms, not how my PC would try to convince someone.

 

[Greg Benage]

complicated?

No, just woefully inadequate to resolve a social situation. Could really use a GM to make a judgment or something.

 

[Thomas Shey]

yes I understand how it can be done... I just wonder if using the whoverse setting for something OTHER then duplicating the show would work better... I remember lesbian lizard alien sherlock homes and her watson and think that was even a possible spin off.

I'd find it pretty unlikely that the default mode of a game based on the show wasn't at least something pretty close to the show.

 

[Ovinomancer]

No, just woefully inadequate to resolve a social situation. Could really use a GM to make a judgment or something.

I'd be very curious to see you expand upon this. I look at this move and I see a clear fictional trigger (the PC does one of those things), and a mechanic (die roll), and outcomes that are clear or require further play (the 7-9 would require you to provide more proof/evidence). I'm not sure what you think needs GM judgement in here for resolution.