D&D 5E (2024) Mike Mearls explains why your boss monsters die too easily

[EzekielRaiden]

you can always go lower than what the encounter building rules tell you. People apparently do that today and are happy with it.

The difference with tighter math is that you have a better idea of when an encounter is easy and when it is too hard. No one is forcing ‘you’ to always tightly create your encounters, the difference is that you could, so I am not seeing that anything is being taken away by it

Indeed, the edition everyone accuses of requiring "lockstep" fights or the like says, explicitly, multiple times, in multiple places, "DO NOT exclusively run combats exactly matching the party's level, because that would be boring."

But, as I've said previously, responses to a game often have nothing to do with what the game actually says to do. Which, at least for me, is both frustrating and baffling.

 

[payn]

If what I said made you or others feel that way, then I apologize. That was a crappy thing for me to do.

I still do think that it is quite possible for folks to hold beliefs about what is "correct" in design or execution which are built on a flawed foundation. Both because I've experienced that exact feeling, and because I've seen how the exact same idea presented in different ways can make someone hate it or love it. But if I insulted your intelligence, or anyone's intelligence, by expressing that, then I f#$ked up.

I'm sorry.

Me too, I try not to be like those folks (I dont associate you with them either) but understand these topics get hot and the common quotes of dismissal get annoying for everybody. Even when folks dont mean to be flippant, but are just stating their experiences.

 

[Crimson Longinus]

The thing is, despite all my complaints, I actually think 5e is a well designed game. It has issues, but it works reasonably well for most people despite of them. They also are such that a GM who is aware of them can address them in variety of ways.

I think issues with both 3e and 4e were way more fundamental. The things people had issues with were part of the core design assumptions of these games.

Still, this does not mean that I think these issues with 5e should not be addressed, and I think relying for the GM to fix things is not very newbie friendly. And sadly it seems 5.5 has mostly removed the tools and advice for the GM to customise the game. They were lacking before, but now they're just basically gone. 5.5. was a big disappointment for me, and I wish they had done a more extensive revamp.

 

[Parmandur]

you can always go lower than what the encounter building rules tell you. People apparently do that today and are happy with it.

The difference with tighter math is that you have a better idea of when an encounter is easy and when it is too hard. No one is forcing ‘you’ to always tightly create your encounters, the difference is that you could, so I am not seeing that anything is being taken away by it

And as it stands it is possible to tightly follow the daily guidance, nobody is forcing anyone to do so and the game works if undershot.

 

[payn]

The think is, despite all my complaints, I actually think 5e is a well designed game. It has issues, but it works reasonably well for most people despite of them. They also are such that a GM who is aware of them can address them in variety of ways.

I think issues with both 3e and 4e were way more fundamental. The things people had issues with were part of the core design assumptions of these games.

Still, this does not mean that I don't think these issues with 5e should not be addressed, and I think relying for them GM to fix things is not very newbie friendly. And sadly it seems 5.5 has mostly removed the tools and advice fo the GM to customise the game. They were lacking before, but not they're just basically gone. 5.5. was a big disappointment to me, and I wish thy had done more extensive revamp.

I agree and think if the modularity they talked about in NEXT was actually developed further, a lot of complaints could be answered in 5E.

 

[Parmandur]

I agree and think if the modularity they talked about in NEXT was actually developed further, a lot of complaints could be answered in 5E.

So, thing ia, 5E is modular, it is open to be modded easily.

What seem to have haooened to me is that WotC discovered there wasn't all that wide a demand for those mods, however, so woth 2014 and 2024 they ended up serving the modes that they found the mass audience for.

 

[payn]

So, thing ia, 5E is modular, it is open to be modded easily.

We have been over this before. Its not nearly as modular as discussed and not even close to the satisfaction of folks that would like it to be.

What seem to have haooened to me is that WotC discovered there wasn't all that wide a demand for those mods, however, so woth 2014 and 2024 they ended up serving the modes that they found the mass audience for.

They discovered it wasnt needed because 5E sold like hot cakes. There has been no driving need. Will that change in the future? I think this will be the test of evergreen D&D as this seems to be fertile ground saved for a rainy day. Could give legs tot he system when its needed; if its needed?

 

[Parmandur]

They discovered it wasnt needed because 5E sold like hot cakes. There has been no driving need.

I think they discovered thwt earlier, in the Next playtest, and 10 years of player feedback after unprecedented success had them remove most of the variants in the core books.

 

[Crimson Longinus]

Well, whilst D&D of course remains overwhelmingly the most popular RPG, I think the momentum seems to be pretty much gone. I don't think people were really exited about 5.5. and there have recently been several relatively popular and high profile games that are marketed basically as D&D replacements. Shadowdark, Daggerheart etc. I think the basic structure of 5e could easily support "gritty mod" and "dramatism mod," but they're not doing that so some people are looking elsewhere. Will those numbers be significant? I don't know, but there definitely is some money on the table here.

 

[M_Natas]

We have been over this before. Its not nearly as modular as discussed and not even close to the satisfaction of folks that would like it to be.

Hrm, WotC didn't make a lot of modules, even if it would have been called for (Ship combat, Spelljamming, How to Magic School ...) but I find it quite easy to create, modify or take out rules out of 5e (2014, haven't looked to deep into 2024 yet for modifications). 5e 2014 is super easy to create modules. Want different typ of weapons or another era? Replace the weapon block.
Want different resting? Replace the resting rules? Encumbrance is bad? Change that, too. Changing and adding classes or subclasses? Easy. Changing the whole skil block? No problem. Add modes for downtime, Bastions and so on? Okili dokili.