New D&D Survey: What Do you Want From Older Editions?

WotC has just posted this month's D&D feedback survey. This survey asks about content from older editions of D&D, including settings, classes and races. The results will help determine what appears in future Unearthed Arcana columns.

The new survey is here. The results for the last survey have not yet been compiled. However, WotC is reporting that the Waterborne Adventures article scored well, and that feedback on Dragon+ has been "quite positive".

"We also asked about the new options presented in the Waterborne Adventures installment of Unearthed Arcana. Overall, that material scored very well—on a par with material from the Player’s Handbook. Areas where players experienced trouble were confined to specific mechanics. The minotaur race’s horns created a bit of confusion, for example, and its ability score bonuses caused some unhappiness. On a positive note, people really liked the sample bonds and how they helped bring out the minotaur’s unique culture.

The mariner, the swashbuckler, and the storm sorcerer also scored very well. A few of the specific mechanics for those options needed some attention, but overall, players and DMs liked using them.

Finally, we asked a few questions about the Dragon+ app. We really appreciate the feedback as we tailor the app’s content and chart the course for future issues. The overall feedback has been quite positive, and we’re looking at making sure we continue to build on our initial success."

 

[FormerlyHemlock]

I second this motion. This might be the most important issue facing the game. Bobble-headed halflings need to be discarded into the dustbin of history. Please make this happen.

+1.

To me, halflings will always look like Dark Sun halflings: perfectly-proportioned miniature barbarians.

View attachment 69125

 

[GobiWon]

Are we talking about the Warlord because it is an option people want to play or like someone said earlier, is it simply a proxy for a rehash of the edition war between 4e and 5e? I think the lack of a true gish character with arcane strike and magical abilities that focus on personal abjuration, personal buffs, and elemental damage focused through martial weapons is the class really missing. The eldritch knight is lacking in my mind.

 

[Minigiant]

So which do you think would be better dragonfire adept subclasses

Chromatic, Metallic, and Dragon Disciple
Or
Classic Dragon Adept, Dragon Shaman, Dragon Disciple

 

[Remathilis]

You and I both know we are not getting one of those.

Eh, they were on the survey list. You never know what may happen...

This is already in the game. Eldritch Knight + Magic Initiate (Cure Light Wounds). Boom! Bob's your uncle, a magical healing fighter.

I think the Healer feat is far better but you asked for supernatural.

My point is if you want a warlord to mimic abilities like Inspiring Word or Stand the Fallen, you're either going to break the assumptions laid out in the core game (a fine area for a targeted supplement) or instill some supernatural force around it ("magic") to explain how it works.

 

[pemerton]

Temp hit points allow you to call hp meat while adding them as "energy" or the like. It's screwy but less screwy than someone shouting across the battlefield at the rogue who just fell unconscious from a fall into a pit of acid and removing their injuries.

As I say elsewhere, temporary hit points have a number of advantages beyond healing.

Who narrates inspirational healing as "removing their injuries"? When a fighter uses Second Wind does that get narrated as "removing their injuries"? How does a fighter "second wind his/her arm back on"?

Inspirational healing involves pushing on despite injuries. Overcoming them, not eliminating them.

That is also why the fiction of inspirational healing is not well-matched by a temp hp mechanic, which is a pale shadow at best.

A lot of the warlord stuff here is an evolution of the edition wars. A war by proxy. The average player likely doesn't have an opinion.

<snip>

it's not just about the fun police, it's about table stability. These arguments we're having here? The one that's derailed two threads this week and derails every thread that begins on the warlord, or hitpoints as meat, or the like. These could happen real time at a game table. These DO happen. That is anti-fun, Mechanics that cause fights and disagreements should be minimized.

Just to be clear - the objection to the design of a proper warlord class, or even to discussion of the design of a proper warlord class, is that some people who don't like it won't be able to control their fury?

Together with a conjecture that people who say they like the warlord, and inspirational healing, really don't, and are just making it up to prolong an "edition war"?

The next step seems to be to posit that the only reason people bought and played 4e at all was to unleash an edition war!

 

[FormerlyHemlock]

Just to be clear - the objection to the design of a proper warlord class, or even to discussion of the design of a proper warlord class, is that some people who don't like it won't be able to control their fury?

That's a pretty unhelpful re-framing of the issue.

If WotC came out with a "collectible" D&D variant wherein extra feats and spells were only available to those who had paid WotC for randomized "booster packs", would the inability of DMs to restrain their fury really be the only problem? Externalities and system effects can't matter?

The fact that externalities can matter doesn't mean they do matter, and it's possible that 5E/CCG would be easily ignored and not a real problem for most DMs. Same thing holds for warlords: maybe it wouldn't actually be a problem. But you haven't proved that or even argued that, you've just dismissed and belittled it. Since you won't persuade anyone who doesn't already agree with you using that tone, it's really just another way of wasting your breath.

 

[Eric V]

What?!

This game is supposed to be modular, yes?

With the idea that DM fiat decides which module gets included in her game and which doesn't, yes?

Then a module that includes the warlord should be no problem for any group of even semi-adults.

 

[CapnZapp]

What?!

This game is supposed to be modular, yes?

With the idea that DM fiat decides which module gets included in her game and which doesn't, yes?

Then a module that includes the warlord should be no problem for any group of even semi-adults.

Then you're up for a rude awakening.

There are some very vocal voices whose "fun" apparently depends on us others *not* getting what we want.

It's not enough that these people can choose not to buy the supplements we want (4e Warlords, 3e magic item prices, etc etc) but they demand these supplements do not exist at all.

 

[Manbearcat]

That's a pretty unhelpful re-framing of the issue.

Just for the record, there is no helpful nor any unhelpful framing or re-framing of this issue. This issue is a myopic, petulant, never-ending battle over the narrative of "what is D&D (?)" and thusly what gate-keeping, rabble-rousing, othering, and grave-dancing needs to be done in order to keep some perceived "not D&D" virus out of the purified bloodstream and collective conscience of D&D. It has been going on since I entered the hobby in the early 80s.

It is D&D Groundhog Day and we are all locked in this endless circle of triteness and insanity and we are never, ever, ever escaping. Not as long as that groundhog keeps seeing his shadow.

Then put your little hand in mine
There ain't no hill or mountain we can't climb

Babe

I got you babe
I got you babe

 

[FormerlyHemlock]

Just for the record, there is no helpful nor any unhelpful framing or re-framing of this issue. This issue is a myopic, petulant, never-ending battle

Heh. Good point.