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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Ainamacar" data-source="post: 5698703" data-attributes="member: 70709">Did those old articles provide inexperienced DMs the tools to make those judgments well enough to run that sort of game?  (This is an honest question, I only know about these articles secondhand.)  If not, then the real issue isn't whether we're pursuing something new, but whether the game gives us the tools to succeed.  If they do, it will be brilliant.  I'm encouraged that they are thinking about this.In general it's a bad idea to balance the mechanical power of something with non-mechanical limitations.  What level should the ring of invisibility be if the dark lord doesn't exist?  Stormbringer is the 3e frenzied berserker problem all over again, and that class was an absolute disaster: either you find out how to limit the downside it was ridiculously overpowered, or you didn't and it 1) ruined a campaign with a random rampage or 2) just wasn't worth using due to the risk of 1.  These story or roleplaying limitations are perfectly fine to add for a specific campaign/adventure path, a game with a very narrow roleplaying or story focus, or as a houserule, but that is where they should stay.  The idea of adding a power/risk tradeoff is still perfectly worthy, however.  It is a classic trope, even.</blockquote>