D&D 5E Optimization and the +1 Weapon Principle

[Seramus]

Clearly, we need to factor Nova Fun versus the FPH (Fun Per Hour) rating.

How often DO people talk about that time they scored 1,000 damage in a single round VS sustaining 100 damage per round?

 

[Micah Sweet]

DPR is a weak metric. Worrying about whether a build is within a +1/+1 weapon of another build is, quite frankly, pointless.

Which is better: +8 for 4d10 or 4 attacks at +8 for 1d10? The answer depends upon what you're fighting.

If you're facing multiple foes that have 5 hps each, the 4X +8 for 1d10 is much better. If your opponent has 22 hps, and it needs to die in 1 round.... +8 for 4d10 is much better (as it is all or nothing and you need all to get a good chance to get the kill). However both have the same DPR.

Every class, and every subclass, is playable. None of the are so overpowered as to prevent the game from being fun. If you're finding he game ruined by a build, I'll put it to you that the probem is best solved not by "fixing" the builds, but by taking a more productive approach to the game.

I agree that none are overpowered. However, some builds might be sufficiently underpowered to affect play in a specific campaign.

 

[auburn2]

I my opinion D&D is about roleplaying and having fun and in that respectI don't believe DPR is a good metric. Maybe it is for fighters and barbarians because their typical role in the party is to deal massive damage when we get in a fight. Not to say they don't bring other skills to the table, especially when multiclassed, but usually they are there to dish out damage. That said a build that is optimized will rarely be versatile and there is something to be said for a fighter por barbarian that can deal both melee and missile damage reliably and in large amounts. Ususally such a character will not have as high DPR as an optimized one though.

For just about every other class I think DPR is not a good metric at all. As a matter of fact I think number of proficiencies or skill bonuses would be a better metric in general.