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<blockquote data-quote="The Crimson Binome" data-source="post: 7638846" data-attributes="member: 6775031">The rules encourage this style of play, by giving such a large benefit to those who play in this manner. By letting an optimized character be so much more powerful than a less-optimized one, it encourages players to optimize. If the gap wasn't as overwhelming, then it would be less horrible to make a non-optimized character.Trap options are included in order to make players feel smarter for recognizing them as what they are. When a player realizes that Improved Channel is junk, and Spell Focus is amazing, then they are (theoretically) happy about making the &quot;correct&quot; choice. If every option was equally useful, then players wouldn't have any way to grow their system mastery - an experienced player would have no advantage over a novice player, so they'd be less-inclined to spend the time an effort to get better.Maybe Pathfinder gives you more options, but I can't say the same for myself. Since 99% of options in Pathfinder are traps, and I'm not willing to shoot myself in the foot, I actually find that I have far more real options with 5E. After all, in 5E, I have the freedom to play a fighter if I'm so inclined. Trying to play a fighter in Pathfinder is an invitation to sit on the sideline while the real heroes use magic to solve everything.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="The Crimson Binome, post: 7638846, member: 6775031"] The rules encourage this style of play, by giving such a large benefit to those who play in this manner. By letting an optimized character be so much more powerful than a less-optimized one, it encourages players to optimize. If the gap wasn't as overwhelming, then it would be less horrible to make a non-optimized character. Trap options are included in order to make players feel smarter for recognizing them as what they are. When a player realizes that Improved Channel is junk, and Spell Focus is amazing, then they are (theoretically) happy about making the "correct" choice. If every option was equally useful, then players wouldn't have any way to grow their system mastery - an experienced player would have no advantage over a novice player, so they'd be less-inclined to spend the time an effort to get better. Maybe Pathfinder gives [I]you[/I] more options, but I can't say the same for myself. Since 99% of options in Pathfinder are traps, and I'm not willing to shoot myself in the foot, I actually find that I have far [I]more[/I] real options with 5E. After all, in 5E, I have the freedom to play a fighter if I'm so inclined. Trying to play a fighter in Pathfinder is an invitation to sit on the sideline while the real heroes use magic to solve everything. [/QUOTE]

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