D&D 5E Player satisfaction survey

[Li Shenron]

Ok this is a serious survey, even if the poll options sound semi-serious at best I don't mean to mock [MENTION=15700]Sacrosanct[/MENTION] 's nice polls on classes... but given how the MAJORITY of people are responding to those polls saying they are NOT satisfied with the classes as-written, I seriously want to know if this is only in the permanently unsatisfied gamer's minds, or if this attitude results in requesting changes to how your DMs runs the game.

So the survey is mostly meant for DMs. Only answer from direct experience i.e. what YOUR players want and ask from you, before claiming they are themselves satisfied by the game.

I am asking this because if I trust the answers to those polls to be genuine, then I must be living on a different planet (or plane). My players NEVER asked me to change the game rules or character material. At most, they asked me to shift the adventures focus or playstyle, but that's another thing. But as soon as I come to the forums, I find nothing but people unsatisfied by something and wanting to change it or claiming that "it doesn't work".

 

[DaveDash]

Most of my players are satisfied. It's only the long term DMs themselves who are also players who want to tweak things.

DMs can either be the best players you'll ever have, or the worst players you'll ever have.

 

[Raith5]

But the polls are showing people are satisfied with the classes. As per @Sacrosanct last poll:

Barbarian: 91% sat, 4% unsat
Bard: 84% sat, 11% unsat
Cleric: 84% sat, 8% unsat
Druid: 83% sat, 14% unsat

 

[Raith5]

We play RAW. If you dont like class we just move to another. We have had a few people complain about classes, for eg we have had people migrate from fighters to other classes. If I were to start a new campaign I would probably make some tweaks - but I tend to play one long campaign per edition.

 

[Shiroiken]

I've found very few people that are 100% happy with 5E, but there's a reason for that. It was designed to appeal to the largest number of possible players, which means that it has to have some levels of compromise. I think the majority of 5E players & DMs are satisfied with the game, but use minor tweaks to improve the game for their group. I also believe this was the intent of the designers.

 

[Li Shenron]

But the polls are showing people are satisfied with the classes. As per @Sacrosanct last poll:

Barbarian: 91% sat, 4% unsat
Bard: 84% sat, 11% unsat
Cleric: 84% sat, 8% unsat
Druid: 83% sat, 14% unsat

Nope. You are counting "mostly satisfied" because it sounds positive as a whole, but it still implies that they want or "need" changes. I am counting only players who are satisfied with things as they are, instead of thinking how they could or "should" be.

Barbarian: 28% sat, 72% unsat
Bard: 47% sat, 53% unsat
Cleric: 42% sat, 58% unsat
Druid: 25% sat, 75% unsat
Fighter: 38% sat, 62% unsat

"unsat" = "want to change at least something"

 

[DaveDash]

Nope. You are counting "mostly satisfied" because it sounds positive as a whole, but it still implies that they want or "need" changes. I am counting only players who are satisfied with things as they are, instead of thinking how they could or "should" be.

Barbarian: 28% sat, 72% unsat
Bard: 47% sat, 53% unsat
Cleric: 42% sat, 58% unsat
Druid: 25% sat, 75% unsat
Fighter: 38% sat, 62% unsat

"unsat" = "want to change at least something"

Yeah I had to read your OP a couple of times, but after that I understand what you're trying to say.

Indeed the numbers of people completely satisfied with the classes as written are a smaller percentile.

 

[Li Shenron]

Yeah I had to read your OP a couple of times, but after that I understand what you're trying to say.

Indeed the numbers of people completely satisfied with the classes as written are a smaller percentile.

Yep. I think being unsatisfied is an attitude that RPG always seem to generate.

But all in all my poll wants to be optimistic... because IMHO when it comes down to actually playing the game in a group of people, a lot of players ultimately leave that attitude at home, near the keyboard

 

[Raith5]

Nope. You are counting "mostly satisfied" because it sounds positive as a whole, but it still implies that they want or "need" changes. I am counting only players who are satisfied with things as they are, instead of thinking how they could or "should" be. "

OK I see so you are only counting very satisfied in these polls. I have been reading those polls as mostly satisfied as playable but ideally I would like some changes (compared to a persons ideal take on the class). I still would still reckon that a designer of 5E would be happy with those results.

 

[TwoSix]

I think the disconnect here with the poll responses is that I have no need for the game to be exactly right for it to make me happy.

Every edition of D&D I've played has had issues (for my definition of issues) that I've either contemplated fixing or did fix with house rules. At the same time, I've played games of every edition without those fixes and still had a fun, enjoyable time. I don't think that's an uncommon mindset!