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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Ydars" data-source="post: 4556409" data-attributes="member: 62992">Back on topic; I can't separate the question of "what will D&D become?" from the question "what is the core strength of the game?" For me D&D has always been the "generic" fantasy RPG. It is the vanilla canvas that we can use to adjudicate any game we could recognise as "fantasy" and make it work. It is also class based, with a set of core classes and it has a core mechanic of d20 roll high and AC, HP etc. If we look at the above statement, which most people would probably agree with, then 4E has a serious problem; it is NOT a generic Fantasy RPG anymore. 4E has made a huge mistake IMHO going all "Exalted" with powers without any backstory to explain them. Are we normal humans or not? If we are then how do we heal completely with an extended rest? If we have these powers then why or how do we have them and how did we get them and why does no-one else from our race have them?  4E completely fails to address these questions, probably because the designers wanted to keep D&D generic and not force people into a specific answer to these questions; except that by introducing powers, they already did away with generic D&D and just failed to give us any backstory for it. So to me 4E is like a kind of  compromise that doesn't really go far enough or else goes too far. Since D&D has always been the generic RPG I think 5E ultimately will return to its generic roots because that is what defines this game for most people; if I want to play superhuman characters I play Exalted, if I want to play in a grim gritty world I play Warhammer FRP. I come to D&D because I want a vanilla canvas that I can use to make MY games played MY way come to life. The reason we are having the 3E/4E and now 5E debate is because D&D no longer supports many people's playstyle. This is because it is less generic and this is essentially because of how "powers" have been implemented. The mechanic is interesting, but is ultimately incompatible with a generic fantasy RPG and with how many people use/used the rules. Just my 2 pennysworth</blockquote>

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