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Proof that PHB +1 is a completely unneeded rule
- Thread starter gyor
- Start date
epithet
Explorer
How?
I mean, if the DM doesn't have Xanathar's, then PHB+XGE is just as much a problem as PHB+SCAG+XGE, isn't it? I suppose there's less of a chance you'll run into a character that relies on two books you don't own, but I can't see that as being much of a difference. Either way, the character relies on a book that you're going to have to borrow if you want to look up someone's something, right?
No, I think the real reason for the PHB + 1 rule is that the D&D team only balance class and race options in new books against the ones in the PHB, and cannot be bothered to take into account synergies and complications that arise when a race from Volo's is combined with an archetype from Xanathar's. It's basically a cop-out, their way of saying "hey, those were never designed to work together, man... you're on your own with that."
MarkB
Legend
Or to put it another way, the potential number of combinations increases exponentially for each additional source allowed, and the chance of some odd overpowered combination slipping through the cracks does likewise.
doctorbadwolf
Heretic of The Seventh Circle
Its not a cop out, it’s a legitimately good reason.
And considrring the game is still quite well balanced, im gonna go ahead and assume that they do look st other supplements. They just aren’t as important as the phb options.
lonelynoose
First Post
He knows what he's doing. There's no way he'll raise 500k all by himself.
lonelynoose
First Post
This also makes me think. What's the most broken PHB +2 combo that you can think of?
The Crimson Binome
Hero
No. If you don't have a book, and someone tells you about a thing from that book, then you can probably remember that one thing well enough over the course of a session. Since each supplement contains a broad sweep of character options that don't necessarily synergize together, it's unlikely that any given character will have more than one or two weird things that you'll need to remember.
If a player could choose to use more supplements, then the workload for the DM in remembering new weird stuff is directly multiplied by the number of supplements they can use at once. And because of math, that can quickly become overwhelming if there's more than two players who use supplements.
CrimsonCarcharodon
Explorer
It just lowers the chances, plus it's easier to remember which books you'll need at the table. "Okay, three of my players have Xanathar's subclasses, and my other regular player took something from SCAG. Cool, I can leave Mordenkainen's and Volo's at home instead of stuffing those in my game bag, too."
They probably also want to keep the game reasonably easy on new DMs that might be running Adventurer's League games for the first time. Imagine being a brand new DM and having someone sit at your table going, "okay, so I took race A from Volo's, this subclass from SCAG, spells from Xanathar's, and my background is from Tomb of Annihilation." How overwhelming would that be?
Charlaquin
Goblin Queen (She/Her/Hers)
I don’t play adventurers’ league, so my opinion doesn’t count for much. But I feel like PHB +1 is a great solution to a problem 3e and 4e had but 5e doesn’t. There just aren’t enough official sources of player’s options for the sorts of combinations PHB +1 is meant to safeguard against to have developed. The most OP character you can build out of all official sources is not significantly more powerful than the most OP thing you can build with PHB +1. I would get it if WotC was churning out book after book of races, subclasses, and feats. But as it stands, what’s the worst thing PHB +1 prevents? Casting Green Flame Blade with Shadow Blade? Whoopdeedoo!
SmokeyCriminal
Explorer
The half a million goal is Lindsay having a bit of fun. It might as well say that he'll tattoo the D&D ampersands on his forehead for 500k.
I remember WotC saying that the PHB +1 was to keep the barrier to entry for new players as low as possible, and less about broken combos.
If a new player asks you about your Warlock PC build and you reply " The Patron is from the PHB and so is the Race, but with the SCAG variant. And the Class is also from SCAG along with this invocation and these spells. And finally these invocations and this spell is from MtoF. It's a cool build right?" I think they might start to feel overwhelmed. And might look at their PBH warlock and start to feel like they need to catch up, or FOMO.
I think PHB +1 is a nice sweet spot for a new player. I don't necessarily think that PHB +2 is too much for a new player, but I think its really really pushing it.
If a compromise had to be made id go with PHB +1 +Races.
I remember WotC saying that the PHB +1 was to keep the barrier to entry for new players as low as possible, and less about broken combos.
If a new player asks you about your Warlock PC build and you reply " The Patron is from the PHB and so is the Race, but with the SCAG variant. And the Class is also from SCAG along with this invocation and these spells. And finally these invocations and this spell is from MtoF. It's a cool build right?" I think they might start to feel overwhelmed. And might look at their PBH warlock and start to feel like they need to catch up, or FOMO.
I think PHB +1 is a nice sweet spot for a new player. I don't necessarily think that PHB +2 is too much for a new player, but I think its really really pushing it.
If a compromise had to be made id go with PHB +1 +Races.
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