Level Up (A5E) Relative balance of A5E vs. O5E

[WaltyCole]

I think the main thought behind what folks were saying (myself included) is that a5e is harder to create a truly just damaged focused build but that where you used to have to sacrifice all abilities outside of combat, you can still build to be effective in combat but your still going to be useful elsewhere.

And to be fair last campaign I was a player was a 3.5 campaign and built a character so effective in combat other players felt they didn't need to do anything.

I think I need to expand on my own post here. It got to a point where other players felt useless in combat and it became a problem. It was an issue for the DM to build encounters because something my character could walk through was a overpowering threat to everyone else. So every primary threat needed to attack only my character to the point it became clear in combat there was just some extra enemies thrown in who would fight with the rest of the party.

I can see this happening with o5e. I can't see it happening in a5e

 

[Faolyn]

I think the main thought behind what folks were saying (myself included) is that a5e is harder to create a truly just damaged focused build but that where you used to have to sacrifice all abilities outside of combat, you can still build to be effective in combat but your still going to be useful elsewhere.

That's true--I decided to convert my swashbuckler rogue into a duelist fighter, and I'll lose all that lovely sneak attack damage but gain a lot of other seriously cool abilities.

But that's not what I read in that post, hence my post.

 

[WaltyCole]

I don't mean to speak for anyone, but the feel in got from it was basically if it's pushed so far you've taken the fun out of the game for others, it was wrong to do so.

 

[VanguardHero]

So... people who want "Big Numbers" shouldn't have fun? Because it's harder for someone (who?) to deal with? Am I reading this right?

If you are powergaming for Big Numbers in a party that otherwise isn't, there is possibly a significant rift of what the table considers "Fun". If your idea of fun is taking away from other peoples', you should either find a different route of fun or a different table. "Other people" very much including the DM, who has to deal with balancing against both a powergamer and a less optimized party while providing a sense of threat/challenge without making the party feel like an audience or the NPCs in an escort mission.

All of which is easier to manage when the system being played is either rules lite so it's RP focused with few exploitable mechanics, or a well designed system with balanced, meaningful choices that lets characters feel both dynamic and also your own. Neither of which describes o5e.

 

[Faolyn]

If you are powergaming for Big Numbers in a party that otherwise isn't, there is possibly a significant rift of what the table considers "Fun". If your idea of fun is taking away from other peoples', you should either find a different route of fun or a different table. "Other people" very much including the DM, who has to deal with balancing against both a powergamer and a less optimized party while providing a sense of threat/challenge without making the party feel like an audience or the NPCs in an escort mission.

All of which is easier to manage when the system being played is either rules lite so it's RP focused with few exploitable mechanics, or a well designed system with balanced, meaningful choices that lets characters feel both dynamic and also your own. Neither of which describes o5e.

See, I find this odd because my table usually cheers each other on when someone does massive damage, even if it means that they themselves don't get to attack.

 

[Micah Sweet]

See, I find this odd because my table usually cheers each other on when someone does massive damage, even if it means that they themselves don't get to attack.

And as long as it's not always the same person doing massive damage, that perfectly fine. It's when it is the same person that there starts to be a problem for some folks.

 

[Faolyn]

And as long as it's not always the same person doing massive damage, that perfectly fine. It's when it is the same person that there starts to be a problem for some folks.

For some folks, sure. Doesn't seem to be the case at my table, though.