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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Kraydak" data-source="post: 5846133" data-attributes="member: 12306">Why on earth do people hate EWLs?  Frankly, if you don't understand why an EWL chart is valuable, you are the type of person who needs it most.  EWL charts are tools for DMs to keep things sane and friendly.  As with many things, a DM who understands the chart can improvise or riff around it.  A DM who doesn't understand it should hew more closely.DnD has been a game about killing things and taking their stuff.  The reward for playing is taking stuff.  Yes, there are some RPGs that are less item-centric, but note two things.  Firstly, every GM complains about their players being item-centric even if the game isn't, and secondly, the games are niche.  5e play will, of course, center around killing things and taking their stuff.Of course, you don't need EWLs if the loot doesn't do anything... but tabletop play isn't online play with a huge player pool.  Online, having gear with the same stats but a unique skin can let you show off, giving it value even in the absence of stats.  In your friend's living room, everyone already knows what you did, because they were there when it happened.  Loot that people want to get, in DnD, has to have useful stats.  Which makes it important, power level wise.  There is, of course, a lot of slop is the system.  Different groups and players have different levels of optimization standards and skills.  But an EWL chart is still an important tool for keeping things more-or-less under control.  The more experienced and savvy a group is, the less attention they'll need to pay to it.  But part of being experienced and savvy is knowing when you don't have to pay attention to a rule, and when you should houserule something.  Rules should be written for the less experienced players.  Because they need the guidance.</blockquote>

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