D&D 5E Restrictions in D&D Next

[prosfilaes]

Rebalancing and reprogramming are required to remove, unless WotC does it for us; making a list is required to add.

You don't want alignment, say that there's no more alignment. Done. Every time you have to wonder, how does this feature work in the absence of alignment, the person adding alignment in would have to wonder how should this work in the presence of alignment.

If that was true then fishooks wouldn't be very useful.

Is a fishhook an optional system for an RPG? Not that I know of. It's at least as nontrivial to add an integrated subsystem to a game as it is to remove one from the game, and most optional subsystems have seen minimal support and minimal integration with the rest of the system.

 

[Incenjucar]

You don't want alignment, say that there's no more alignment. Done. Every time you have to wonder, how does this feature work in the absence of alignment, the person adding alignment in would have to wonder how should this work in the presence of alignment.

Again, CB, balance.

Is a fishhook an optional system for an RPG? Not that I know of. It's at least as nontrivial to add an integrated subsystem to a game as it is to remove one from the game, and most optional subsystems have seen minimal support and minimal integration with the rest of the system.

It's an analogy. It is an example of something that can be inserted much more easily and cleanly than it can be removed. Alignment is a different thing which can more easily be inserted than removed. Something being easy to insert does not make it inherently easy to remove. That is not how things work. That is not how this particular thing works.

If the CB has an alignment rules toggle and using that toggle causes no balance issues, that is good. If there is no toggle, that is bad. If that toggle causes game-breaking problems, that is bad. If the toggle simply removes a bunch of core character options, especially whole classes, that is bad. If you do not CARE that this is bad, fine, whatever.

 

[prosfilaes]

Again, CB, balance.

You want to chain yourself to the anchor of one company's character builder, I don't see why I should have sympathy for you when you want to change the rules.

It's an analogy.

I get that; what I don't believe is that's a relevant one.

Alignment is a different thing which can more easily be inserted than removed.

I don't buy that. I don't buy that inserting alignment into dozens of spells and every stat block in the game and various monster-specific powers and various magical items is an easy thing. Nor do I believe that slapping alignment on the top is a substitute for a full integration with the rest of the system.

 

[Incenjucar]

You want to chain yourself to the anchor of one company's character builder, I don't see why I should have sympathy for you when you want to change the rules.

The character builder is part of the product line. History has shown that many people don't consider the rules to be truly available until they're in the CB, even if they have the book in-hand. Regardless of your personal interest in them, the tools are very important. Nobody needs or wants your sympathy - this is about the success of the product, not some sort of moral victory.

I get that; what I don't believe is that's a relevant one.

I don't buy that. I don't buy that inserting alignment into dozens of spells and every stat block in the game and various monster-specific powers and various magical items is an easy thing. Nor do I believe that slapping alignment on the top is a substitute for a full integration with the rest of the system.

If someone did a study of the time and calorie burn required, it would show that making a list requires less of each, unless they picked someone with massive anxiety issues as a test subject. Even if somehow making a list became more difficult than doing massive revision and hacking a piece of software, it would still be a pain to do a massive revision and hack a piece of software.

WotC CAN make this a non-issue by building the rules with the expectation that some people will want to not use alignment restrictions, and by putting a toggle for it in the CB. Then there will be zero problems.