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<blockquote data-quote="epithet" data-source="post: 7575623" data-attributes="member: 6796566"><p>Having thought about this a little more, it strikes me that it is true that D&D has some gamist elements that are there just because we're used to them. Hit points, however, are an example of something a bit different. Hit points are gamist and bad, but there's not really anything better that has emerged to replace it. I think the same cannot be said of Vancian casting--the spell point variant rule in the DMG is a lot less gamist, and I'd switch to it in a heartbeat if it was supported by Fantasy Grounds. Some bad gamist elements remain in the game because they're the least-worst alternative. This is a game, after all, and some gamist elements are to be expected.</p><p></p><p>I guess the issue really comes down to unnecessary and arbitrary gamist interruptions. Hit points serve the arguably necessary function of tracking the wear-and-tear an adventurer sustains, and of representing the increased toughness of a veteran campaigner. They aren't arbitrary, but are assigned or generated based on a system that makes a real effort at being consistent and predictable for almost everything in the fictional world that can be damaged. What function does the timing requirement of Shield Master serve? It cannot be, as has been urged a few times in this thread, to prevent "near-permanent advantage" for characters with high athletics bonuses, because that circumstance is already granted by two-weapon fighting without a feat. With a fighting style and a feat, the bonus action attack applies full damage and the character has half the defensive benefit of equipping a shield! If the master of two-weapon fighting doesn't require a nerf for having the possibility of "near-permanent advantage" from high athletics, then why is it necessary to restrict the shield master? If it is not necessary, and if that consideration is not consistently applied, then the restriction becomes completely arbitrary.</p><p></p><p>Hriston's background on the War Magic feature above, in addition to Crawford's recent tweets regarding two-weapon fighting, provide some valuable context. It really appears that Crawford is just making stuff up in an effort to create a set of consistent and universal rulings, but the example of two-weapon fighting demonstrates that he's not likely to accomplish that. He would, in my opinion, be better served by returning to his older approach and advising rulings on individual rules that makes sense for those rules, without feeling overly pressured to create a Grand Unified Theory of rules interpretation.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="epithet, post: 7575623, member: 6796566"] Having thought about this a little more, it strikes me that it is true that D&D has some gamist elements that are there just because we're used to them. Hit points, however, are an example of something a bit different. Hit points are gamist and bad, but there's not really anything better that has emerged to replace it. I think the same cannot be said of Vancian casting--the spell point variant rule in the DMG is a lot less gamist, and I'd switch to it in a heartbeat if it was supported by Fantasy Grounds. Some bad gamist elements remain in the game because they're the least-worst alternative. This is a game, after all, and some gamist elements are to be expected. I guess the issue really comes down to unnecessary and arbitrary gamist interruptions. Hit points serve the arguably necessary function of tracking the wear-and-tear an adventurer sustains, and of representing the increased toughness of a veteran campaigner. They aren't arbitrary, but are assigned or generated based on a system that makes a real effort at being consistent and predictable for almost everything in the fictional world that can be damaged. What function does the timing requirement of Shield Master serve? It cannot be, as has been urged a few times in this thread, to prevent "near-permanent advantage" for characters with high athletics bonuses, because that circumstance is already granted by two-weapon fighting without a feat. With a fighting style and a feat, the bonus action attack applies full damage and the character has half the defensive benefit of equipping a shield! If the master of two-weapon fighting doesn't require a nerf for having the possibility of "near-permanent advantage" from high athletics, then why is it necessary to restrict the shield master? If it is not necessary, and if that consideration is not consistently applied, then the restriction becomes completely arbitrary. Hriston's background on the War Magic feature above, in addition to Crawford's recent tweets regarding two-weapon fighting, provide some valuable context. It really appears that Crawford is just making stuff up in an effort to create a set of consistent and universal rulings, but the example of two-weapon fighting demonstrates that he's not likely to accomplish that. He would, in my opinion, be better served by returning to his older approach and advising rulings on individual rules that makes sense for those rules, without feeling overly pressured to create a Grand Unified Theory of rules interpretation. [/QUOTE]
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