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Message: <blockquote data-quote="StinkyEttin" data-source="post: 6742634" data-attributes="member: 6786802">I wouldn't say that I'm strawmanning you. I will say, however, that I'm painting with very broad strokes the typical responses that we received regarding SCAG and its inclusion (or lack thereof) in the program.You'd be surprised how many people take up an opposing view point. If I was a new-comer to the various forums and facebook groups, I’d see Wizards (and by virtue of that, us Admins) as the worst business of all time. Simultaneously worrying about their own profit margin while fomenting an environment where the opportunity to profit from the game is passed onto local game stores and conventions all while completely, and deludedly ignoring their playerbase’s needs while creating a game developed through intensive playtesting and then, once completed, distributed for free. Seriously, that’s Cobra-level ineptitude right there.Shockingly, we’re going to agree to disagree here, as well. All of the Admins DM/staff local conventions and most of us DM at our local game stores, myself included. I know what it’s like to work a table. I also play (when I’m able), so I know how the rulings that we have to make impacts the players. That said, we all have experience in the previous incarnations of Organized Play, so we know what *actual* restrictions can look like. If you played Living Greyhawk, you’ll sympathize.As it stands (administrative stuff like reporting and the like, aside), the program *just about* includes everything that Wizards publishes. The sole exceptions to that are the disallowance of the Aarakockra and some official guidance on what can be used from the Monster Manual. That considered, the answers to any questions that a DM might have are easily accessible—provided that the DM takes the time to ask. Given how many times I have been called upon to answer why thinks like story origins exist, I assume that the DMs understand and are aware of the resources they have.Speak of the Devil! Story origins are primarily a means of distinguishing characters from different seasons of play. A Tyranny of Dragons character should feel different than an Elemental Evil character should feel different than a Rage of Demons character. This might mean having different abilities, backgrounds, or even being a member of a different race. An EE character should have some local ties to the elements or the city of Mulmaster, while a RoD character should be a bit mad and have ties to the area surrounding Hillsfar.Story Origins also (and to a *much* lesser degree) are a means of protactively addressing the very real potential of power-creep. In time, we may realize that these precautions aren’t necessary and get rid of the restrictions. But for now, it’s what we’ve got. Just because it prevents a player from making the exact character they want doesn’t necessarily mean that it’s an excessive or unnecessary rule; it means that we’re thinking ahead—that’s a good thing and something that Wizards is consistently accused of not doing.No one is telling anyone how to play the game. The DM still has the latitude to adjudicate rules conflict according to his or her whim. We don’t make those decisions. You will never see an “official” ruling on general rules. We merely provide a framework upon which those rules are used to provide a cohesive, consistent, and enjoyable experience for our players. Sometimes that means taking the liberty to predetermine random magic items, or expand and elaborate on a given adventure’s more ambiguous content (such as Bruenor’s reward in OotA). We sometimes might also provide some insight on how to deal with certain items (typically intelligent items found in the published adventures).Not sure who told you that SCAG wasn’t going to be allowed during Season 3. But then again, I’m not sure who told you it is. This goes back to my earlier comment about people torturing themselves by listening to doomsayers. What you attribute to a lack of communication among the Adventurers League staff and Wizards, I attribute to an excess of communication among pessimists. Naysayers are going to naysay. If you buy into what they’re saying, then of course you’re going to see failings. Ignore them. Assume that we’ve got your back—because we do.I can’t speak for the other Admins and I can’t speak for Wizards. I can say, however, that any appearances of dismissiveness on my part stems from having to constantly respond to complaints about the same thing a half dozen times a day. If I had a nickel for every time I had a player imply I was a fascist because they weren’t allowed to cast EE spells with their ToD sorcerer or because they weren’t allowed to roll their ability scores instead of using point-buy, I’d be able to retire comfortably in Europe somewhere.This is where we agree and where I genuinely think that all of our oppressively excessive rules come into play. I want to be able to play a character at my FLGS here in WA and if I find myself in Sarajevo for some reason, be able to play that same character in the same story line without having to worry about the local characters being equipped to the gills playing half-vampire, half-dragon, half-fiend, fiendish nerf herders (a custom class created by the clever DM). This means the aforementioned framework of rules. If we want cohesiveness, consistency, and portability, we’ve got to have a system that compels that to happen. So while this means that the local player who doesn’t leave his home town can’t play an Aarakockra, it also means that jet-setting gamers doesn’t have to worry about making sure that his character conforms to whatever whacky campaign setting they use in the South of France.</blockquote>

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