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Message: <blockquote data-quote="CapnZapp" data-source="post: 7144995" data-attributes="member: 12731">I don't think that at all. The overwhelming majority of D&D customers remain men, and they want to play fast and nimble characters too. Compare action heroes of today: the Stathem and Damons are much less obvious Strength builds than the Neggerneggers and Lundgrens of yesteryear. Also cue asian influences.Bringing up gender only risks derailing the discussion entirely, and draws focus away from the core issue here.---So, let's instead posit the question:Does the fantasy genre need Strength as paramount fighting ability?I would say yes, it does. Otherwise combat tends to become much more modern in that distance and cover and kiting tactics become viable methods, which completely overshadows the "Conan fighting style" where you manly wade into a horde of orcs, swatting aside their cowardly arrows, and then cleave them three at a time. I would argue the basic rules engine of D&D is geared towards melee combat, with low movement rates and short spell ranges and a massive focus on melee monsters. ---In 5th edition, with almost no checks on ranged fire, the tactic to stay at a distance and shoot everything dead simply becomes too good, too easy.The only way to solve this is to ensure there is a definite cost to the quality of "range". Having range (more than 30 ft anyway, since most monsters can close 30 ft and still unload its best attacks) needs to carry significant consequences, such as lower damage, frailer builds and/or a susceptibility to being "caught" in melee.Begin by removing the stupendous +2 bonus to ranged from Archery Fighting Style. Crucially; ban, remove or nerf the two feats Sharpshooter and Crossbow Expert.That at least gets rid of the most obvious excesses. Then I'd recommend playtesting to see if your players still pick ranged combatants, and thus, if further nerfs are needed.Remember, 3rd edition was a huge success. And it had no less than eleven (11) checks and limitations on archers that 5E made the huge mistake of removing.</blockquote>

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