The Tyranny of Choice

[JoeGKushner]

In terms of options, I find that the problem with the d20 system is still, and always will be, class and levels.

In an open game system, or a game system where all of the abilities are in one or two core books, based on your power level, it's much easier to stat out character concepts and to work with your GM based on what's in the core game system.

GURPS, Hero, Tri-Stat and other game systems that have everything in one book are easier to research and use then d20 simply because you don't need a thousand other books for that one feat, that one class, and that one spell that you feel will let you make a character as true to concept as possible.

 

[Kae'Yoss]

Excellent advice, although I don't agree with it (I'm the one who goes through 73 books). The issue, I think, comes up when someone does just this and then complains/gets upset BECAUSE someone else goes through 73 books and ends up with a character which can do more (not necessarily better) and/or different things than the person who chose Core only.

Their fault. They chose not to. Choices and consequences.

If I don't want to go through 73 books to get a better PrC or Feat or whatever, I must accept that someone who put more work into his character will have more options.

What I don't like is when player A doesn't want to use the 73 books and so tries to make it so that player B may not use that either. Playing your stile is fine. Forcing it upon others not so. Especially if it is something like this, a mechanical issue involving choices.

 

[wayne62682]

Amen. That's exactly how I feel.. my group seems to be the opposite and, as I said in my previous post, get upset because I put more work into my character's options by poring over those 73 books when they don't have them or won't use them.

 

[Nyaricus]

Oh, I won't argue that the world was crying out for the Hexblade or Dragon Shaman, but I think it's a major overstatement to say that every concept can be created from the core books. I think there's at least five or six arguably iconic character classes that the core books don't emulate well at all. Either they should be added in 3.6E or (my preference) but into a single discrete PHB2-like tome next time around.

Interesting statement, Whizzy how about we discuss it here more?

Nightfall, you are also QFT

mhacdebhandia, I agree completely - once you start looking at what you want closely, the list of options drops off signifigantly.

 

[Tuzenbach]

I'm frustrated over choice. Not the limited scope of it, but rather the preposterous scope of it. Hundreds of 1-20 classes with hundreds of prestige classes, thousands of spells and races, and who knows how many bloody feats.
The information overload actually makes it harder for me to make a character. Each race choice must be carefully mulled over. Each feat must be carefully picked for relative power now, relative power later, how it will gel with my character's other feats and skills and class abilities, what it will let me qualify for, taking weaker feats and skills to get into a coveted prestige class sooner, etc. Spell upon spell to pick for optimum damage, utility, group synergy blah blah blah blah blah. Nowadays people just assume enough googly eyes and potato chips and they can con...vince the DM into allowing any crazy ass thing as long as it has WOTC slapped on it. As a DM everything must be combed over for balance, and flavor, and power to the other kabajillion choices you could reccomend to the player. I'm burnt out on all this frigging choice.

Concur.

I'd like to be in something I've loathed for years...
A CORE ONLY GAME!
Gasp!

I wholeheartedly disagree. Between the near-infinity of choice and the boredom that is core, there has to exist a happy medium which will bring us gaming satisfaction.

Though I'm a big fan of options, I'm not a fan of having to purchase 42 books in order to have all those options at my fingertips.

If there was but a single tome of feats, one volume each for arcane & divine spells, one psionics book, a race book, a base-class book, and a prestige-class book, things would be a lot better, IMHO. Add to that a book that focuses on skills, equipment, and combat options, and we'd be looking at only 8 guides needed to build a character. True, it's a lot more than say, 1981, when we only had the Player's Handbook. But still, 8 is better than 42!

 

[Nightfall]

I still say if you want to be a ninja, you have to fight pirates.

 

[RFisher]

Here's the ways I manage the plethora of choices:

• Stick to the core rules, despite what other players may choose
• Random roll race & class
• Pick a number of skills equal to my skill points/level & always have max ranks in those
• Don't multiclass (including don't take prestige classes)
• Accept the fact that another player who has embraced the complexity may horribly outclass you (although that hasn't really happened yet)

That still leaves a lot (e.g. feats), but it helps.

 

[Buttercup]

This is a non-issue at my table.

First, not all options will be available in my campaign, so that simplifies things.

Second, my players are more interested in the story-driven aspects of their developing character than in creating an optimal build. I've honestly never seen a character concept that could not be adequately represented by using the core base classes with at most, a tweak here or there. The character's behavior and choices in game are what fleshes out the concept, not prestige classes.