D&D 5E To Crunch or not to Crunch?

[pming]

Hiya!

Seems a poll is in order of late...

Some folks want more CRUNCH from WotC...some want just the amount they are putting out...some want less than what the are putting out. I'm not sure how popular or unpopular these various choices are here on EnWorld, so I figured I'd pop up a poll to get a quick read on where EnWorld sits on the issue.

^_^

Paul L. Ming

 

[FrogReaver]

So now we get to have a year long argument over what precisely constitutes crunch... JOY!

 

[Dualazi]

I second what frogreaver said.

However, I still voted for more crunch. Even with 5e's more streamlined and simplified approach, there's a lot of ground and archetypes yet to be covered and expanded. I'm also always interested in DM focused crunch, like monsters and items. Wizards doesn't really seem interested in filling many of the voids anytime soon though, to the chagrin and joy of different folks, so I've simply accepted that most of my money for the 5e cycle will be going to 3rd party creators instead.

 

[Eubani]

Wow talk about all or nothing choices about a bit more crunch rather than a lot more? People wanting more crunch have been dishonestly misrepresented as wanting too drown the game in it. This also fails to take into account that adventures do nothing for many people who are not running games (solely players) or purely homebrew adventures. Many are only asking for 1-2 extra non adventure books a year. Real discussion means not having a position misrepresented.

 

[Zardnaar]

1 or 2 books of crunch would not be to bad.

 

[AaronOfBarbaria]

I am satisfied enough with what crunch I already have that I don't have any "wholes" to fill or "itches" to scratch that would send me looking for new crunch - not that I'm against new crunch in some quantity coming along, I just don't view it as a need or a want.

More of an "Oh hey, there's an onion ring in my fries, cool." sort of mildly-enjoyable happenstance.

 

[MNblockhead]

I don't need or particularly want more crunch, but I could care less if they publish more. There is nothing requiring me to use it in my games.

 

[Blue]

Are you particular focusing on character creation crunch? Or would a book of traps, magic item, and the like fulfill?

If we're talking about character creation, I like that there's not a lot to buy. I'd like another book with more options, especially more spells as right now many of the wizard subclasses and elemental spells for dragon sorcerers have no choices at all for certain levels. But that's not "a lot more" - I don't want MANY books of setting-neutral character creation crunch.

I would like some non-FR setting books, and they should contain crunch for that setting. Eberron or Dark Sun would need a lot, Greyhawk might not need any. So for a book that's some crunch but definitely not a majority, does it count?

Sorry, didn't vote, none of the options fit. I want some but not a lot more crunch.

 

[Guest 6801328]

Two things:

In combat, I am all in favor of new mechanics that add to the depth/complexity of decision-making, but that's not necessarily the same thing as "crunch". If it simply makes me the equations for optimizing DPR messier than I don't see much use for it. But if it leads to unsolvable trade-offs...that is, decisions that can't be optimized mathematically...then I like it.

Outside of combat I would like more crunch. Making a single social skill roll to determine the outcome of a conversation is boring. I want characters to have options and special abilities that lead to team cooperation and interesting decision-making in exploration & interaction.

In other words, the other two pillars could use some of the crunch from combat.

 

[JonnyP71]

Being a DM who is limited somewhat by both time and money, I would prefer them not to release any more crunch thank you very much. I have past experience of DMing for and playing in (2E) groups in which players saw new books, bought them, and expected to be able to use the contents - and as DM I needed to be able to read that information at my own leisure in order to digest, understand, and be able to rule on it. Players don't like being told that they cannot use options from a book they have bought (in that case it was the Complete x Handbook series) because I have no intention of buying the books for myself.

It's selfish I know, but I prefer that those books do not even exist.

I like their current release schedule, I like the way they tie the extra morsels for the players in with certain scenarios, my wallet also prefers it this way.