Tweet gleanings

[howandwhy99]

Yes, but from what I understand based on many complaints, some DMs feel like arses if they ban something out of the PHB. Therefore, the PHB should lack anything they have to ban.

It's easier to ignore options you don't like when they're in a separate book you simply don't have to own/allow, then it is to cut things out of the books you use.

This reminds me of the mindset from 3.x where "just core" was the simplest way to avoid the 100s of d20 books that had come out with new prestige classes, core classes, feats, and everything else that could be really poorly balanced. I've felt that pain.

My suggestion is, the PHB should inform players "These are modular Options. They may not be used in your particular campaign" And then make sure to append that with what are Character Creation options, like Classes, Races, Feats, Spells, Magic Items, etc.

It would seem obvious, I know that these elements may not be in the game. But spelling it out deliberately should better enable groups to drop elements in the core books just like they can opt not to use everything in every supplement.

 

[Yora]

Games Workshop does this with their warhammer franchise and from what I know, they are very popular books.

Lots of 2nd Edition books and boxes are like that. The entire crunch they have consists of almost nothing but mentioning that some NPCs are (human female wizard7/thief4). You have to build them yourself anyway, if you want to use them in combat, so it barely matters what edition of rules you are using.

 

[Aldarc]

I am definately in favour of the PHB being the most vanilla form of D&D you can possibly imagine. Those that want to experiment with D&D and want extra options will always be willing to pay a little more for options, while those that want a minimalist experience will be turned off of the new edition entirely.

That's not to say that we should bend over backwards to please only those with the fussy tummies, any more than you should hold a dinner party or open a restaurant and only serve what is good for the fussiest eater. There is a limit to how pure you can get with the D&D experience before it becomes a bland gruel.

I think if you are a person who never wants to play other RPG's or plays one edition to the exclusion of all others, then 5e D&D is probably not for you. If you have a favourite edition of D&D, but you like the others well enough to play them... then you'll probably like 5e.

Except WotC cannot afford to make the same mistake they made with 4e and alienated players who wanted 3e PHB1 in the 4e PHB. If they remove the new 4e PHB1 races from the D&DN PHB1, then they are just repeating their mistakes, but catering to a different group.

 

[The Little Raven]

So it seems if you like old-school Wizards, you just play the class out of the box. If you want something more like 4e, pick those feats/options.

I honestly can't see how anyone could argue against that. Prove me wrong, Internet!

"Feat tax."

 

[Ainamacar]

My suggestion is, the PHB should inform players "These are modular Options. They may not be used in your particular campaign" And then make sure to append that with what are Character Creation options, like Classes, Races, Feats, Spells, Magic Items, etc.

It would seem obvious, I know that these elements may not be in the game. But spelling it out deliberately should better enable groups to drop elements in the core books just like they can opt not to use everything in every supplement.

Exactly. Just because DMs don't need permission to use rule 0 doesn't mean the books should avoid the occasional friendly reminder. For DMs that feel hesitant to remove parts of the game, a little explicit license can go a long way.

After all, the purpose of a list of races/classes/whatever (core or otherwise) isn't to define what must exist in every setting, but to support the games and settings in which such things appear. Even a kitchen sink tends to come with a garbage disposal, and using the latter is almost always easier than making a meal from scratch. The shared understanding of the game created by core rules, by necessity of the diverse population playing it, reflects and reinforces a continuum, not a delta function.

 

[Starglyte]

Well, no reason for me to get it then. To be fair, I am not much a Dark Elf fan, so I was going to wait to see what the crunch was before purchasing, much like Neverwinter.

 

[TarionzCousin]

But (and I am really curious about this), isn't that what house rules are for? I mean, DMs have been restricting things since dice were colored in with crayons.

Wait. Were we supposed to stop coloring our dice with crayons??? I didnt get that memo!

 

[Knightfall]

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