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General Tabletop Discussion
*Dungeons & Dragons
Unearthed Arcana:Are they revealing limitations in the 5th edition system?
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<blockquote data-quote="pming" data-source="post: 7000750" data-attributes="member: 45197"><p>Hiya!</p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>I'm in the opposite camp. First, however, I have to state I don't use *any* UA stuff in my 5e game. No need for it. Anything that isn't "normal" in the PHB can usually be done via back story, background, fluff and roleplaying; anything that needs more than that can easily get a titt-for-tatt (e.g., you don't get X ability, you get Y in stead). When a PC needs something more tangible (re: game mechanic'ey) to really distinguish their character, I *never* just give them something; they loose something first, then get something to fill it. Usually the two trades are equivalent.</p><p></p><p>Adding expanded mechanics that are 'specific' to some particular class without seriously thinking about the world consequences of doing so is, imho, the worst thing a DM can do to his game. I think this is what the designers have finally (!) figured out; Take a class, change the name, swap out "Gets +2 to AC when using weapon and shield" with "Gets +2 AC when using rapier and main gauche" and presto change-o, you have a "new ability". Drop a higher levels "Action Surge", and replace with "Flurry", which basically does the same thing, with slightly different descriptions, and again, you have a "new ability". Are they, mechanically, the same? Hell yeah. But so is a LOT of stuff in 5e; Attacking with a crossbow? Roll d20. A thrown dagger? Roll d20. A two-handed sword? Roll d20. Each of those weapons *could* be given a whole new mechanic, because each is <em>vastly</em> different in use and execution. Why no complaints about those? Because the purpose of the game is to have fun and give everyone at the table a sense of familiarity and predictability.</p><p></p><p>With "new mechanics for new classes", that whole premise of familiarity and predictability goes out the window. By the end of a session every player, and especially the poor DM, would be all googley-eyed at looking up different rules for each PC, each monster, each NPC, etc...and when asked "So, what happened last session?", nobody would be able to describe the same events because their brains were so distracted by all the differing mechanics that all pretty much yielded the same result: "You take 9hp damage".</p><p></p><p>More mechanics? No thanks. The 5e D&D game isn't about mechanics...it's about ease of play, speed of play, and DM empowerment to give his players what they want...himself...without some outside DM dictating "The RAW" (just got an image of the 5e DMG with a 'judge' helmet on and a lopsided, square-jawed mouth screaming ..."I *AM* THE RAW!"... hehe...)</p><p></p><p>^_^</p><p></p><p>Paul L. Ming</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="pming, post: 7000750, member: 45197"] Hiya! I'm in the opposite camp. First, however, I have to state I don't use *any* UA stuff in my 5e game. No need for it. Anything that isn't "normal" in the PHB can usually be done via back story, background, fluff and roleplaying; anything that needs more than that can easily get a titt-for-tatt (e.g., you don't get X ability, you get Y in stead). When a PC needs something more tangible (re: game mechanic'ey) to really distinguish their character, I *never* just give them something; they loose something first, then get something to fill it. Usually the two trades are equivalent. Adding expanded mechanics that are 'specific' to some particular class without seriously thinking about the world consequences of doing so is, imho, the worst thing a DM can do to his game. I think this is what the designers have finally (!) figured out; Take a class, change the name, swap out "Gets +2 to AC when using weapon and shield" with "Gets +2 AC when using rapier and main gauche" and presto change-o, you have a "new ability". Drop a higher levels "Action Surge", and replace with "Flurry", which basically does the same thing, with slightly different descriptions, and again, you have a "new ability". Are they, mechanically, the same? Hell yeah. But so is a LOT of stuff in 5e; Attacking with a crossbow? Roll d20. A thrown dagger? Roll d20. A two-handed sword? Roll d20. Each of those weapons *could* be given a whole new mechanic, because each is [I]vastly[/I] different in use and execution. Why no complaints about those? Because the purpose of the game is to have fun and give everyone at the table a sense of familiarity and predictability. With "new mechanics for new classes", that whole premise of familiarity and predictability goes out the window. By the end of a session every player, and especially the poor DM, would be all googley-eyed at looking up different rules for each PC, each monster, each NPC, etc...and when asked "So, what happened last session?", nobody would be able to describe the same events because their brains were so distracted by all the differing mechanics that all pretty much yielded the same result: "You take 9hp damage". More mechanics? No thanks. The 5e D&D game isn't about mechanics...it's about ease of play, speed of play, and DM empowerment to give his players what they want...himself...without some outside DM dictating "The RAW" (just got an image of the 5e DMG with a 'judge' helmet on and a lopsided, square-jawed mouth screaming ..."I *AM* THE RAW!"... hehe...) ^_^ Paul L. Ming [/QUOTE]
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