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Message: <blockquote data-quote="FormerlyHemlock" data-source="post: 6723351" data-attributes="member: 6787650">I would argue that having differential advantage is what allows tactics to develop. If 5E battlemasters had an advantage that kicked in during longer combats, like an superiority die which recharges on 5-6, they'd have an incentive to do things like Hide behind total cover for a round, or Dodge to gain time, which gives them time to spend studying the opponent looking for weaknesses, in order to regain their superiority.In other words, short combats are a choice. The longest combat we've had at my table in the last month or so took a session and a half of real time, and about fifteen minutes of game time, most of which was spent looking for boulders and trees to drop on the enemy from their spelljamming ship. The players took the enemy (40 hobgoblins) by surprise while they were asleep in their barracks, so they could have just Fireballed them all, but they were worried about what 40 hobgoblins could do to them if they retaliated, thus the indirect approach: tactics.It's not DM beneficence though. All the options I listed previously are built right into the system, either PHB or DMG variants. You can ask your DM, "Hey, is the Disarm option available in this game?" Fighters are good at using those maneuvers due to their extra attacks, and sometimes due to fighting style as well (Disarm via arrow is a +2 on your opposed role with Archery).Yes, it's situational, but that's like claiming that only DM beneficence gives you targets of opportunity worth Fireballing. Yes, the DM can build a game where enemies always spend 100% of their time in skirmish formation while pelting with missile weapons, and in that game your Fireball is useless. But if you build for versatility and tactical options, you'll be well-placed to exploit the enemy disposition in a completely different way. Fighters are the same way: GWM is pretty useless against Fire Giants because of their high AC, and you can't really Push them around because they're Huge and have a great Athletics skill--but nothing stops you from Disarming them! (Even better if the warlock has Hexed their Strength.) Adapt your tactics to the opponent.Yeah, when I left GURPS 4E all the published products were neglecting the skills angle entirely and building everything as point-buy powers. It really turned me off, but it would probably turn some other people on.My memory may be colored, so take my "building everything" with a grain of salt BTW. It certainly seemed that way to me at the time though.</blockquote>

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