JEB
Legend
Another comparison of two versions of the same poll: this time, between the responses to the above question as posted here on ENWorld and later on rpg.net. Got 34 responses on rpg.net, compared to 130 on ENWorld, so the sample size for rpg.net is only about 1/4 of ENWorld's... but the responses had some big differences still worth noting, IMHO.
As a reminder, as laid out in the original post, voting for an element meant the respondent actively wanted to keep it; not voting for an element was either indifference, or actively wanting the element removed.
Important caveat: As with previous polls ported to places other than ENWorld, I asked ENWorld folks to avoid answering the rpg.net version. Which may have skewed the results a bit from their "natural" form.
Here are the results from both, in five tiers (bold items were in different tiers between each set of responses):
Observations:
Combining both sets of results (164 results) to get "what forums might want D&D to keep":
Very important to keep (80% and up):
Distinct character classes: 151 [92.07%]
Levels: 149 [90.85%]
Ability scores [Str, Dex, Con, Int, Wis, Cha]: 140 [85.37%]
Hit points: 136 [82.93%]
Important to keep (60% to 80%):
Using multiple types of dice: 128 [78.05%]
Armor Class: 125 [76.22%]
Distinct character races/lineages: 118 [71.95%]
Saving throws: 118 [71.95%]
Lists of specific spells: 109 [66.46%]
Initiative: 104 [63.41%]
Debatable (40% to 60%):
Lists of specific magic items: 91 [55.49%]
Damage types: 79 [48.17%]
Advantage/disadvantage: 77 [46.95%]
Conditions: 72 [43.90%]
Creature types: 71 [43.29%]
Multiclassing: 71 [43.29%]
Lists of specific equipment: 71 [43.29%]
Experience points: 70 [42.68%]
Proficiencies: 70 [42.68%]
Feats: 66 [40.24%]
Less important to keep (20% to 40%):
Hit dice: 61 [37.20%]
Backgrounds: 59 [35.98%]
Deities: 52 [31.71%]
Alignment: 51 [31.10%]
Surprise: 48 [29.27%]
Great Wheel cosmology: 34 [20.73%]
Not important to keep (20% and below):
Challenge ratings: 32 [19.51%]
World Axis cosmology: 15 [9.15%]
As a reminder, as laid out in the original post, voting for an element meant the respondent actively wanted to keep it; not voting for an element was either indifference, or actively wanting the element removed.
Important caveat: As with previous polls ported to places other than ENWorld, I asked ENWorld folks to avoid answering the rpg.net version. Which may have skewed the results a bit from their "natural" form.
Here are the results from both, in five tiers (bold items were in different tiers between each set of responses):
ENWorld | rpg.net | |
Very important to keep (80% and up) | Distinct character classes [95.4%] Levels [93.1%] Ability scores (Str, Dex, Con, Int, Wis, Cha) [88.5%] Hit points [86.9%] Using multiple types of dice [84.6%] | Levels [84.8%] Distinct character classes [81.8%] |
Important to keep (60% to 80%) | Armor Class [80.0%] Saving throws [76.9%] Distinct character races/lineages [74.6%] Lists of specific spells [70.0%] Initiative [66.9%] | Ability scores (Str, Dex, Con, Int, Wis, Cha) [75.8%] Hit points [69.7%] Distinct character races/lineages [63.6%] Armor Class [63.6%] |
Debatable (40% to 60%) | Lists of specific magic items [57.7%] Advantage/disadvantage [49.2%] Damage types [48.5%] Multiclassing [45.4%] Proficiencies [45.4%] Lists of specific equipment [45.4%] Conditions [43.8%] Creature types [43.8%] Experience points [43.1%] Feats [42.3%] | Using multiple types of dice [54.5%] Saving throws [54.5%] Lists of specific spells [54.5%] Initiative [51.5%] Damage types [48.5%] Lists of specific magic items [48.5%] Conditions [45.5%] Experience points [42.4%] Creature types [42.4%] |
Less important to keep (20% to 40%) | Hit dice [40.0%] Backgrounds [37.7%] Alignment [34.6%] Surprise [30.8%] Deities [30.0%] | Deities [39.4%] Advantage/disadvantage [39.4%] Multiclassing [36.4%] Lists of specific equipment [36.4%] Feats [33.3%] Proficiencies [33.3%] Backgrounds [30.3%] Hit dice [27.3%] Surprise [24.2%] Great Wheel cosmology [24.2%] |
Not important to keep (20% and below) | Great Wheel cosmology [20.0%] Challenge ratings [20.0%] World Axis cosmology [8.5%] | Alignment [18.2%] Challenge ratings [18.2%] World Axis cosmology [12.1%] |
Observations:
- Overall, rpg.net is much more willing to toss out, or at least live without, lots of established D&D elements. Most elements are around 10% less popular on rpg.net, even some of the biggest stuff. (Also of note - one of the "other" responses actually advocated for throwing everything out!)
- However, both forums do broadly seem to agree that D&D should keep levels and distinct classes - although ENWorld favors classes over levels, and rpg.net levels over classes.
- Ability scores and hit points are less valued on rpg.net, although still considered fairly important to keep. Armor Class and character races/lineages less so, but also still considered important.
- One big surprise - multiple types of dice are about 34% less popular, knocked all the way down from "very important" to "debatable"! I don't know if that means many rpg.net folks would be happier with fewer dice, or if some even want to go diceless...
- Alignment is also significantly less popular on rpg.net - about 16% less popular and a full tier lower.
- Damage types are exactly as popular percentage-wise on both (and both equally "debatable" too).
- Experience points are ranked about the same on both forums, though still in the low end of the "debatable" tier.
- Deities are actually more popular on rpg.net, almost into the "debatable" tier.
- Clearly a lot of folks have issues with challenge ratings.
- The World Axis has a little more support on rpg.net, as with the "feel" poll, but so does the Great Wheel, surprisingly.
Combining both sets of results (164 results) to get "what forums might want D&D to keep":
Very important to keep (80% and up):
Distinct character classes: 151 [92.07%]
Levels: 149 [90.85%]
Ability scores [Str, Dex, Con, Int, Wis, Cha]: 140 [85.37%]
Hit points: 136 [82.93%]
Important to keep (60% to 80%):
Using multiple types of dice: 128 [78.05%]
Armor Class: 125 [76.22%]
Distinct character races/lineages: 118 [71.95%]
Saving throws: 118 [71.95%]
Lists of specific spells: 109 [66.46%]
Initiative: 104 [63.41%]
Debatable (40% to 60%):
Lists of specific magic items: 91 [55.49%]
Damage types: 79 [48.17%]
Advantage/disadvantage: 77 [46.95%]
Conditions: 72 [43.90%]
Creature types: 71 [43.29%]
Multiclassing: 71 [43.29%]
Lists of specific equipment: 71 [43.29%]
Experience points: 70 [42.68%]
Proficiencies: 70 [42.68%]
Feats: 66 [40.24%]
Less important to keep (20% to 40%):
Hit dice: 61 [37.20%]
Backgrounds: 59 [35.98%]
Deities: 52 [31.71%]
Alignment: 51 [31.10%]
Surprise: 48 [29.27%]
Great Wheel cosmology: 34 [20.73%]
Not important to keep (20% and below):
Challenge ratings: 32 [19.51%]
World Axis cosmology: 15 [9.15%]