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Message: <blockquote data-quote="SteveC" data-source="post: 6237564" data-attributes="member: 9053">This is a great reply, but when I read it I couldn't disagree with it more. In (just about) every D&D game, combat is a major part of the game, taking up at least a third of the session. It's usually more than that, but I'm content to describe it as a third of the game along with the three pillars concept that's been talked about with Next.The thing is: have any character marginalized for a third of the play session because of an arbitrary rules concept has fallen victim to some bad rules. I used the example of the halls of the zombie king, but it could just as easily been "the duke's dress ball" for a fighter character, or "exploring the isle of dread" for that matter.The point is (and this is a point the designers themselves have talked about with the three pillars concept) that everyone should be able to do something in each major aspect of the game. To knock anyone out of the game for a major portion by the rules is, to my mind, bad design.Now, as you said: when you're going plane-hopping, the non-magical characters are likely to take a back seat to a certain extent, but even in that case, there should be something for them to do, to contribute to the game, so that we've not playing "spellcasters and their not so amazing friends."Why is it an issue? I can tell you for me it's because playing D&D has an opportunity cost in my life. I loves me some RPGs, but where I am in my life, I have a lot of things I like, and probably would be better served by doing instead of gaming. I'm gaming because I place an importance on that, and am willing to pay the cost for it because it brings the fun.If I were the rogue, and the halls of the zombie king had a lot of zombie combat (which I'd expect, pretty much regardless of the edition) and my character would not be contributing, I'd question if I should be doing something else.And I'm an incredibly patient and tolerant person, who loves it when other characters get their time in the spotlight. I shudder to think about the 16 year old kid who'd rather be playing Call of Duty...</blockquote>

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