D&D (2024) What's your opinion on the standardization of Spellcasters?

[DEFCON 1]

In my experience, the combat mini game tends to take up the most time at the table. It’d be nice if that minigame was fun to play in and of itself.

The D&D combat mini-game has never been that much fun in any edition. That's why every attempt that has been made to cordon it off into its own minatures game without all that pesky roleplaying getting in the way has failed miserably. And which is why in my opinion trying to go out of the way to make the current board game "more fun" is kind of missing the point.

I know people like what they like and that's understandable. I just don't know why people aren't happy going with those folks outside of WotC who are in fact making the "board game" more fun for people and just playing that. Level Up, Kingdoms & Warfare, etc. It's all out there ready to be played. But waiting for WotC to decide to join them out there seems unnecessary... especially considering there's never been any indication they would do it, or at the very least to the level that folks seem to think it would need to be.

 

[TwoSix]

I'm bored of martial combat. WotC should create another three or four more ways to do weapon fighting.

Because that's what D&D needs... to be more like the board game Root-- where every class has completely different mechanics and gameplay to learn and use but somehow can all combine and work together to create an experience to win.

The board game is indeed the most important part of the D&D experience.

Thanks for the recommendation, Root looks really cool. I love board games with some asymmetry between sides.

A RPG where each class was a specific bundle oriented towards a specific play experience with no overlapping mechanics would be pretty cool, I have to admit.

 

[Undrave]

Feels like a huge step back to 3.e to me. And I always found the way magic is classified in D&D to be just... terrible.

 

[DEFCON 1]

Thanks for the recommendation, Root looks really cool. I love board games with some asymmetry between sides.

Funny part is I've never actually played it... I've just read and watched a crap-ton about it with the intention of finally getting around to it.

But I've been dragged into the cult of Twilight Imperium 4th edition and continually use that as my massively complex board game experience of choice, LOL.

 

[Vaalingrade]

I'm bored of martial combat. WotC should create another three or four more ways to do weapon fighting.

Well yes. Stand and swing sucks.

I don't think your sarcasm means what you think it means.

 

[Charlaquin]

The D&D combat mini-game has never been that much fun in any edition.

It was a ton of fun in 4e.

That's why every attempt that has been made to cordon it off into its own minatures game without all that pesky roleplaying getting in the way has failed miserably.

Well good thing that’s not the goal I guess?

And which is why in my opinion trying to go out of the way to make the current board game "more fun" is kind of missing the point.

What point are they missing? Combat can be fun, without having any negative impact on roleplaying.

I know people like what they like and that's understandable. I just don't know why people aren't happy going with those folks outside of WotC who are in fact making the "board game" more fun for people and just playing that. Level Up, Kingdoms & Warfare, etc. It's all out there ready to be played. But waiting for WotC to decide to join them out there seems unnecessary... especially considering there's never been any indication they would do it, or at the very least to the level that folks seem to think it would need to be.

Because for better or worse, D&D is the biggest thing on the block. Sure, if you don’t like what D&D has to offer, there are other games that can fill whatever niche you’re looking for. But if you do like what D&D has to offer, you’ll have a much easier time getting a game together because almost everyone who plays RPGs is familiar with it and willing - nay, eager, to play it. And so, when an edition change rolls around, people who like playing RPGs with groups of enthusiastic participants are strongly incentivized to try to advocate for any changes made to help better align the game with their play preferences.

 

[DEFCON 1]

Well yes. Stand and swing sucks.

I don't think your sarcasm means what you think it means.

Are you sure? My sarcasm was to get across the idea that the D&D combat mechanics and board game-- martial or spells-- isn't worth the time and energy to get up in arms about it. Because D&D's focus should be about roleplaying and not the board game.

If you spend all your time focused on just mechanics and that's all you care about... then yes, you're going to be disappointed. Because D&D isn't a board game and will never be a board game... and the WotC designers do not and will not spend every waking moment trying to hammer it into a perfectly balanced and asymmetric one.

So long as most players and the default playerbase is fine and okay with a perfectly adequate board game inside of a really fun roleplaying game... that's good enough for WotC.

 

[DEFCON 1]

It was a ton of fun in 4e.

Yeah... maybe once every couple months. Just like playing RoboRally or Cosmic Encounter is fun every couple of months... but I wouldn't want to play any of those board games every single week for years on end.

But I will happily play D&D every week because of all the stuff other than the board game it gives me.

 

[Micah Sweet]

The D&D combat mini-game has never been that much fun in any edition. That's why every attempt that has been made to cordon it off into its own minatures game without all that pesky roleplaying getting in the way has failed miserably. And which is why in my opinion trying to go out of the way to make the current board game "more fun" is kind of missing the point.

I know people like what they like and that's understandable. I just don't know why people aren't happy going with those folks outside of WotC who are in fact making the "board game" more fun for people and just playing that. Level Up, Kingdoms & Warfare, etc. It's all out there ready to be played. But waiting for WotC to decide to join them out there seems unnecessary... especially considering there's never been any indication they would do it, or at the very least to the level that folks seem to think it would need to be.

 That I will agree with. If WotC isn't doing what you want, leave it behind!

 

[Vaalingrade]

Are you sure? My sarcasm was to get across the idea that the D&D combat mechanics and board game-- martial or spells-- isn't worth the time and energy to get up in arms about it. Because D&D's focus should be about roleplaying and not the board game.

I'm sure. Because the game should be about having fun with all aspects of the game and when the mechanics and what some might call in a needlessly derisive and antagonistic manner 'board game' are not fun, it is a problem worth discussing and yes 'getting up in arms over'.

And what's really not worth 'getting up in arms over' is constantly bashing people in the face about how one doesn't care. Why even be in a discussion to tell people not to have a discussion? What does that achieve?