D&D 5E Xanathar's Guide errata coming

[Essafah]

The problem with power creep is that it forces players to buy the latest D&D book in order to keep up with their friends, who are using the new spells and abilities to build stronger, better characters. If you multiply this effect over multiple books (as in 3E, for example), then eventually you reach a point where no one can get into the game without investing tons of time and money into it first. Pretty much all previous editions have reached that point, and it required the release of a new edition to fix.

Then there's the problem with encounter scaling. With enough power creep, players can steamroll older content designed for weaker characters. Similarly, players coming into the game and designing base-line characters will get destroyed in newer adventures designed for more powerful builds. And new DMs won't know how to fix the problem, if they even recognize what it is.

Ultimately, power creep sucks. It directly leads to the death of a game. If 5E is going to be the evergreen edition, as was intended, then it must avoid power creep at all costs.

The problem with power creep is that it forces players to buy the latest D&D book in order to keep up with their friends, who are using the new spells and abilities to build stronger, better characters. If you multiply this effect over multiple books (as in 3E, for example), then eventually you reach a point where no one can get into the game without investing tons of time and money into it first. Pretty much all previous editions have reached that point, and it required the release of a new edition to fix.

Then there's the problem with encounter scaling. With enough power creep, players can steamroll older content designed for weaker characters. Similarly, players coming into the game and designing base-line characters will get destroyed in newer adventures designed for more powerful builds. And new DMs won't know how to fix the problem, if they even recognize what it is.

Ultimately, power creep sucks. It directly leads to the death of a game. If 5E is going to be the evergreen edition, as was intended, then it must avoid power creep at all costs.

See, I fundamentally disagree with this line of reasoning. Why?

D&D is a business. It generates profits by selling products. This on its face is not bad. Indeed most RPG companys have to have additional materials such as splat books to make money. I state splat books specifically vs. adventures because adventures are geared towards DMs not players and most gamers are players not DMs.

Yes, this does require some investment but compare the money spent on D&D to ANY other hobby and even with the vast amount of splat books that existed in 3rd edition (since you mentioned that edition) D&D is a VERY economical hobby. Compare the cost to play and be effective at D&D to the cost of other hobbies such as Magic: The Gathering or tabletop wargames such as Warhammer 40k, Video game systems (PS5 and new Xbox will probaby be priced at $500 for the basic system), let alone sports hobbies like golf and there is simply no comparison. I feel fortunate that I am into an affordable hobby that at its height of splat books which was 2E and later 3E had me dropped $50 a month for an optional book....again compare that to any other hobby.

Also, the encounters are not made to be grindfest to kill PCS. 5E is geared towards cinematic action to make the PCs feel like heroes and again I think this is a good design model. Despite the vocal outcry from I suspect a relative small contingent of OSR fans a lot of people including old school gamers did not want OSR style of play. One reason probably why OSR style games don't dominate the market of RPGs. Also DMS get "power creep" via new monsters being added and so forth. So, no I don't think power creep needs to be avoided. I think attractive options that attracts players is vital for the long-term survival of a game and expecting to have a hobby and spend hardly any money on it is not fair or realistic.

 

[Ashrym]

I may have misread the errata. It's basically 4d6-6d6 healing now spread out over several rounds?

It works exactly the same as before, except the number of times the spirit can be used is capped now; equal to 1+modifier.

That can be different targets 1 round or the same target all rounds or some combo in between.

So 4 uses give or take to start up to 6 with standard ability scores. Still good for a 2nd level healing spell but no longer grossly unbalanced compared to other healing spells.

 

[renbot]

as opposed to now where Andy changes these spells in one way, Beth just bans them outright, Chuck changes them a different way, Dawn bans some of them, Edward Bans this one but changes the rest like so, and Francine bans a different set than Dawn.

Otherwise known as Dungeons and Dragons as it has ALWAYS been played. As it was always MEANT to be played.

Your group. Your rules.

 

[doctorbadwolf]

Let me help you with that "I ignore that errata Bob, use the old version if you want"

Yeah, great. Meanwhile, there are plenty of DMs who use all errata literally because it’s RAW.

as opposed to now where Andy changes these spells in one way, Beth just bans them outright, Chuck changes them a different way, Dawn bans some of them, Edward Bans this one but changes the rest like so, and Francine bans a different set than Dawn.

The current status of ignoring the spells that slipped through the cracks is bad design that causes needless complexity & confusion to cater to a few munchkins and people who express faux-confusion over how to handle the existence of errata rather than giving an updated version that all six of those gm's could standardize around.

No, that is absolutely better design.

Because the game doesn’t break, either way. This isn’t 3.5. You don’t have to worry this much. If you don’t like the thing, change it in a way you do like.

Because they designed the game well enough that it won’t break unless you do super weird stuff like give some characters artifacts and others nothing, or significantly screw with the basic resolution numbers in an ill considered manner.

Changing a spell like HS because some people worry too much about power gamers is unnecessary and bad for the game.

 

[Essafah]

It works exactly the same as before, except the number of times the spirit can be used is capped now; equal to 1+modifier.

That can be different targets 1 round or the same target all rounds or some combo in between.

So 4 uses give or take to start up to 6 with standard ability scores. Still good for a 2nd level healing spell but no longer grossly unbalanced compared to other healing spells.

It was never grossly unbalanced you can't just look at the spell in a vacuum but class access to spells as well. Classes like cleric did not have access to healing spirit. The spell helped classes with more limited healing abilities heal like the druid and the ranger. As it stands the nerf buffs clerics and paladins which did not need buffing and nerfs classes like the ranger which definitely does NOT need any nerfs. When considering the power of spell you can't look at it in a vacuum because spells don't exist in a vacuum.

 

[doctorbadwolf]

It was never grossly unbalanced you can't just look at the spell in a vacuum but class access to spells as well. Classes like cleric did not have access to healing spirit. The spell helped classes with more limited healing abilities heal like the druid and the ranger. As it stands the nerf buffs clerics and paladins which did not need buffing and nerfs classes like the ranger which definitely does NOT need any nerfs. When considering the power of spell you can't look at it in a vacuum because spells don't exist in a vacuum.

Also, all it does is top up the party between fights. That literally isn't a big deal. It's a quick partial short rest. Hell, the same book contains a spell that is an actual short rest.

Yeah, this is bad errata. I'm genuinely kinda pissed off that they are doing this.

 

[Iry]

Because clerics start a 10 minute spell 9.8 minutes before they know they need to heal and skip any other action in the meantime?

If it saves lives. Prayer is only V, so they can still wander around, take bonus actions, basic object interactions, and other non strenuous things.

 

[Essafah]

Also, all it does is top up the party between fights. That literally isn't a big deal. It's a quick partial short rest. Hell, the same book contains a spell that is an actual short rest.

Yeah, this is bad errata. I'm genuinely kinda pissed off that they are doing this.

I fully agree. Anything that keeps the party going between encounters thus helping the action and plot to move forward is a good thing for the game. This is one reason why I don't like the "one hour" short rests as a default in 5E and next time it is my turn to run I will be implementing the optional short rest rules from the DMG to speed things up.

Both as a player and a DM I have always been bothered by PCs having to find a place to hold up overnight in a castle they are exploring or leave and comeback etc due to resource shrinkage. It totally runs counter to the heroic action that exists in many sword & sorcerery and fantasy stories. So, yeah the change was unnecessary.

 

[doctorbadwolf]

I fully agree. Anything that keeps the party going between encounters thus helping the action and plot to move forward is a good thing for the game. This is one reason why I don't like the "one hour" short rests as a default in 5E and next time it is my turn to run I will be implementing the optional short rest rules from the DMG to speed things up.

Both as a player and a DM I have always been bothered by PCs having to find a place to hold up overnight in a castle they are exploring or leave and comeback etc due to resource shrinkage. It totally runs counter to the heroic action that exists in many sword & sorcerery and fantasy stories. So, yeah the change was unnecessary.

Yeah I am careful when designing adventures for my group to never create places that feel like old school dungeon crawls. I've only ever enjoyed such a thing when playing the old HeroQuest board game.

Luckily, the last couple eds of dnd run just fine while ignoring the whole idea of a dungeon as anything other than the basement of a castle where the kinky stuff is.

 

[doctorbadwolf]

Also, it's been too long since I played a good and proper dwarf. By which I mean, a dwarf thief rogue.