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We all used to look at the capital Z kind of funny.
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The thing is, they haven't really done that. 5.5 is looking like a mess that doesn't have it's own identity or really improve on 5. It's just a thing to buy. Or not buy? It's up to you. Or is it?
I genuinely don't know, outside of "quick we need a new core book", what problem 5.5 is trying to solve.
To be clear I don't really buy the idea that they're having any real plan to allign D&D rules & video gaming. I thought I had seen some WOTC person say they would steal some stuff from Larian's implementation, and that's it. I expect glorified note taking at best. Actually doing aligning two mediums as part of core design would require investment, creativity and vision - currencies they've been bankrupt in for a while, and digging lower now to cut corners.The thing is, they haven't really done that. 5.5 is looking like a mess that doesn't have it's own identity or really improve on 5. It's just a thing to buy. Or not buy? It's up to you. Or is it?
I genuinely don't know, outside of "quick we need a new core book", what problem 5.5 is trying to solve.
According to the general consensus elsewhere all forms of summoning, counterspell, druid wildshape, and something about rogues needed a kick in the balls. A fighters, monks, and some barbarian subclasses get minor quality of life fixes. Monsters get more elemental damage instead of 'counts as a magic weapon' so that barbarians take more damage. Npc casters get fewer spells and more non-spell fireball/lightning bolt substitutions. And characters all get feats at first level.The thing is, they haven't really done that. 5.5 is looking like a mess that doesn't have it's own identity or really improve on 5. It's just a thing to buy. Or not buy? It's up to you. Or is it?
I genuinely don't know, outside of "quick we need a new core book", what problem 5.5 is trying to solve.
bringing back more feats at various levels & possibly epic feats
I’m fairly certain that I am not the target audience for new D&D and I’m ok with this.
*Presentation is a hugely underrated aspect of D&D. The big one that sticks in my mind was when people complained in 3e about "Dead levels". In some cases that made sense - levels in which Fighters did not gain feats were essentially dead - but the idea of Clerics or Sorcerers having dead levels was purely based on the fact that getting new spells wasn't written in the column under class features. Yet this was considered such a problem that Pathfinder went and fully bloated out both those classes.
Up until that moment, that post could as well have been written by me!My writing was ugly, but legible till I got into TTRPGs. I didn't really care much about writing (or academic stuff) till then. Once I did, my writing improved significantly. But I realized that I actually could write block letters about as fast as cursive, and only got faster the more I practiced. And block letters were more legible and presentable for purposes of sharing my game notes (I wrote a LOT of house rules and such). So I ditched cursive completely and never looked back.
Once I got a computer and learned how to type I wrote my notes in digital format instead. Then I either emailed or printed (or both) them for play. But my handwriting atrophied somewhat and my hand gets tired when I write by hand.
And when society falls apart it'll be all your fault we couldn't rebuild it back to what it was! Keep writing, no one can read that chicken scratch!
Yep. Just like the medieval priests wanting to keep holy writing in Latin only so the masses had to take their word for what was written in the bible.
I hate feat taxes with the energy of 1000 suns.I like feats and use them but is it weird I really dislike the term Feat and prefer Talent for the exact same purpose?
I like using Google docs for character sheets. That way they can be shared with the GM, so both player and GM have ready access to the current state of the character.I always use my tablet for character sheets when playing in person games because I write things by hand so little that my handwriting has atrophied to the point of uselessness.
Because cursive aspires to be decorative, sloppy cursive looks so much worse than sloppy print.I don't think my daughter has been.
I was taught cursive, but one day at school (97ish?) I just realised "nobody cared and this is making my writing worse," so I just stopped and have never looked back.
Yeah, when those UPS stylus things came along, I realized nobody actually cared about signatures so I just began randomly wiggling my pen as my signature.Most people just scribble initials I believe. I do have a standard signature but no one has actually checked it against anything in decades, and half the time nowadays when I sign something it's on a glass surface so my muscle memory for my signature doesn't work anyway.
There are no tech issues with pen & paper. It just works.
-tweaks that seem mostly pointless and reddit feedback -driven
That's my biggest issue with what I have seen. I like RPGs that are designed, but this just feels like they gathered a wishlist and followed it. Most of the reasons 3E sucked were because they slavishly followed what their survey told them people wanted, even if those things were contradictory.Same. Overall, on one side is a variety of diversity/sensitivity concerned tweaks, on the other side is a bunch of mechanical rebalancing tweaks. Given the shape of how WotC/Hasbro work, it's not like a strong vision from a game designer of a bold new take, or anything like that. It's by a committee of whoever hasn't been fired yet. Seems like, if you enjoy 5e, maybe you'll like some of the balance/class refresh stuff, and it's down to how much you care about that part.
Same here. I've hated the term since 3E first came out.I like feats and use them but is it weird I really dislike the term Feat and prefer Talent for the exact same purpose?
Analog pencil sharpeners work just fine and continue being useful following an EMP attack or power outage.I like using Google docs for character sheets. That way they can be shared with the GM, so both player and GM have ready access to the current state of the character.
Because cursive aspires to be decorative, sloppy cursive looks so much worse than sloppy print.
Yeah, when those UPS stylus things came along, I realized nobody actually cared about signatures so I just began randomly wiggling my pen as my signature.
The other tech issue with pencils comes up in drawing. The declining sharpness as you draw affects your line weight.
That's my biggest issue with what I have seen. I like RPGs that are designed, but this just feels like they gathered a wishlist and followed it. Most of the reasons 3E sucked were because they slavishly followed what their survey told them people wanted, even if those things were contradictory.
Fortunately, I am burned out on D&D in general at the moment. It's nothing against the game. I've had a lot of fun with D&D, but I'm just tired of the constraints its fundamental design puts on play.
Same here. I've hated the term since 3E first came out.
Here we go. Upselling me on peripherals just to get my device to perform its intended purpose.Analog pencil sharpeners work just fine and continue being useful following an EMP attack or power outage.
WotC knew exactly what they were doing and did a lot of things right from 2014 to 2016. But the churn continued and the staff changed and the newcomers thought they could do better and starting to repeat the mistakes of previous editions.
OK, left of field question here from an old fogey - if you (and the children cited) don't use cursive, then how can you write your signature?
Do you just write block letters, or use the equivalent of a Japanese hanko or something?
Edited to add:
I know that cheques are being phased out of the Australian banking system (so that the number of times you sign something has reduced), but you still need it for passports and other identity documents.
A large part of my job involves having people sign things, and it's rare that I don't use e-signing. In fact, it's annoying when I can't rely on e-signing. I need to print out the document I prepared on my computer. I need to physically meet the signer. I need to go home and scan the document. Then I need to upload into our document system.To answer your first question, skill with cursive is not necessary for a legal signature, at least in the US. In my experience, the majority of post-cursive signers make a scribble that vaguely resembles a name and call it good. Furthermore, folks who are disabled or illiterate still need to sign contracts from time to time - for them a clear distinctive signature is out of the question.
Even though checks are going the way of the dodo and e-signatures have been a thing ever since the E-Sign Act in 2000, physical or "wet" signatures are going to be around for a while. There are logistical, bureaucratic, security, and technological challenges to getting everyone signing electronically.
Source: I have worked in a relevant industry for the past ten years.
I should have specified that wet signatures will be required for notarized documents. Getting all 50 states to adopt electronic notarizations could be challenging. I will update the OG postA large part of my job involves having people sign things, and it's rare that I don't use e-signing. In fact, it's annoying when I can't rely on e-signing. I need to print out the document I prepared on my computer. I need to physically meet the signer. I need to go home and scan the document. Then I need to upload into our document system.
Also with esigning, it's going to make sure every page gets initialed. It sucks to have one missing initial on p. 16 that you need to run back and get.
And when I say document, it's usually around 30 pages or so. so it's a big waste.
Just to be clear, I wasn't disagreeing with your post, just adding my own experience, which is real estate in New Jersey (every state in the US has its own real estate laws, so I have no idea about elsewhere). I fully believe there are plenty of areas where e-signing has not been adopted.I agree that e-sigs are easy-peasy for transactions that don't require notarizations; I assume they are purchase agreements in your case. Even then there is tremendous institutional inertia and push back from old people who don't trust it. I should have specified that wet signatures will be required for notarized documents. Getting all 50 states to adopt electronic notarizations could be challenging. I will update the OG post
The challenge is that many important transactions need notarization which requires a notary to positively identify the signer* and witness the signature. Even though my former industry is pushing it hard, remote online notarization is not legal in all states and even then it can be a hassle to make it happen.I think anything that proves your identity should require a “wet” signature but anything else, not really.
It's a mess. The laws regarding the signing of various contracts and transactions varies wildly from state to state; even though I worked with all 50 of them it would be impossible to keep all of them in my head.Just to be clear, I wasn't disagreeing with your post, just adding my own experience, which is real estate in New Jersey (every state in the US has its own real estate laws, so I have no idea about elsewhere). I fully believe there are plenty of areas where e-signing has not been adopted.
The ship has indeed sailed. In trying to be everything to everyone, D&D has gone to a place where it has all the mechanical design headaches of skill-based games and class-based games while not providing what I like about either.
I was perfectly happy with and prefer the non-weapon proficiencies of AD&D 2E