It's more work than I'd be wiling to put in for a joke, but I'd be happy for a player to not play on the basis of that joke being made. If it's a more experienced bunch of players, I'll tend to start at level 2 - and I think something in place to address the squishiness of lvl 1 characters is a good idea. I'd be more inclined to double (and max) HP at lvl 1 + that'd could be easily countered with a custom Feat. It'd be nice if that was "baked-in" - especially for a party of noobs (stressful enough).
I have played in and DM'd games that ONLY worked out of the core three books. PHB, DMG,MM.
And I have played in others that have used every option possible plus home brew/table rules.
I tend to go with the less is more option.
I have found characters start to get to a point of just to many options for their level. Roles start too overlap to much and one character just starts to play like any other character.
But all the games have been fun no matter what. It depends on the people playing at your table.
A joke that's only funny to the person telling it is a bad joke. When it's coming from someone who wants to run a game, it's a frequent indication of what playing with them is going to be like. You can potentially get away with it in a group that already knows you well, but here it was posted for a group of strangers and is being judged as such.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Find your own truth, choose your enemies carefully, and never deal with a dragon.
"Canon" is what's factual to D&D lore. "Cannon" is what you're going to be shot with if you keep getting the word wrong.
A joke that's only funny to the person telling it is a bad joke. When it's coming from someone who wants to run a game, it's a frequent indication of what playing with them is going to be like. You can potentially get away with it in a group that already knows you well, but here it was posted for a group of strangers and is being judged as such.
Agreed and I will add that jokes from those with authority (DMs) at the expense of those without (players) tend to not be very funny. It flirts with the 'DM vs Player' dynamic even if it was meant to be benign. Our roles determine what is appropriate to some extent.
Yeah, that particular joke reads too much like punching down. Not my idea of fun, and I'm normally the DM.
As for feats, I give my players lots of feats because they give more options and make the game more fun. I can always adjust challenge ratings if I have to balance an encounter.
Hey everyone. I want to start by saying I appreciate the time everyone took to even respond to this post at all. To clarify a few things I realize now I should have led with. This entire thing came out of a silly conversation with myself and a few of my players, and (as stated) was intentionally meant to be a joke. It was never intended to ever actually be handed out as a real response to a request for anything, but an exaggeration on the overall topic of free feats and the like that DMs always get asked about. The whole post was intended to be light hearted, but perhaps was more in poor taste overall or I should have listed it as satire more clearly. That's on me, and I'll do better next time!
In reality, I tend to be very lax on restrictions with my players' options. I only ever restrict races/spells/etc. if it makes sense for it not exist for whatever reason in the campaign. Even then, I'm more inclined to just make it rare/exotic/expensive instead of removing it entirely. And I have out right given players feats or created variants of options so that a player could have the character mechanically function the way the want it to.
Edited to complete a sentence I realized I'd thought but didn't finish typing.
Hey everyone. I want to start by saying I appreciate the time everyone took to even respond to this post at all. To clarify a few things I realize now I should have led with. This entire thing came out of a silly conversation with myself and a few of my players, and (as stated) was intentionally meant to be a joke. It was never intended to ever actually be handed out as a real response to a request for anything, but an exaggeration on the overall topic of free feats and the like that DMs always get asked about. The whole post was intended to be light hearted, but perhaps was more in poor taste overall or I should have listed it as satire more clearly. That's on me, and I'll do better next time!
In reality, I tend to be very lax on restrictions with my players' options. I only ever restrict races/spells/etc. if it makes sense for it not exist for whatever reason in the campaign. Even then, I'm more inclined to just make it rare/exotic/expensive instead of removing it entirely. And I have out right given players feats or created variants of options so that a player could have the character mechanically function the way the want it to.
Edited to complete a sentence I realized I'd thought but didn't finish typing.
It definitely feels like one of those "you had to be there" kind of jokes. But if your group enjoyed it that's all that matters.
My own groups worked out a short list of feats that would be okay for level 1 characters, based in part on the list from the Character Origins UA. For those interested, these were:
Tough
Skilled
Magic Initiate
Fighting Initiate
Tavern Brawler
Musician
Alert
Lucky is also on the list in some, but not all my DMs went for that one, they felt it was powerful enough to remain at 4+. I've been thinking of pitching a toned down version that gives a number of rerolls = half PB (rounded up), so it starts at 1 reroll per LR and eventually scales up to the full 3.
This is a path that should be taken only among friends you have gamed with for a long time or you will get reactions Like Caerwyn's People will walk. You cannot do this with someone that is just starting their journey into Dungeons and Dragons. Not with a pick up group either. All of this being said I thought it was funny. and would have let it slide
My players asked for a free first level feat (what?? that never happens in D&D lol)
Actually this is a pretty common house rule these days that players can start with a free feat. In fact it's so common it's being baked into the revised rules, where a background provides a feat.
That said, this is a pretty funny response.
thats kinda OP, and Variant Human isnt very special anymore then
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
The thunderclouds broke up And the rain dried up The lighting let up The clacking shutters just shut up
My players asked for a free first level feat (what?? that never happens in D&D lol)
Actually this is a pretty common house rule these days that players can start with a free feat. In fact it's so common it's being baked into the revised rules, where a background provides a feat.
That said, this is a pretty funny response.
thats kinda OP, and Variant Human isnt very special anymore then
That’s the idea. IIRC, there won’t be a variant human in the 2024 rules. It’ll just be the default. It was kinda silly that we had two types of human in the first place, when the variant was so much better.
My players asked for a free first level feat (what?? that never happens in D&D lol)
Actually this is a pretty common house rule these days that players can start with a free feat. In fact it's so common it's being baked into the revised rules, where a background provides a feat.
That said, this is a pretty funny response.
thats kinda OP, and Variant Human isnt very special anymore then
That’s the idea. IIRC, there won’t be a variant human in the 2024 rules. It’ll just be the default. It was kinda silly that we had two types of human in the first place, when the variant was so much better.
yeah, i havent kept up with 2024 rules really, last i remember was stuff about the new VTT, i didnt really like it at all. And most of my games are already 5e and no where close to ending, so most likely im not moving on either way for a while, hopefully i can do some research on it, it feels really annoying that ive spent years building up knowledge on D&D and now i have to relearn bits and pieces
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
The thunderclouds broke up And the rain dried up The lighting let up The clacking shutters just shut up
My players asked for a free first level feat (what?? that never happens in D&D lol)
Actually this is a pretty common house rule these days that players can start with a free feat. In fact it's so common it's being baked into the revised rules, where a background provides a feat.
That said, this is a pretty funny response.
thats kinda OP, and Variant Human isnt very special anymore then
It's only OP if only some of the PCs get it and others don't and if the GM doesn't adjust anything to account for the slightly better abilities of the party.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Find your own truth, choose your enemies carefully, and never deal with a dragon.
"Canon" is what's factual to D&D lore. "Cannon" is what you're going to be shot with if you keep getting the word wrong.
My players asked for a free first level feat (what?? that never happens in D&D lol)
Actually this is a pretty common house rule these days that players can start with a free feat. In fact it's so common it's being baked into the revised rules, where a background provides a feat.
That said, this is a pretty funny response.
thats kinda OP, and Variant Human isnt very special anymore then
It's only OP if only some of the PCs get it and others don't and if the GM doesn't adjust anything to account for the slightly better abilities of the party.
So, you are saying that having some PC's playing under one set of rules, while other PC's are not playing by those rules, creates game imbalances.
I wrote exactly what I wrote and nothing more. If someone reads additional context into it as a result of their own biases and rush to condemn a new rule that they haven't actually read, that's on them.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Find your own truth, choose your enemies carefully, and never deal with a dragon.
"Canon" is what's factual to D&D lore. "Cannon" is what you're going to be shot with if you keep getting the word wrong.
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It's more work than I'd be wiling to put in for a joke, but I'd be happy for a player to not play on the basis of that joke being made.
If it's a more experienced bunch of players, I'll tend to start at level 2 - and I think something in place to address the squishiness of lvl 1 characters is a good idea. I'd be more inclined to double (and max) HP at lvl 1 + that'd could be easily countered with a custom Feat. It'd be nice if that was "baked-in" - especially for a party of noobs (stressful enough).
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All this over an obvious joke.
I have played in and DM'd games that ONLY worked out of the core three books. PHB, DMG,MM.
And I have played in others that have used every option possible plus home brew/table rules.
I tend to go with the less is more option.
I have found characters start to get to a point of just to many options for their level. Roles start too overlap to much and one character just starts to play like any other character.
But all the games have been fun no matter what. It depends on the people playing at your table.
A joke that's only funny to the person telling it is a bad joke. When it's coming from someone who wants to run a game, it's a frequent indication of what playing with them is going to be like. You can potentially get away with it in a group that already knows you well, but here it was posted for a group of strangers and is being judged as such.
Find your own truth, choose your enemies carefully, and never deal with a dragon.
"Canon" is what's factual to D&D lore. "Cannon" is what you're going to be shot with if you keep getting the word wrong.
Agreed and I will add that jokes from those with authority (DMs) at the expense of those without (players) tend to not be very funny. It flirts with the 'DM vs Player' dynamic even if it was meant to be benign. Our roles determine what is appropriate to some extent.
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Yeah, that particular joke reads too much like punching down. Not my idea of fun, and I'm normally the DM.
As for feats, I give my players lots of feats because they give more options and make the game more fun. I can always adjust challenge ratings if I have to balance an encounter.
Hey everyone. I want to start by saying I appreciate the time everyone took to even respond to this post at all. To clarify a few things I realize now I should have led with. This entire thing came out of a silly conversation with myself and a few of my players, and (as stated) was intentionally meant to be a joke. It was never intended to ever actually be handed out as a real response to a request for anything, but an exaggeration on the overall topic of free feats and the like that DMs always get asked about. The whole post was intended to be light hearted, but perhaps was more in poor taste overall or I should have listed it as satire more clearly. That's on me, and I'll do better next time!
In reality, I tend to be very lax on restrictions with my players' options. I only ever restrict races/spells/etc. if it makes sense for it not exist for whatever reason in the campaign. Even then, I'm more inclined to just make it rare/exotic/expensive instead of removing it entirely. And I have out right given players feats or created variants of options so that a player could have the character mechanically function the way the want it to.
Edited to complete a sentence I realized I'd thought but didn't finish typing.
It definitely feels like one of those "you had to be there" kind of jokes. But if your group enjoyed it that's all that matters.
My own groups worked out a short list of feats that would be okay for level 1 characters, based in part on the list from the Character Origins UA. For those interested, these were:
Lucky is also on the list in some, but not all my DMs went for that one, they felt it was powerful enough to remain at 4+. I've been thinking of pitching a toned down version that gives a number of rerolls = half PB (rounded up), so it starts at 1 reroll per LR and eventually scales up to the full 3.
This is a path that should be taken only among friends you have gamed with for a long time or you will get reactions Like Caerwyn's People will walk. You cannot do this with someone that is just starting their journey into Dungeons and Dragons. Not with a pick up group either. All of this being said I thought it was funny. and would have let it slide
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Well, that changes the context considerably.
Find your own truth, choose your enemies carefully, and never deal with a dragon.
"Canon" is what's factual to D&D lore. "Cannon" is what you're going to be shot with if you keep getting the word wrong.
thats kinda OP, and Variant Human isnt very special anymore then
The thunderclouds broke up
And the rain dried up
The lighting let up
The clacking shutters just shut up
That’s the idea. IIRC, there won’t be a variant human in the 2024 rules. It’ll just be the default. It was kinda silly that we had two types of human in the first place, when the variant was so much better.
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The Bloody Barnacle | The Gut | The Athene Crusader | The Jewel of Atlantis
yeah, i havent kept up with 2024 rules really, last i remember was stuff about the new VTT, i didnt really like it at all. And most of my games are already 5e and no where close to ending, so most likely im not moving on either way for a while, hopefully i can do some research on it, it feels really annoying that ive spent years building up knowledge on D&D and now i have to relearn bits and pieces
The thunderclouds broke up
And the rain dried up
The lighting let up
The clacking shutters just shut up
It's only OP if only some of the PCs get it and others don't and if the GM doesn't adjust anything to account for the slightly better abilities of the party.
Find your own truth, choose your enemies carefully, and never deal with a dragon.
"Canon" is what's factual to D&D lore. "Cannon" is what you're going to be shot with if you keep getting the word wrong.
hey, wasnt there a post here? was it deleted? if so why did you delete it??
The thunderclouds broke up
And the rain dried up
The lighting let up
The clacking shutters just shut up
I wrote exactly what I wrote and nothing more. If someone reads additional context into it as a result of their own biases and rush to condemn a new rule that they haven't actually read, that's on them.
Find your own truth, choose your enemies carefully, and never deal with a dragon.
"Canon" is what's factual to D&D lore. "Cannon" is what you're going to be shot with if you keep getting the word wrong.