I think we are losing something load bearing by removing ideals, flaws, and bonds.
Yes, seasoned players usually skip this step because we/they have experience in creating characters and then role-playing those characters. But for new players selecting ideals, flaws, and bonds from lists of suggestions is a really helpful step in preparing their imaginations to play a person who is not them. This step was important for me when I first started playing and has had a long term impact of encouraging me to think about what my character would do, and not just what is the numerically correct action. Which makes it more fun!
I think UA feedback didn't turn up this complaint because all the people interested in testing unearthed arcana are your most motivated and most seasoned players (and so no longer need this extra help).
I think removing this step from the default character building is a mistake that will hurt the ability of Dungeons and Dragons to onboard new players.
My DM sometimes has me play some of the Side NPCs he makes for story missions running parallel to our main character missions, and without the now removed from 2024 character sheet, i would have no idea how to play them, what they think, how they think or what makes them tick.
Also, sometimes i need to be reminded of what my flaws are, so i can play them accurately. A few times, my character with " I am brave in a group, but am a coward when on my own" has been separated from the group, and i had to remind myself to make him timid. I have liquefied the things things with hyper aggression on character who were supposed to be terrified of them, i have played politic and diplomat on chaaracters who were supposed to be uncouth and brash in social settings, you name it, i have misplayed chracters in my 30+ years playing the game, and having reminders on the front of my sheet have help me stay in character more times than i can count.
Ideals, bonds and flaws deserve to come back, even the veterans use them all the time.
We may see them again in Tasha's Cauldron of Recycling along with the option to assign attribute boosts from Backgrounds anywhere we want and other "we took it away so we can sell it back to you" features.
We may see them again in Tasha's Cauldron of Recycling along with the option to assign attribute boosts from Backgrounds anywhere we want and other "we took it away so we can sell it back to you" features.
the dmg already has custom backgrounds so, they kinda already resold that one
PBIF was definitely discussed in the playtest. The problem with PBIF is that they were tied to the inspiration system, but tracking "Did X come up?" is something a lot of players and DMs forget to do (I know I did).
2024 could definitely use a better chapter on coming up with a character concept, personality, and backstory (not tied to any game mechanics), and PBIF would belong in that chapter. For a role-playing game, 2024 has remarkably little discussion of role-playing.
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I think we are losing something load bearing by removing ideals, flaws, and bonds.
Yes, seasoned players usually skip this step because we/they have experience in creating characters and then role-playing those characters. But for new players selecting ideals, flaws, and bonds from lists of suggestions is a really helpful step in preparing their imaginations to play a person who is not them. This step was important for me when I first started playing and has had a long term impact of encouraging me to think about what my character would do, and not just what is the numerically correct action. Which makes it more fun!
I think UA feedback didn't turn up this complaint because all the people interested in testing unearthed arcana are your most motivated and most seasoned players (and so no longer need this extra help).
I think removing this step from the default character building is a mistake that will hurt the ability of Dungeons and Dragons to onboard new players.
My DM sometimes has me play some of the Side NPCs he makes for story missions running parallel to our main character missions, and without the now removed from 2024 character sheet, i would have no idea how to play them, what they think, how they think or what makes them tick.
Also, sometimes i need to be reminded of what my flaws are, so i can play them accurately. A few times, my character with " I am brave in a group, but am a coward when on my own" has been separated from the group, and i had to remind myself to make him timid.
I have liquefied the things things with hyper aggression on character who were supposed to be terrified of them, i have played politic and diplomat on chaaracters who were supposed to be uncouth and brash in social settings, you name it, i have misplayed chracters in my 30+ years playing the game, and having reminders on the front of my sheet have help me stay in character more times than i can count.
Ideals, bonds and flaws deserve to come back, even the veterans use them all the time.
We may see them again in Tasha's Cauldron of Recycling along with the option to assign attribute boosts from Backgrounds anywhere we want and other "we took it away so we can sell it back to you" features.
How to add Tooltips.
the dmg already has custom backgrounds so, they kinda already resold that one
I don't disagree with you OP but it's a bit late now, the PHB is out. Maybe they'll do a web article on this site, or put them in a PHB2 or something.
If they do bring back BIFTs, I'd like them to be more generic tables that anyone can pull from instead of being tied to specific backgrounds.
Curious. Why generic tables that anyone can pull from instead of specific backgrounds?
I don’t disagree but a folk hero, vs a haunted one, vs an urchin will all have different life experiences and traumas.
there should be like 1d6 generic ones and 1d4 background specific ones for each background. Mix both worlds.
PBIF was definitely discussed in the playtest. The problem with PBIF is that they were tied to the inspiration system, but tracking "Did X come up?" is something a lot of players and DMs forget to do (I know I did).
2024 could definitely use a better chapter on coming up with a character concept, personality, and backstory (not tied to any game mechanics), and PBIF would belong in that chapter. For a role-playing game, 2024 has remarkably little discussion of role-playing.