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Apr 2, 2012 -- 6:44AM, Gnarl wrote:

Apr 2, 2012 -- 6:08AM, Emerikol wrote:

Nothing here I disagree with.  Races are pretty small page size wise.  I've hated most races they've come up with over the years.   I'm advocating they provide all the fundamental D&D races and whatever else they want to squeeze in if they have room.   My point still stands that removal is easy which I think is what I said.

I'd gladly trade the whole chapter on the point of light, cosmology or whatever other setting-specific fluff to incorporate the warlord, catfolk or whatever wierd class a majority of people enjoy.

I think if they'd just give a brief overview and the crunch for races in the PHB it would leave them options for varying the background and details from campaign setting to campaign setting.   They could also do a bigger write up in the monster manual.

Apr 2, 2012 -- 7:00AM, Emerikol wrote:

I think if they'd just give a brief overview and the crunch for races in the PHB it would leave them options for varying the background and details from campaign setting to campaign setting.   They could also do a bigger write up in the monster manual.

Hmmm, you might be on to something.

Let me get this straight, your core books are totally fluff-free and you have a warning at the beginning of the book telling you "go fluff yourself". You have a general description of the physical attributes and mechanical properties of a races and class and eventually a picture. From there on, each DM can either use his favorite movie, anime or fantasy novels to fluff up the place. The more tradtitional stereotypes are added first, and you keep adding original races and classes until you eventually run out of book space/design budget. Whatever is missing will make it in PHB2.

In each campaign setting, you have at least 3 books, for instance:

Forgotten Realms Core Book: A general description of the world, the major bad guys and good guys, ongoing plots and just enough fluff to make your world alive. This also contains a word-specific cosmology, culture, and traditions. I always thought these books were a little light on culture and traditions such as Shieldmeet, Magefairs, Havest Festivals, etc...

Player's Guide to Faerun: This books revisits the core races and eventually the core class, and describes how these have been implemented in the Forgotten Realms. This book would contain character options to support this fluff such as a "Gold Dwarf" feat or "Shield Dwarf" feat that respectively give you (among other benefits) a bonus to hit denizens of the underdark and orcs and goblinoids. This book also contains a list of classes and races that do not normally exist in the Forgotten Realms.

Monsters of Faerun: In addition to Forgotten Realms specific monsters, the book revisits some of the core monsters and describes their organisation, culture, or whatever piece of fluff you need to make Forgotten Realms hobgoblins different than Greyhawk ones.

If this is what you're suggesting, then I love it. I'm even going to start a thread on this to have other people's opinion. It has the benefit of giving "traditional" players the stuff they need to play the game and gives options to the more creative crowd. It also is an elegant way to incorporate 4th edition and pre 4th edition D&D fluff without making anyone unhappy.

Apr 1, 2012 -- 4:59AM, AquaticSpaceChicken wrote:

Steep or multiple prerequisites for class, race, feat, etc. I hate seeing a list of six things needed to qualify for x, and the entire career of one's character needed to be "built" at level one rather than grow organically-- because there was very little chance of naturally taking those prerequites.

My prefered number of prerequisites would be zero. One if it is needed. Two needs a really good explanation, because two is very exclusive. For example, if a feat is for Elf Rangers only, I think it needs a good reason why Dwarf Rangers or Elf Fighters would never ever have anything like it. And then if Elf Rangers have exclusive content, do Dwarf Rangers and Elf Fighters also get their own special exclusive content, that no one else would ever have? I think this just leads to unnecessary bloat.

There should be a really good reason for any prerequisite, in my opinion.

I agree with this 100%. I've always wanted to be able to grow a character organically based on whats happening in the campaign without making my character obsolete. (instead of having to plan it from level 1). Removing prerequisites from feats would go a long way to helping this (along with flatter math and a more forgiving multiclass system).

As for the thread topic. My one thing I would not want to see is Symmetrical Balance.
I don't want to see all classes being built from the same formula to maintain balance. I would prefer Asymmetrical balance. So the classes feel completely different and unique.