Originally Posted by clanpot
Originally Posted by Buttery_Mess
The thing about D&D 5e is that your character isn't really built until they hit third level and doesn't come into their stride until 4th


This is a bad design choice. Maybe it works in tabletop, but in a video game it's boring. To make matters worse, combat at low levels is rocket tag. This isn't even a new problem - Planescape: Torment started at level 5.


Yup. Playtesters pointed this out.

Mike Mearls stated multiple times, they expected you to do 1-3 once, and then just start at level 3 after that. Level 3 was the new level 1, they wanted it to be a 'simple' game at level 1 with very few choices and things to learn. And then they left spellcasters with full casting + cantrips at level 1 instead of starting with only a cantrip, then specialty, then getting 1st level at level 3 because gods forbid casters be on the same footing.

Of course, as we've seen, no one skips to level 3 - certainly not any of the branded products.

Which is just annoying.

As for 'pure' 5e - great. Do it. Watch the general public bound hard off the 'pure' 5e rules because they are mediocre and shallow at best when TTRGP scene has dozens of complex and rewarding games to go play.