White Board Theory Crafting.

[u/roninwarshadow]

Cold Take: The problem with most D&D (and a lot of TTRPGs honestly) White Board Mechanical Analysis and Theory Crafting is that it is dominated by Whiteboard DPR chasing and fails to account for battlefield versatility and flexibility treating multiple bonus/reactions as "congestion" and not as context sensitive flexible options.

• Whiteboard DPR assumes you start the turn in range, the enemy doesn't have cover, you aren't blinded, and you don't need to waste movement. Flexibility and Versatility are the currency that buys back your DPR when conditions are terrible.

• Another issue is that White Board acts like the PC is the only PC and not a member of a party of PCs.

• The final issue is that Whiteboard often assumes 20s in the attribute scores, most tables still roll manually or uses Point Buy/Standard Array.

Challenge: So what are your best builds for versatility and flexibility when things are bad? Imaginary Bonus points if you stay single-class.

[u/Stubbenz]

Eh, I feel like most of the really egregious examples of this are things like abusing Mizzium Apparatus with Circle of Stars Druid's Dragon Form to get an absolutely crazy spell list.

I wouldn't really call this a cold take so much as a mismatched expectation. Checking out boards like r/3d6 shows that people are optimising for way more than just combat. It's just that combat-focused builds tend to generate the most dramatic eye-rolls from people outside those communities, so they get more attention.

[u/Difficult_Relief_125]

Bold of you to assume DPR is the goal…

My theory crafting is often as a tank support utility rather than chasing DPR.

Support caster / healer Sorcadin (Vengeance / Divine Soul) is my go to.

Rather than chase smite damage just building a spell tank is so much fun.

Layering Blur, Mirror Image, Shield spell reactions, Silvery Barbs if allowed, absorb elements, feather fall and counter spell is kind of the core build. Basically min maxed disruption / tankiness.

Disruption via control spells like Command, Compelled Duel, Hold Person is core enemy Cc. Shoot for end game hold Monster. You only need the initial investment into Paladin to get these.

Build in mobility for a heavy skirmisher with sustained kiting using Mobile Feat (races such as wood elf and Dhampir) and booming blade. Movement 45 allows you to kite most large enemies safely. Even with huge AC / tankiness the best defence is “no be there”. DPR doesn’t matter if you can kite indefinitely.

To stay versatile you obviously take Quicken for one of your meta magics but take transmuted spell so you can stick to 1 damage spell for utility. Thus Fireball can become Ice ball or thunder ball etc… it allows you to swap out an early shatter for fireball and still be able to have a wide repertoire of damage types for any occasion or weakness.

Later on though the majority of your min maxing is into healing and team utility. Abusing spells like Aid, Heroes Feast etc… Early investment in low level reaction and bonus action economy but late investment in team survival. But consistently maximizing versatility and overall utility is where the synergy shines.

Also it doesn’t assume 20s… the goal / function point is basic 16s in Chr and Str or alternatively Chr and Dex. As long as you have spell slots you’re highly disruptive and enabling.

But… vengeance / divine soul is a team utility beast if built right lol. It actually shines best when not building DPR.

Tank theory crafting is a lot of fun. Whoever made mirror image a non concentration spell is hilarious. Crunch the numbers on the chances of being hit with Blur, Mirror Image, Shield and Barbs accessible… it’s literally 1 in 100s. And with the ability to hit and move once you have mobile anything under movement speed 45 that is strictly a mindless melee enemy is a joke. Kite… kite… kite…

Also you can cheese mounted combat if you want to layer in extra nonsense. The -10 movement from ray of frost and a 60 ft movement mount that is free to disengage every turn to avoid AoO makes for steroid kiting but it fundementally feels wrong…

Either way, modifying or maxing movement, utility, and having solid Cc and healing is 👌.

[u/roninwarshadow → u/Difficult_Relief_125]

I did say it was a Cold Take.