I love this record baby but I can’t see straight anymore
i liked EU/EW a lot but 2’s heavy reliance on timers really didn’t mesh well with my much more methodical approach to these kinds of things
like sure narratively it makes more sense and I’m sure that for your average person the resulting gameplay loop is more enjoyable but for me it was enough to make me not really get into the game
I’m not against timers in general, mind you, but like, I like when they’re used sparingly and to great effect - in EU/EW, the missions with timers or civilian lives on the line felt way more impactful because the game was usually set up and balanced around having methodical play as an option, and those levels tore that option away from you and forced you to move uncomfortably fast. 2 kinda has them so often that it feels like it must be hard to make something feel even more urgent - like, sure, if you normally get 8-12 turns, seeing a timer that’s like 6 is gonna be a bit spooky, but if you normally get unlimited turns then seeing that same 6-turn timer is a true “oh fuck” moment, yknow?
like
accurate depiction of me when there’s a short timer in XCOM 2, immediately followed by an accurate depiction of me when there’s a short timer in XCOM EU/EW
1 Like
y’ever talk to someone and know that they’re a great person but you have no means of contacting them again
2 Likes
ye
hell that was insanely common before phones and the internet n stuff i bet
tis life
4 Likes
ye
1 Like
sorry! i hope this fixes itself soon.
2 Likes
after having done quite a lot more dnd theorycrafting for 2024 5e, it’s honestly a much better system
Do I think it solves all the problems of 2014?
God no
Does it move the needle to actually be reasonable for the dm?
God no
Does it meaningfully make casters weaker?
Sorta? It nerfs many of the most broken spells in the game and doesn’t touch others.
Does it meaningfully buff martials?
Yes, but probably not by enough
Are the monsters significantly better?
From what I’m hearing, holy shit yes the monster manual is going to go crazy
ok honestly I don’t think it’s that much better
2 Likes
pathfinder combat is a lot more balanced
…
because most of spellcaster’s power got funneled into ridiculous skill/out of combat shit
1 Like
there is a notable power curve in some classes though
like malka is way overtuned for lvl 1 and amelia… isn’t 
1 Like
true!
2 Likes
having really gotten my hands on the system pf2e definitely has ~problems
as you mentioned the level curve
the problems don’t feel comically bad though
2 Likes
I don’t agree with locke that 3.5 is especially well designed given the massive disparity between optimized builds and utter dogshit
But I do think it’s fun to theorycraft for
1 Like
The goat for d&d is still 4e
Well balanced? 
Martials feel great?
Actually reasonable to run?
peak fiction
4 Likes
i do think 5e spellcasters are probably the most fun casters to play in any system
flexible casting + strong powerlevel + fun decision making in and out of combat
1 Like
3.5e has a massive minmaxing problem yes
1 Like
nya
2 Likes
meow purr
1 Like
woof woof
2 Likes
tbh i just oculdnt get into eu/ew i think because i played a ton of xcom 2 first, so it felt like a step down in a lot of eays along with a kot of unlearning of what im used to
Im personally not that bothered by the timers, i think it makes a lot of sense both from a gameplay design perspective and a lore perspective
1 Like