As a seasoned gamer with over two decades of Dungeons & Dragons experience under my belt, I can say that the debate over bonus actions has been a long-standing one for many of us. I remember the days when we would huddle around the rulebook, arguing over the intricacies of minor actions in 3rd edition. So when Mike Mearls, one of the architects of D&D 4e and a key figure in the development of 5e, declared that bonus actions are “hot garbage,” I couldn’t help but chuckle.
From forever DMs to seasoned Dungeons & Dragons players, most D&D fans have some opinions when it comes to the game’s action economy. Many a combat has been delayed while players and DMs quibble over the rulebook, and one particular element of the game often takes center stage in these debates – the bonus action. These extra actions have the potential to give players more options during combat, sometimes to the great frustration of DMs or even fellow party members. Recently, the man who helped invent bonus actions revealed why he doesn’t use them in his own D&D games.
Mike Mearls served as a game designer for the fourth edition of Dungeons & Dragons and collaborated with Wizards of the Coast to further evolve the game up until 2023, including the release of the fifth edition. As such, he has significantly contributed to the modern aspects of Dungeons & Dragons that players are familiar with today. In a recent post on platform X, Mearls admitted that he is responsible for bonus actions and expressed dissatisfaction with their execution, stating that they have failed to meet their initial objectives and are not featured in his personal games of D&D.
In simpler terms, bonus actions, as originally conceived, often fall short of their purpose. However, since I designed them, it’s fair for me to express my thoughts without criticizing other designers’ work.
— Mike Mearls (@mikemearls) December 27, 2024
In the original post, Mearls asserts that bonus actions are “poorly designed,” elaborating that he can make this statement because they were his creation. For fans who appreciate using bonus actions to trigger abilities like entering a rage or shape-shifting into a bear, this opinion might be controversial. However, Mearls provides rationales for why bonus actions disrupt the intended balance of gameplay actions.
Initially designed to manage multiclass characters and prevent them from exploiting multiple class abilities during their turns in combat, bonus actions emerged as an advanced version of 3e’s minor turns. The developers took a familiar mechanic and tailored it according to their vision for the future of Dungeons & Dragons. However, contrary to expectations, bonus actions were not meant for regular use in a player’s turn during combat. Over time, players have come to view their list of available bonus actions as an essential element of every turn, effectively serving as a second action at many tables. This trend, as Mearls notes, indicates that bonus actions have not achieved their intended purpose.
Dungeons & Dragons Fans Have Mixed Feelings About Bonus Actions
Reflecting on his creation, the inventor of bonus actions now believes it might have been clearer to incorporate these extra benefits directly into regular actions. For instance, he proposes that instead of Barbarians entering a rage being a bonus action, it should be an action that automatically includes additional attacks. This change could limit players’ flexibility slightly, but would maintain the intended balance in the action economy.
In summary, enthusiasts of Dungeons & Dragons are pondering how the game could change without the inclusion of Bonus Actions, a feature that has been around for quite some time and is hard to imagine the game without. The question arises: would eliminating Bonus Actions expedite combat by reducing the number of decisions players have to make in their 6-second turns, which can sometimes drag on? Conversely, some players fear that removing Bonus Actions might constrain certain classes, taking away the enjoyment derived from abilities like Bardic Inspiration and other bonus actions that enrich gameplay during combat. Additionally, supporters of the Pathfinder tabletop role-playing game, an alternative fantasy system, are quick to mention that its 2E system employs a streamlined 3-action turn, which seems to alleviate the confusion surrounding Bonus Actions.
In Dungeons & Dragons (D&D), bonus actions are a contentious topic with both ardent supporters and critics. Some players argue that they should be removed from the game entirely, claiming that they are frequently exploited, particularly by certain classes. On the other hand, others assert that they add an extra layer of complexity to combat, making it more engaging instead of monotonous as players repeatedly roll for attacks. Regardless of one’s stance on bonus actions, they seem set to remain part of D&D in the upcoming rule updates. For those who can’t abide by them, there’s always the option to create custom rules through homebrew modifications.
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2024-12-28 21:10