Fria Ligans forum

You'll notice that in the paragraph that introduces burdens that they are both marked out as optional (noted as being even more optional than feats themselves) and a source of inspiration for roleplaying. Some players will love the chance to mechanically represent a consequence of some terrible tragedy that recently befell them, others might like another 'button to push' for inspiration, some others will not be interested and the burden can be safely ignored for those folks.

That's all well and good, but in that case why map them to the feat/ASI mechanism at all?

Hi !
I've not yet started a game with the 5th Ed rules, but I already had the discussion with my players on why they should take a Burden - if they have the choice of getting the same +2 without a negative impact.
Having a Burden is a great RP opportunity, but it should feel, that it is a balanced option.
So bundling a Burden with the benefit of a Boon could be an idea.
So the choices would be like:
- get +1 to 2 attributes, or +2 to one
- get +1 and a Boon
- get +2 and a Burden and a Boon (without the additional +1 to an attribute)

That would feel more like a hard choice...

My players have a lot of RPG experience but little to none with D&D, and in the original Symbaroum it was easier to be very competent in you specific field very early.

I like the idea of boons and burdens,, but I'm not a fan of the execution.

Im simply removing the "generous bonus" the burdens grant and allowing the players to take a boon at first level and in return they get a burden (and the burden is random, but that is up to you and your group).

How many boons and burdens they can take and how often is up to you and your players.