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We often see situations where answers incorporate parts of other answers trying to create complete answers. Here is an extreme example where 2 answers each contain half of the information, and both thank the other answer for the other half: What is the lowest CR creature that has Legendary Actions?

Personally I think it is a good thing that both users were able to submit a contribution, and the overall answers are both stronger for it. In my experience collaboration almost always yields better answers.

However, I don't think it's desirable to encourage duplicate answers, and with the focus on this site on "complete answers" and SE's focus on rep gathering, I don't see a clear way to improve the situation.

In cases like these, which of the following is best practice?

  • Leave the essentially duplicate answers
  • Merge one into another
  • Split them into 2 partial answers
  • Some other suggestion
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    \$\begingroup\$ here's another, bordering on bizarre, example: How does a wizard or bard learn new spells? \$\endgroup\$
    – nitsua60 Mod
    Mar 18, 2020 at 3:15
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    \$\begingroup\$ In regards to the first example, it's also a very extreme example in that the accepted answer was invalidated the day after it was accepted by the asker by newly published content released today. It was not a duplicate answer until just recently where the author of the accepted answer modified it to reflect up-to-date information. There are many moving parts to these kinds of situations with multiple answers that should be noted. \$\endgroup\$
    – Axoren
    Mar 18, 2020 at 3:51
  • \$\begingroup\$ @Axoren Perhaps this is indicative of not fully accepting that D&D, and many other rpg games, are constantly changing. The general advice on SE is that questions where the answer can become dated are bad, but we don't have the luxury of ever knowing if an answer will become obsolete the next day. You are right, there's a lot of moving parts. \$\endgroup\$
    – user-024673
    Mar 18, 2020 at 4:02
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    \$\begingroup\$ @pllp In my experience nearly every single question on this site can become dated as new rules, monsters, subclasses, classes, editions, and developer insights are so frequently released for various TTRPGs \$\endgroup\$
    – Exempt-Medic
    Mar 18, 2020 at 13:55
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    \$\begingroup\$ I feel these are related: "Should I be requesting people answer the question independently?" and "Should I update my answer with information from someone else's answer?" \$\endgroup\$
    – Exempt-Medic
    Mar 18, 2020 at 14:04

1 Answer 1

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Do nothing

I don't see a reason to intervene or do anything in these cases. If folks want to do this or feel a need, that's fine. Others can downvote or upvote or not vote accordingly based on which answer they like or if they feel another answer doesn't add anything to the discussion.

That's kind of how the system works, and I'm not sure why there is a need to try and come up with something new or different.

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