D&D 5E Official D&D Basic Discussion Thread

[Ruin Explorer]

No skills apply to Con checks but marching is a Con check? As someone who knows how to march, I can assure you that it IS a skill or at least a proficiency. Easily fixed by re-introducing Endurance or a "Soldiering" proficiency or something, I guess.

Initiative is a Dex check, interesting. That could have some implications down the line.

Schwalb will be happy, as will fans of mobile phone hidden object games! There's a sidebar specifically instructing DMs to play "Say search the right way!" game with their players IN ORDER TO EVEN GET TO ROLL! I guess my players will have to bring their "NO SERIOUSLY WE SEARCH EVERYTHING" mantra out of retirement (it's so much more detailed than that, and I know it covers drawers in some way).

That seems like the worst of both worlds - no only do you get the failure chance of rolling, but you also have to try and work out exactly what the DM wants you to say to search. GUMSHOE, it ain't.

 

[Sadrik]

No skills apply to Con checks but marching is a Con check? As someone who knows how to march, I can assure you that it IS a skill or at least a proficiency. Easily fixed by re-introducing Endurance or a "Soldiering" proficiency or something, I guess.

Initiative is a Dex check, interesting. That could have some implications down the line.

Perfect opportunity to use the variant and ask for an Athletics roll coupled with CON.

 

[Henry]

Random RPG hilarity - a STR 10 (average) character can bench 300lbs.

I wish I was average.

Yeah, that's a bit overboard. Perhaps I'll rule that to x10 and x20, respectively. Even not that strong, I could heft around 100 lbs in high school and college, and push around 200 lbs. Nowadays, I'd be begging for ruptured discs if I try that.

--H

Undoubtedly a benefit of their hunter-gatherer lifestyle.

Extrapolating further, a STR 6 person could lug around a 180 lb trunk 5 ft a round. Meet Nodwick!

--J

 

[bganon]

P.52's sidebar directly contradicts this, which is what I'm referring to. A skilled professional PC only earns 2sp/day equivalent, apparently. A skilled NPC Hireling does indeed make 2gp/day. I guess NPCs have a better union than PCs or something?

The page 52 sidebar pretty clearly only applies to trying to make a living outside civilization. So if you practice your profession (say, gemcutting) nowhere near civilization, you eke out a poor living while doing so. Maybe you can do something with your product once you get back; I don't know, it isn't specified.

If you practice your profession in a town, the page 52 sidebar does not apply, and your gemcutting gets you a modest lifestyle for "free" (without having to pay the 1gp/day), as per the downtime rules.

 

[skotothalamos]

Random RPG hilarity - a STR 10 (average) character can bench 300lbs.

I wish I was average.

Bench press is arms only. You add legs into that, and don't try to get it over your head, and you've got a deadlift.

The average man, after a month of training, can deadlift 290 pounds. Fantasy-medieval life might count as weight training.

 

[the Jester]

I don't think this applies to stuff you learn from leveling up. That comes automatically. Training is in case you want to learn additional languages and proficiencies. Which is also a new thing, though--the ability to learn stuff independent of level-up! Used to be only wizards could learn things.

I don't see new language, skill or tool proficiencies in the character generation/above first level/classes sections anywhere. I think it's all about taking the time in-game.

Which I absolutely LOVE!

 

[Dausuul]

Unfortunately, if DM fiat's not in your vocabulary, 5e might be a bit of an issue.

The DM determines how much activity is needed, and he tells the players beforehand so there's no confusion.

This is not how DM fiat should be used. DM fiat is for oddball corner cases, not basic rules questions.

I agree with GX.Sigma, though, this is pretty obviously an oversight. If the intent was to forbid taking two short rests in a row, they would be explicit about when you could and couldn't take another short rest. These rules were written on the assumption you'd never want to take two short rests in a row.

 

[Ruin Explorer]

The page 52 sidebar pretty clearly only applies to trying to make a living outside civilization. So if you practice your profession (say, gemcutting) nowhere near civilization, you eke out a poor living while doing so. Maybe you can do something with your product once you get back; I don't know, it isn't specified.

I don't think it's clear, because I thought it meant that, but re-read it a number of times but couldn't get it to mean that, nor could I understand how "practicing your profession" outside of civilization would possibly work, or need to be mentioned. They should probably change that to not mention said profession, or explicitly say you can't use it, and have to live off the land - I don't feel like you could even really live off the land, totally unskilled, and still have time to "practice a profession" (even not making money), myself.

Still very impressive lifestyle for Gatherer-Hunters though! Sheesh! Those dumb sheep-farmers wish they had it that good! No wonder Druids and Rangers protect the wilds when they can get a Comfortable lifestyle from them!

Bench press is arms only. You add legs into that, and don't try to get it over your head, and you've got a deadlift.

The average man, after a month of training, can deadlift 290 pounds. Fantasy-medieval life might count as weight training.

Oh, deadlift, fair enough. Still a little skeptical that that should be STR 10, because I'm pretty sure any guy who can deadlift 290 isn't exactly average, and that month of training is fairly serious and involves a lot of calories, but there we go.

EDIT - I can't believe you need BOTH Musical Instrument Proficiency (one for each instrument type!) AND the Performance skill to give a musical performance, when those are stacked up against skills like Stealth, Athletics, Investigation, and so on, and proficiencies like Thieves Tools. I mean, I guess some people want to niche-protect the Bard, but this seems hilariously excessive.

EDIT EDIT - Maybe you don't, because you can only get Proficiency bonus once, but I have literally no idea what Musical Instrument Proficiency is even for if not - for Bards casting Ritual spells only, pretty much?

 

[Agamon]

This is not how DM fiat should be used. DM fiat is for oddball corner cases, not basic rules questions.

Maybe it's just my players (all four groups of them) that wouldn't have a problem with this because it pretty much is a corner case for us. That might also be why I can't imagine long arguments over it, either. Where do I apply for special snowflake status?

I agree with GX.Sigma, though, this is pretty obviously an oversight. If the intent was to forbid taking two short rests in a row, they would be explicit about when you could and couldn't take another short rest. These rules were written on the assumption you'd never want to take two short rests in a row.

This is the crux, I guess. I don't need the rules to explain to me what I can or can't do in my games.

 

[Remathilis]

P.52's sidebar directly contradicts this, which is what I'm referring to. A skilled professional PC only earns 2sp/day equivalent, apparently. A skilled NPC Hireling does indeed make 2gp/day. I guess NPCs have a better union than PCs or something?

Really, who joins the MurderHobo Union?

MHU Solidarity.