Do YOU nod to "realism"?

[D'karr]

I nod to it, much in the same manner that Captain Jack Sparrow loves to wave at the opportunity of doing the right thing, as it passes by.

 

[Hussar]

You get some big crabs (arthropods) though, and back when there was more oxygen in the atmosphere there were giant 8' long milipedes crawling around. Giant insects are not a huge stretch of Physics.

The problem being, of course, in an atmosphere which would allow for 8 foot millepedes, we'd die in short order.

 

[S'mon]

The problem being, of course, in an atmosphere which would allow for 8 foot millepedes, we'd die in short order.

Maybe our lungs would be smaller?

 

[AbdulAlhazred]

Meh, you can breath 100% pure oxygen with no ill effects. At worst really minor physiological adjustments would take care of it. Of course there would be real differences in say a Mississipian type 40% oxygen world. Bugs would be bigger (though still not man sized, an 8' millipede still wouldn't be THAT impressive, dragonflies hit 2' wingspan or so, still not big enough to hurt a human).

OTOH fire would be FAR more dangerous and easier to start. At that pressure of oxygen you'd also have more endurance. So would everything else.

Clearly that level of realism starts to become more effort than it is worth. D&D fantasy worlds simply don't fundamentally work on the basis of physics as we understand it, even by default. EVERYTHING is driven by some sort of 'magical' forces.

 

[Lum The Mad]

Keep your realism out of my fantasy +1


Really,if i want realism I will go run around my backyard.

The game lacks any sort of realism,its a game!

Really?

So if someone in your game needs to break down a door, why don't you check his Wisdom score? Checking for Strength would be too realistic, right?

And if a dwarf with 3 Charisma and no social skills whatsoever wants to seduce the elven princess - more power to him! Who cares about "realism"? It's just a fantasy game, right?

 

[UngeheuerLich]

I would assume, 100% pure oxygen would be impossible as it heavyly reacts with most elements... and i guess, that a fire would start VERY easily, consumes everything very fast, would be burning very hot, and be nearly unxtinguishable...

 

[Tallifer]

I have no problem with using my imagination to justify the effects of a exploit or spell in combat.

However, I prefer realism when it comes to social situations in fantasy roleplaying. Pre-modern technology goes hand in hand with pre-modern society: slavery and serfdom are lawful, aristocracy has its privileges (even republics are based on wealth not democracy), gender roles are traditional, witchcraft is considered wicked, demonic and divine activity explain the inexplicable or unusual phenomena of life, entertainers are considered dangerous gypsies or whores and panders.

 

[Dice4Hire]

Really?

So if someone in your game needs to break down a door, why don't you check his Wisdom score? Checking for Strength would be too realistic, right?

And if a dwarf with 3 Charisma and no social skills whatsoever wants to seduce the elven princess - more power to him! Who cares about "realism"? It's just a fantasy game, right?

When one wants to try to use realism to beat the fantasy out of fantasy, that is the problem.

 

[Hussar]

I have no problem with using my imagination to justify the effects of a exploit or spell in combat.

However, I prefer realism when it comes to social situations in fantasy roleplaying. Pre-modern technology goes hand in hand with pre-modern society: slavery and serfdom are lawful, aristocracy has its privileges (even republics are based on wealth not democracy), gender roles are traditional, witchcraft is considered wicked, demonic and divine activity explain the inexplicable or unusual phenomena of life, entertainers are considered dangerous gypsies or whores and panders.

See, this I really don't want in my fantasy settings. For one, your "pre-modern society" is limited to feudal Europe. After all, not every feudal society had serfs/slaves. Gender roles throughout history have been dicey things to pin down as well. Sure, the higher end of the society has its privileges, but, even then, it sometimes came with some pretty hefty prices as well.

I mean, there's no specific reason for gender roles to be the same in a fantasy setting. I loved the fact that Steven Erikson, in his Malazan books, completely ejected all gender roles by and large and made sexual equality pretty standard.

After all, why would an elven society, where you have citizens with lifespans lasting centuries (pre-4e anyway) even remotely look like human ones? Why should dwarven societies practice slavery? Slavery was practiced, by and large again, for economic reasons. Is it economical to keep slaves in a subterranean nation? I don't know.

The whole faux-Europe thing really needs to die a nasty death in fantasy. It's so bloody cliche.

 

[Dice4Hire]

The whole faux-Europe thing really needs to die a nasty death in fantasy. It's so bloody cliche.

I agree. I really try to avoid the whole Europe thing, or indeed historical settings in general. Too much trouble and room for trouble for me.