ParanoydStyle
Peace Among Worlds
So, I've been playing a fair amount of 5E lately, at an FLGS that rather incredibly has eight tables that are reliably packed with D&D players every week. I've noticed that most DMs are using a house-rule-they-don't-seem-to-know-is-a-house-rule (got to be a shorter way of putting that, but you know what I mean, someone seems convinced "it's in the book somewhere" when you know damn well it isn't) for Natural 1 = Critical Failure. Personally, yuck. I think I've reached a point where I like Critfails to be possible for enemies, but not PCs. Then again, this is informed by the fact that I am in all other respects a merciless killer DM whose dice luck clearly thirsts for the lives of players. I've also noticed that everyone rolls for damage and no one uses the average damage provided in monster stat blocks. This is whatever, I just find it interesting that no one's going for the average damage option when it's so out front.
And I've noticed that no one uses the Inspiration rules. At all. Ever. I've even tried to be a proactive player and point out the excellence of my roleplaying to my alignment, personality traits, ideals, bonds, and flaws, all of which put me in quite a dangerous in-game situation, and got a half-apologetic weak sauce "we don't really use it that way". For the most part, players seem to self-police in terms of their PCs' roleplaying, and DMs seem too busy with every other aspect of playing to worry about granting inspiration. If 5E hadn't gone to the trouble of baking the Inspiration mechanic and traits' into the core game and character creation, it's really weird people are ignoring it. To me, on a game design level, Inspiration, ideals, bonds, and flaws are the main thing that distinguish 5E from other editions (other than that, it's a lot like 3.5X with all the numbers cut way down to size and characters put back on the RNG, which is fine by me but I digress).
How often do you use Inspiration in your D&D 5E game? I tried to make this a poll but I did not see the option. Anyway, literally never? Once every few sessions? At least once a session? Or do you reference characters' traits, ideals, and bonds about as often as you reference the combat rules? And is it always awarded by the DM or are players encouraged to remind the DM to give it out when the DM may be forgetting?
Very curious, thanks.
And I've noticed that no one uses the Inspiration rules. At all. Ever. I've even tried to be a proactive player and point out the excellence of my roleplaying to my alignment, personality traits, ideals, bonds, and flaws, all of which put me in quite a dangerous in-game situation, and got a half-apologetic weak sauce "we don't really use it that way". For the most part, players seem to self-police in terms of their PCs' roleplaying, and DMs seem too busy with every other aspect of playing to worry about granting inspiration. If 5E hadn't gone to the trouble of baking the Inspiration mechanic and traits' into the core game and character creation, it's really weird people are ignoring it. To me, on a game design level, Inspiration, ideals, bonds, and flaws are the main thing that distinguish 5E from other editions (other than that, it's a lot like 3.5X with all the numbers cut way down to size and characters put back on the RNG, which is fine by me but I digress).
How often do you use Inspiration in your D&D 5E game? I tried to make this a poll but I did not see the option. Anyway, literally never? Once every few sessions? At least once a session? Or do you reference characters' traits, ideals, and bonds about as often as you reference the combat rules? And is it always awarded by the DM or are players encouraged to remind the DM to give it out when the DM may be forgetting?
Very curious, thanks.