D&D General Tech in DnD; What should be included and how much is too much? (+)

[Steampunkette]

is this for the martial artistry book you mentioned a while back?

as for the OP, i guess that depends by what you mean by "included in the game". if you mean the base rules, i think level up's/one dnd's approximate tech level (pretty solidly late medieval/early renaissance) is about right, at least in terms of providing options. if you mean in a setting, that obviously depends on what you're going for. i like the idea of early renaissance personally, but i've found i've got a soft spot for victoriana (thanks, zeitgeist).

That's the one. Four classes with subclasses, subclasses for other classes, martial traditions...

 

[Tonguez]

Anyways I took a closer look at things from the 1800s and realized that these might exist if a campaign setting is in the 1800s.
Camera Photography (mid 1800)
Modern Indoor plumbing (mid 1800)
Household electricity (late 1800)
Gramophones/Phonographs (late 1800)

Yeah pretty much after the mid 1800s (1850 0n) we’re essentially in the ‘late modern era’ thats leading in to WW1. Most of us going back to that time period probably wouldnt be able to tell the difference between the late Victorian and Edwardian age, or American progressive era.
The technologies all there, though not exactly widespread until much later (ie post WW2) but PCs in RPGs tend to get to experience the cutting edge of their era, rather than normal life..

 

[Laurefindel]

As a player, no character of mine will EVER use or carry a “slugthrowing” firearm. You wanna give me a flamethrower or some sort of futuristic raygun? Sign me up!

"Hokey religions and ancient weapons are no match for a good blaster at your side, kid."

- Elminster, probably...

 

[Laurefindel]

Yeah pretty much after the mid 1800s (1850 0n) we’re essentially in the ‘late modern era’ thats leading in to WW1. Most of us going back to that time period probably wouldnt be able to tell the difference between the late Victorian and Edwardian age, or American progressive era.
The technologies all there, though not exactly widespread until much later (ie post WW2) but PCs in RPGs tend to get to experience the cutting edge of their era, rather than normal life..

But i think this is one of the reasons why many people are "afraid" of unleashing technology in their (high) fantasy; our own history teaches us that technology grows at an exponential rate. From roughly 1750 on, the "genre" of the game changes every 50 year, every 25 years from 1850, and then pretty much every decade from the 1900's on. While I suspect that most campaigns play within a month or two of in-game time (maybe 10 years for long-running campaigns), it still is intimidating. There is a certain comfort in knowing that in 100 years, your Forgotten Realms will only be slightly different on the geopolitical scale and virtually unchanged technologically (and magically) speaking.

Even Eberron gets my DM head spinning when projecting in the near future, and that setting is already shattering many D&D (classical) settings expectations.

 

[MichaelSomething]

You wanna give me a flamethrower or some sort of futuristic raygun? Sign me up!

A flamethrower shouldn't be considered just modern tech. There was Greek Fire before the Middle Ages.

 

[CleverNickName]

Firebolt stats:
You hurl a mote of fire at a creature or object within range. Make a ranged spell attack against the target. On a hit, the target takes 1d10 fire damage. A flammable object hit by this spell ignites if it isn't being worn or carried.
This spell's damage increases by 1d10 when you reach 5th level (2d10), 11th level (3d10), and 17th level (4d10).

Futuristic Raygun Stats:
You hurl shoot a mote beam of fire at a creature or object within range. Make a ranged spell attack against the target. On a hit, the target takes 1d10 fire damage. A flammable object hit by this spell ignites if it isn't being worn or carried.
This spell attack's damage increases by 1d10 when you reach 5th level (2d10), 11th level (3d10), and 17th level (4d10).

 

[Azzy]

A flamethrower shouldn't be considered just modern tech. There was Greek Fire before the Middle Ages.

Yep. Ship-based flamethrowers and handheld flamethrowers were used by the Byzantine Greeks in the 7th century. The Chinese used cart-mounted ones in the 10th century. So, they're something that could fit in most D&D settings.

 

[Mecheon]

I'm surprised how many folks say guns take them right out of it. Mind, I am unabashed about my hefty influence from WoW

So uh, I guess whatever tech level WoW is, the vaguely Renaissance that also allows for airships, zeppelins, trains and even the occaisonal actual plane or gyrocopter, but also there's the occaisonal really high tech thing that crashes down or is uncovered

 

[ezo]

I'm surprised how many folks say guns take them right out of it.

I'm not. I've never played with a group that allowed "guns" of any sort. I know some modules in 1E had stuff like ray guns, etc. and in the AD&D DMG there is cross-over info for Boot Hill, etc. if you want western guns and dynamite, etc.

Swords and Sorcery / Medieval Fantasy, which D&D is primarily (almost entirely, really) based on, shouldn't have the tech-level for guns and such. Sure, expansions like Spelljammer brought it in for the minority of players who wanted it, but even that was never very popular IME.

Sure, there are other types of Fantasy (Sci-Fi for example), but if I want those games, I play something other than D&D.

I'd rather not play than play with a group who plays like many of the people have posted here---it's fine for them, of course, just not for me and I wouldn't enjoy it. But I understand for them it makes it more fun, which is cool if that is what it takes for them to enjoy it.

 

[Incenjucar]

Personally if I'm going to be mixing guns and fantasy I'll go full cyberpunk future so we can have imps with laser blasters and dragons with shoulder mounted gatling guns with smart ammo and succubi who teleport through cursed dating apps.