D&D 5E Things that make no sense rp wise

[Patrick McGill]

I've always taken AC as being a mixture of being harder to hit/some hits not meaning anything. When I describe combat and a player with heavier armor is missed, I very often describe it as a blow glancing harmlessly off the armor. While a sneakyboots-in-leather is missed entirely. That's all fluff.

 

[Tellerian Hawke]

Why not just analyze each situation on a case-by-case basis, and apply the Coup De Grace mechanic from 3.0/3.5 to the extreme examples?

Did you fall out of an airplane? Or off the side of a 300 foot cliff? Figure out the falling damage, apply it, then make a Fort save DC 10 + damage dealt or die.

Did you fall into Lava? Suffer the lava damage each round; also, at the end of each round, Fort save DC 10+ damage dealt or die.

Then you'll have a realistic result; lots of people dying from falling great distances, or falling into lava, or falling great distances into lava

 

[FickleGM]

It's not RAW, but it's 5e compatible.

 

[Ancalagon]

Are we talking about mechanism problems or role playing problems here?

 

[Lanliss]

Are we talking about mechanism problems or role playing problems here?

I believe it is mechanism things that cause role play issues(like the fall damage rules allowing people to pull off the mammoth trick, which makes no sense.)

 

[ExploderWizard]

Falling Damage

Why not just analyze each situation on a case-by-case basis, and apply the Coup De Grace mechanic from 3.0/3.5 to the extreme examples?

Did you fall out of an airplane? Or off the side of a 300 foot cliff? Figure out the falling damage, apply it, then make a Fort save DC 10 + damage dealt or die.

Did you fall into Lava? Suffer the lava damage each round; also, at the end of each round, Fort save DC 10+ damage dealt or die.

Then you'll have a realistic result; lots of people dying from falling great distances, or falling into lava, or falling great distances into lava

Lets not forget that D&D land is a VERY unrealistic place.

Does it matter how far you fall if you are immune to nonmagical bludgeoning damage? Creatures that require magical weapons to damage can fall from the stratosphere and be just fine. Their top is made out of rubber! Their bottom is made out of spring!

As for lava the rule can be simplified to- YOU DIE. Unless of course you are completely immune to fire damage in which case you merely take falling damage. If you are immune to both nonmagical bludgeoning and fire then you are fine.

D&D provides oh so many exceptions to reality.

 

[Tellerian Hawke]

Well, if your character is lucky enough to have those cool powers and immunities, more power to ya I have no problem with that. I run an epic campaign where such things are routine (because of items such as Rings of Universal Elemental Immunity) and most battles begin with both sides casting Mordenkainen's Disjunction! LOL

But before your powers can have any meaning, and/or make you special, there has to be a base system in place that makes such dangers lethal. Then, when you get that item or ability that allows you to circumvent the lethality, you can boast with pride about how special you are, and you can feel proud of your accomplishment.

 

[Lanliss]

Well, if your character is lucky enough to have those cool powers and immunities, more power to ya I have no problem with that. I run an epic campaign where such things are routine (because of items such as Rings of Universal Elemental Immunity) and most battles begin with both sides casting Mordenkainen's Disjunction! LOL

But before your powers can have any meaning, and/or make you special, there has to be a base system in place that makes such dangers lethal. Then, when you get that item or ability that allows you to circumvent the lethality, you can boast with pride about how special you are, and you can feel proud of your accomplishment.

Until such time as the DM introduces the opposing threat to that which you have immunity against, and you die like everyone else.

 

[Guest 6801328]

Because if an elephant falls from an airplane, you get elephant burgers, not a living elephant.

Are you sure?

I think it's worth an experiment to find out.

I'll bet you could get GoPro sponsorship.

 

[Ancalagon]

I believe it is mechanism things that cause role play issues(like the fall damage rules allowing people to pull off the mammoth trick, which makes no sense.)

That particular one is so easy to fix though - larger creatures have a higher max damage from falling, end of story.