Ive just never known a game where balance rests in the hands of the players.
Where did I suggest that? You are good at inventing strawmen. It's twice now you've accused me of a position I've never taken.
No, that's a false analogy.
You preferring not to use a game mechanic (even an optional one) is fine. Demanding other players do so as well due to your own preferences, probably isnt. Demanding to be given 20's in all your stats isnt even the same ball park. There is a difference there, surely you can see it?
I can't. So why don't you spell out the difference?
I thought you said, you personally dont like feats as a player.
Any reason another player cant take feats?
They are banned in the campaign we are in.
That's not 'mechanics' man, nor is it 'DM fiat'. Its down to many Monsters wanting to deal with the Great Weapon Master action surging 6 foot tall superiority dice spamming dood in Full plate trying to carve his face in with a Greatsword thats on fire.
Did you forget I said "if the monster wanted to". Obviously your monsters don't ever want to go after the casters - though I don't think you have a great justification for it. By the way, you do recall that the question was, If they did want to go after the casters what would be stopping them?
Generally a meatshield, a cleric, a spellcaster, a trap guy/ skill monkey and a 5th wheel or backup.
Generally we play whatever we want and to heck with filling roles for the sake of filling roles. We do tend to like to not be the same class though.
It's literally the first thing every new player has asked me when they join for like 35 years of playing this game. 'What's in the party?' They want to know so they can create something to mesh with the party.
I ask the same question. Usually it's so I don't create something to similar to someone else.
Standing in the doorway or hallway a of a dungeon while the Wizard stands 40' back is the best way.
I don't believe that such a significant portion of your encounters have doorways for the fighters to block that this is even worth considering. And what's 40ft got to do with it? Why wouldn't said monster dash to the wizard if it wanted to attack him? Interestingly enough that dash it also puts the GWF out of range of attacking him next turn.
But barbarians using reckless attack and posing a tempting target. Cavaliers by using their own protection abilities. The Protection fighting style. Tripping attack or menacing attack or pushing attack with a Battlemaster to keep the monster at bay. Booming blade on an Eldritch knight. Spirit guardians on an Ancestor Barbarian. Wolf totem making you a tempting target. Compelled duel for a Paladin, Crown oath for a Crown Paladin. Grabbing the creature on your turn. Knocking it prone on your turn. Not wanting to risk a free attack of opportinity from a raging greatsword monster that just clobbered it for 40 damamge.
You are really reaching with most of this here.
And just being a big angry scary dude.
That's the real method. Which is 99% DM Fiat. The DM doesn't have the monster want to run past the big scary dude.
Again, I love how you're opposed to feats, when you identify that feats (namely Sentinel) is one other way to lock down a monster, which is something you seem to desire in your games.
I don't desire feats but I'm an optimizer and I know the feats very well. I don't believe you should need a feat to offer enemies some meaningful resistance to moving past you. I believe gating something so basic behind a feat is a detriment to the game.
