D&D 5E Idea to handle the "ghoul problem"

[JRRNeiklot]

It's not a problem, it's a feature.

 

[JasonZZ]

It's not a problem, it's a feature.

Nope. TPK bait as a common foe is most definitely *not* a feature.

 

[keterys]

Well, unless your group has turned on the "TPKs a-plenty" module, anyhow. That, too, is D&D.

 

[JasonZZ]

Well, unless your group has turned on the "TPKs a-plenty" module, anyhow. That, too, is D&D.

That's fine as an option. Not as mandatory, nor even as default.

 

[Pickles JG]

I think "in the real world" should be appended to that statement. In a world with magic, gods and demons its feasible you can gain training or experience in resisting things that'd be inconcievable to do likewise in our world. I think a big reflection of that in D&D is in the monk class, and the movies/stories/theology behind the class.

That is after all what hit points do Hit Points (& what is a level anyway?)

 

[JRRNeiklot]

Nope. TPK bait as a common foe is most definitely *not* a feature.

In your opinion.

 

[JRRNeiklot]

That's fine as an option. Not as mandatory, nor even as default.

Again, in YOUR opinion. Ghouls have been fine for 30 something years. Don't like them? Don't use them.

 

[Warbringer]

In your opinion.

Well given the designers concerns over almost creating that exact scenario and attempting to correct the rules to avoid the commonality of the outcome, they seem to be saying "bug" not "feature"...

 

[Stormonu]

That is after all what hit points do Hit Points (& what is a level anyway?)

Sure, that's great for effects that go through hit points. If you have effects that bypass HP - such as saves against ghoul paralysis, then you need some sort of scaling on that. A 1st level and a 20th level character having the same odds has never been how D&D has handled such things, and as long as the level system exists, it never should - even if the scaling is only +1 or +2 better.

Am I on some complete tangent here?

 

[Savage Wombat]

I think I'll say this just to gripe. Feel free to chew me out.

The problem with ghoul paralysis is that the PCs are overwhelmed in melee range - too many saves means they get hosed. What happens to the ghouls if you have range on them? They spend their time charging in, suffering arrows and fireballs, and get slaughtered. (In 3e/PF, they lose their multi-attack advantage too.) Maybe if your tactic for fighting ghouls is to stand there and let them hit you, you're doing it wrong. Maybe if your entire playstyle - regardless of edition - is to maximize your particular combat style, you're going to get hosed sometime. Maybe ghouls are fine the way they are - just like banshees.

Sometimes it feels like WotC's version of game play is to maximize "fun" at the expense of "skill."

OK, done griping.