D&D 5E Bounded Accuracy in 200 Words or Less

[Mistwell]

Thus if your character slays the dragon and low and behold finds that magical +1 longbow he always wanted in the horde but does not get 5% better to hit because he either still need a 2+ or a 20, then there is a problem.

Given the number of bonuses remaining in the game after the playtest such as +5 from paladin's devotion, +d4 from bless, +2 from archery mastery and +3 from elemental weapon, hitting on a 2+ is not at all uncommon.

Is it fixable? Oh yes, nerf Bless, remove + to hit from elemental weapon, magic weapon and from the magic item table and definitely get rid of paladin's ridiculous devotion bonus. But all of this should have been done during the playtest and never have made it to production, not when one of their claims was to have bounded accuracy because the result of all of this is it very blatantly doesn't.

Your views on this are well know - and not shared by anyone who actually plays the game, that I've seen, over the past year. I appreciate your consistency, but I think at this point the weight of the consensus is bounded accuracy works just fine, notwithstanding your objections.

 

[Reynard]

Thus if your character slays the dragon and low and behold finds that magical +1 longbow he always wanted in the horde but does not get 5% better to hit because he either still need a 2+ or a 20, then there is a problem.

Given the number of bonuses remaining in the game after the playtest such as +5 from paladin's devotion, +d4 from bless, +2 from archery mastery and +3 from elemental weapon, hitting on a 2+ is not at all uncommon.

Is it fixable? Oh yes, nerf Bless, remove + to hit from elemental weapon, magic weapon and from the magic item table and definitely get rid of paladin's ridiculous devotion bonus. But all of this should have been done during the playtest and never have made it to production, not when one of their claims was to have bounded accuracy because the result of all of this is it very blatantly doesn't.

Just to be clear, you are saying that the designers failed because a 17th level paladin with a maxed out charisma and an ability reserved for fighters has a good chance of successfully attacking a foe?

 

[Jester David]

The math of the game does not assume bonuses to numbers from higher ability scores, levels, magic items, and the like and any increases to accuracy are limited and increase more slowly.

The mechanics of the game itself do not assume that you have a 18-20 in your primary ability score, bump your attack stat, have a magic weapon, and take certain feats. Any increases beyond the low baseline are thus an actual improvement and make you better instead of just maintaining.

 

[Psikerlord#]

I think its by far and away 5e's best new idea.

Didnt 2e have a similar range of AC and saves. I do remember fighters hitting on 2+ though a lot. Hmm maybe it is a new idea with the extension to hit rates too.

 

[Jester David]

Thus if your character slays the dragon and low and behold finds that magical +1 longbow he always wanted in the horde but does not get 5% better to hit because he either still need a 2+ or a 20, then there is a problem.

Given the number of bonuses remaining in the game after the playtest such as +5 from paladin's devotion, +d4 from bless, +2 from archery mastery and +3 from elemental weapon, hitting on a 2+ is not at all uncommon.

Is it fixable? Oh yes, nerf Bless, remove + to hit from elemental weapon, magic weapon and from the magic item table and definitely get rid of paladin's ridiculous devotion bonus. But all of this should have been done during the playtest and never have made it to production, not when one of their claims was to have bounded accuracy because the result of all of this is it very blatantly doesn't.

Bounded accuracy doesn't mean that bonuses do not exist, just that bonuses are less common and provide and actual bonus.

 

[The Human Target]

Didnt 2e have a similar range of AC and saves. I do remember fighters hitting on 2+ though a lot. Hmm maybe it is a new idea with the extension to hit rates too.

By no means is it a totally original idea, but in regards to d20 D&D it is.

 

[The Crimson Binome]

Would anyone care to help this poor sod with a layman's explanation for this concept?

"Bounded Accuracy" is kind of a mis-nomer. It should be called "Bounded Difficulty".

The basic idea is that tasks don't really get harder over time, so a DC 20 is hard for a level 1 character and a DC 20 is still hard for a level 10 character. Characters do get slightly better, over the levels, but that just means they succeed more often at those DC 20 checks.

 

[CapnZapp]

Thus if your character slays the dragon and low and behold finds that magical +1 longbow he always wanted in the horde but does not get 5% better to hit because he either still need a 2+ or a 20, then there is a problem.

Given the number of bonuses remaining in the game after the playtest such as +5 from paladin's devotion, +d4 from bless, +2 from archery mastery and +3 from elemental weapon, hitting on a 2+ is not at all uncommon.

Is it fixable? Oh yes, nerf Bless, remove + to hit from elemental weapon, magic weapon and from the magic item table and definitely get rid of paladin's ridiculous devotion bonus. But all of this should have been done during the playtest and never have made it to production, not when one of their claims was to have bounded accuracy because the result of all of this is it very blatantly doesn't.

Ignore the above. This user trolls every thread on bounded accuracy with wild accusations but never acknowledging how all this only becomes possible if the DM actively wants it.

 

[JeffB]

I think its by far and away 5e's best new idea.

Yep.

And I meant to xp, not laugh

 

[KarinsDad]

The math of the game does not assume bonuses to numbers from higher ability scores, levels, magic items, and the like and any increases to accuracy are limited and increase more slowly.

The mechanics of the game itself do not assume that you have a 18-20 in your primary ability score, bump your attack stat, have a magic weapon, and take certain feats. Any increases beyond the low baseline are thus an actual improvement and make you better instead of just maintaining.

This is the key. Assumption. The game does not assume certain increases, but does account for them.