D&D 5E UA - Into the Wild

[guachi]

I liked this enough I tweeted Mearls to give us more. Basically, I said that with the increased popularity of D&D we need more rules and advice to help all the new DMs. The UA was a five page Wilderness Survival Guide.

At least, I assume there are lots of new DMs.

A for concept, B for execution.

 

[Ristamar]

Also I would avoid any encounters which do not "progress the story".

I strongly disagree, but that's an entirely separate discussion that's already racked up a lot of mileage across many forums and blogs and isn't likely to be fruitful.

The big flaw in "navigation DC" is - so let's assume the characters roll bad on this one. They don't reach their destination. Nothing happens. Passivity.

Nothing happens? One would assume the PCs continue their efforts to find their destination of choice. At the very least, they have to get back to civilization, so to speak. That's hardly passive, it's just a question of desire and aptitude. The PCs should not be required to reach their destination.

 

[MagicSN]

Nothing happens? One would assume the PCs continue their efforts to find their destination of choice. At the very least, they have to get back to civilization, so to speak. That's hardly passive, it's just a question of desire and aptitude. The PCs should not be required to reach their destination.

Then it's basically "I try the same again". I still think this not a good choice.

About "requiring to reach their destination" - if this is what they want to do - to reach this destination, it gives us dicing instead of story. I would recommend to do this without dicing tables. Story-based. But it might of course be a matter of RPG-ing style.

About random encounters, yes, they have been discussed a lot, but I still think them an absolutely awful mechanics and all at my table agree. Why random, if you can do it "in-story"? But right, this discussion probably does not belong here, I agree.

 

[Ristamar]

Then it's basically "I try the same again". I still think this not a good choice.

There are (or should be) consequences for trying again. Time and resources are limited. If the tax to find or reach the destination is negligible, there shouldn't be any checks involved. Just let the party fast forward to their destination and ignore these types of mechanics.

 

[Istbor]

There are (or should be) consequences for trying again. Time and resources are limited. If the tax to find or reach the destination is negligible, there shouldn't be any checks involved. Just let the party fast forward to their destination and ignore these types of mechanics.

Which is fine if your group isn't into exploration or travel.

This document are for those who are.

If nothing else I like the concise template it presents for creating a region from the DMs perspective. I am always looking for better ways to organize my thoughts and notes in the case that a return to the region is made, or a new group enters my swamp of DOOM! I like to then be consistent. Think it could also help create regions that could become a favorite to the group or a player/character.
But I dig world building stuff. So... to each their own.

 

[Ristamar]

Which is fine if your group isn't into exploration or travel.

This document are for those who are.

As a simplistic point crawl, I think it's a decent start with a notable gaps. Like others have already stated, I hope this UA gets revisited, refined, and expanded.

 

[lukka5]

Only found useful the "Describing the Wilds" section.

 

[MechaTarrasque]

Is it too early to start speculating that 2019's splat book will be Drizzt's Guide to Dangerous Destinations?

 

[Charlaquin]

There are (or should be) consequences for trying again. Time and resources are limited. If the tax to find or reach the destination is negligible, there shouldn't be any checks involved. Just let the party fast forward to their destination and ignore these types of mechanics.

Agreed, but isn’t a consequence for trying again exactly what the risk of random encounters provides?

 

[maceochaid]

This is somewhat interesting, but in my Planescape campaign I'm adapting the 5E Middle Earth rules, and I'm infinitely more excited for it. I appreciate how they come up with a much more interesting understanding of how to make the failure of the DC do something other than "they don't reach the Dungeon that is the whole point of my adventure so I'm going to wind up fudging that DC because otherwise I have no game to run"