D&D 5E What is the appeal of the weird fantasy races?

[Scott Christian]

So..I guess I'll say this again. D&D settings are imaginary.

That includes the physics. There are no specified gravitational constants, or coefficients of friction. Hell, grid-based combat doesnt even employ Euclidean geometry. The only truly applicable 'physical laws' are the ones specified in the rules. Anything beyond that is the DM making rulings for how they think their imaginary world should work.

There are no specified constants because it is implied. It is implied through almost every rule WotC wrote down. Here are a few for you:

• Falling damage
• Encumbrance
• Strength damage
• Size of creatures taking up area
• Volume
• Range of weapons being thrown or fired

There are a few hundred more. But if you insist they are not implied, again, because dragons can fly, then there is no debate. Draw the line wherever you want. (And for the record, they do use geometry, but opt for a simplified version so people aren't pulling out their TI84 graphing calculator during game play. You know, because some might find that immersion breaking. Very much like people keep explaining to you how no physics breaks their immersion.

 

[Scott Christian]

Rest assured that if you joined my game, that the actions your player could take would be those that I feel are consistent with my way of viewing how that world should work and my understanding of the game's rules, and would be no more or less objectively 'real' than any other game of D&D.

I agree. Your table, run it the way you and your players like. But, if I am the one player that is not happy, shouldn't you bend the rules for me?

 

[Oofta]

One other thing when it comes to centaurs. This whole concept of reality + magic is not unique to centaurs. I have a halfling in my group and there are times they can go places that other PCs can't because of their size and weight. Someone that weighs 50 lbs (with equipment because they're a monk) may be able to walk across that thin ice with no problem. The other big burly fighter PC that weighs 5 times as much with that full plate and equipment is going to fall right through. Of course the halfling can't always reach the top shelf either.

I'd give the fighter a warning about the ice, but no amount of imagination overcomes basic physics unless there's magic involved. I don't worry too much about being realistic (I don't think it adds anything to the game) but a line has to be drawn somewhere. Where that line is drawn will vary based on preference.

 

[Minigiant]

This is why the half-man, half-spider Spider-Clan in my upcoming beastfolk campaign have a climb speed and illusion magic.

 

[Maxperson]

I'd give the fighter a warning about the ice, but no amount of imagination overcomes basic physics unless there's magic involved. I don't worry too much about being realistic (I don't think it adds anything to the game) but a line has to be drawn somewhere. Where that line is drawn will vary based on preference.

This bears repeating, because I think there are some here who don't understand that realism exists on a spectrum in D&D and we all draw the lines in different places.

 

[Oofta]

This is why the half-man, half-spider Spider-Clan in my upcoming beastfolk campaign have a climb speed and illusion magic.

Spider-Centaur, Spider-Centaur,
Does whatever a Spider-Centaur does
Can he swing from a web?
No he can't he's a centaur
Look out!
He is Spider-Centaur

 

[MGibster]

I'd give the fighter a warning about the ice, but no amount of imagination overcomes basic physics unless there's magic involved. I don't worry too much about being realistic (I don't think it adds anything to the game) but a line has to be drawn somewhere. Where that line is drawn will vary based on preference.

Verisimilitude, the appearance of being real. Note that it isn't about being real just appearing to be real. Personally, I find that any setting with fantastical elements needs something to keep it grounded in reality just so I can relate to it.

 

[Minigiant]

Spider-Centaur, Spider-Centaur,
Does whatever a Spider-Centaur does
Can he swing from a web?
No he can't he's a centaur
Look out!
He is Spider-Centaur

It's

Spidertaur. Spidertaur
Casting illusions is what he's for
Swings from webs super quick
No he's not. It's just a trick
Oh man. Here comes that Spidertaur
Why is my wallet on the floor?
WHER'S MY MONEY! GODSDAMNIT! STINKIN' SPIDERTAURS! ALWAYS USING ILLUSIONS AND TRAPS TO TAKE THINGS THAT DON'T BELONG TO YOU! WHY DON'T YOU ALL GET REAL JOBS!

 

[billd91]

So..I guess I'll say this again. D&D settings are imaginary.

That includes the physics. There are no specified gravitational constants, or coefficients of friction. Hell, grid-based combat doesnt even employ Euclidean geometry. The only truly applicable 'physical laws' are the ones specified in the rules. Anything beyond that is the DM making rulings for how they think their imaginary world should work.

That may be literally true, but our understanding of how the fictional game world works is based on our own understanding of the world around us (with exceptions for genre conventions). TTRPGs depend on this because they don't have the time/space needed to define all of them. Without them, how are the players supposed to have a mental model of what to expect when they try to do something, when they interact with something, when they walk out in the street?

Further centaurs (like every D&D race) are also imaginary, which means their physical structure and capabilities are wholly mutable, except for those structures established in the rules (which by the way includes that they are medium creatures and can climb at 1/4 speed).

Yes, they are. How ridiculous is a half-man/half-horse? That's pretty fantastic right there. But they are defined as half-man/half-horse. And that is going to mean something even if undefined as rules.

 

[Chaosmancer]

I don't change things one way or another for any PC. If it makes sense for there to be a cliff, there will be a cliff.

The world does not change for any PC and a centaur could not climb a cliff.

Since I need to respond to Oofta seperately, these are coming from waaay back.

But, would there not exist equipment for helping to lift the centaur or lower it up or down the cliff? If there is a challenge, then would people not develop tools to combat said challenge?