D&D General Why Exploration Is the Worst Pillar

[turnip_farmer]

I do that with combat too. If the character gets stabbed with a sword, I stab the player with a sword. It’s really important that players understand the pressure, man!

I do do this with combat, too. I shout at the players about the monster trying to eat their face, and shout over their attempts to discuss things with their comrades (usually while standing up and waving my arms frantically). They know I will take their turn away if they dither too long while their character stands motionless in abject. This makes the frantic and desperate struggle of combat feel frantic and desperate. People get excited and worried.

But, you know, there are many ways to play. If you think introducing a feeling of tension and excitement is too much like actually setting fire to the players when you cast fireball, I'm sure there are players out there who like the experience of roleplaing an exciting fantasy adventure to be sedate and dull.

 

[Asisreo]

I do do this with combat, too. I shout at the players about the monster trying to eat their face, and shout over their attempts to discuss things with their comrades (usually while standing up and waving my arms frantically). They know I will take their turn away if they dither too long while their character stands motionless in abject. This makes the frantic and desperate struggle of combat feel frantic and desperate. People get excited and worried.

But, you know, there are many ways to play. If you think introducing a feeling of tension and excitement is too much like actually setting fire to the players when you cast fireball, I'm sure there are players out there who like the experience of roleplaing an exciting fantasy adventure to be sedate and dull.

The image of a DM reaching over the table and over his screen to roar at me like a manticore terrifies me to my bones.

 

[turnip_farmer]

The image of a DM reaching over the table and over his screen to roar at me like a manticore terrifies me to my bones.

My roar is more akin to that of a chimaera.

 

[Morrus]

I'm sure there are players out there who like the experience of roleplaing an exciting fantasy adventure to be sedate and dull.

Blimey. Did I touch a nerve? Sorry, man. I was just joking.

 

[J.Quondam]

I do do this with combat, too. I shout at the players about the monster trying to eat their face, and shout over their attempts to discuss things with their comrades (usually while standing up and waving my arms frantically). They know I will take their turn away if they dither too long while their character stands motionless in abject. This makes the frantic and desperate struggle of combat feel frantic and desperate. People get excited and worried.

So... How do I subscribe to your game streaming channel???
Because this sounds amazing.

 

[Bedrockgames]

I do that with combat too. If the character gets stabbed with a sword, I stab the player with a sword. It’s really important that players understand the pressure, man!

It's little touches like this that can really bring a session to life. Swapping save versus death with Russian Roulette has really ratcheted up the tension in my home games.

 

[Bedrockgames]

Players are the characters. If the characters are under time pressure, players should be made to feel like they're under time pressure. And they should make bad decisions by being pressured. That's the point of pressure. That's why you play chess with a clock.

I do like adding things like time pressure. But I also think you have be extremely on the ball and fair when you do that kind of thing. If it isn't done in a way that seems above board and even handed, I think it can create distrust at the table.

 

[Eubani]

As I have said in other threads one of the biggest problems with exploration is the abilities, skills and spells that engage that space, they are either skip buttons or one and done. Abilities, skills and spells need to be designed in a way that they interact with the space to make it more interesting, not one use/roll and the problem is either skipped or solved.

 

[Asisreo]

As I have said in other threads one of the biggest problems with exploration is the abilities, skills and spells that engage that space, they are either skip buttons or one and done. Abilities, skills and spells need to be designed in a way that they engage in the space make it more interesting, not one use/roll and the problem is either skipped or solved.

I mean, up to a point. Eventually, the DM is just going to have to realize the same tricks won't work for higher level adventurers as they do with low-level adventurers. A chasm is a problem for a level 1-4 group, a level 5 one? maybe not.

You wouldn't pit a bandit captain solo boss against level 10 adventurers and expect anything but a massacre would you?

Another point is that while it may seem like the characters can do everything, they can't do everything. All characters have limits to spells known, spells prepared, or spells in their class list. While a group can attempt to cover as many bases as they can, they can't overcome everything with a single success.

At appropriately high-levels, throw it all at them. Throw them wild magic zones, portals to different planes, deadly traps and hazards, creatures which disguise themselves, environments that magically spoil food and water, hot weather, cold weather, natural fogs, magical fogs, powerful lairs, etc. Don't be shy and don't feel like you have to target. Sometimes, characters do have just the right spell for the job, but sometimes they just don't.

 

[mrpopstar]

Spells are such a low-hanging fruit in all this. If ever the group feels that exploration challenges are trivialized by certain choices, spell lists include other choices.