D&D 5E What Does a Strength 20 Look Like (In Real Life)?

[Flamestrike]

I think the trouble is with the way that the rules describe Strength. If we wanted Strength to model the real-world, and I'm not saying that we do, the amounts given for lifting and carrying capacity would need to change. At the very least.

No, you're looking at Strength in isolation of other feats or class features or skills.

Some power lifter likely has a Feat, Class Feature, Skill or other ability that lets him lift more than his Strength score indicates.

PCs dont run off raw ability scores alone when doing things, why should anyone else?

 

[CleverNickName]

No, you're looking at Strength in isolation of other feats or class features or skills.

Some power lifter likely has a Feat, Class Feature, Skill or other ability that lets him lift more than his Strength score indicates.

PCs dont run off raw ability scores alone when doing things, why should anyone else?

No, I'm looking at the entry for Long Jump, on page 182 of the Player's Handbook. It flatly states that you cover a horizontal distance equal to your Strength score. Equal to. There is no mention of feats or features, and no mention of any dice roll.* The distance is the number, according to the rules. (shrug) No rolls are made.

Same for holding your breath. The number of minutes you can hold your breath is equal to 1 + your Constitution modifier. There are no feats or skill checks or DCs.


*Unless you are trying to clear a low obstacle, or landing on difficult terrain. Only these specific circumstances call for dice.)

 

[Flamestrike]

No, I'm looking at the entry for Long Jump, on page 182 of the Player's Handbook. It flatly states that you cover a horizontal distance equal to your Strength score. Equal to. There is no mention of feats or features, and no mention of any dice roll.* The distance is the number, according to the rules. (shrug)

Same for holding your breath. The number of minutes you can hold your breath is equal to 1 + your Constitution modifier. There are no feats or skill checks or DCs.


*Unless you are trying to clear a low obstacle, or landing on difficult terrain. Only these specific circumstances call for dice.)

Monks of 2nd level can jump far further.

Yoire looking at ability scores in isolation of other attributes the athlete may have.

 

[CleverNickName]

Monks of 2nd level can jump far further.

Yoire looking at ability scores in isolation of other attributes the athlete may have.

I'm pretty sure I'm looking at the rules for a long jump.

 

[Cap'n Kobold]

Monks of 2nd level can jump far further.

Yoire looking at ability scores in isolation of other attributes the athlete may have.

They use magic to achieve feats like that. D&D monks do not exist in the real world.

 

[Flamestrike]

They use magic to achieve feats like that. D&D monks do not exist in the real world.

DnD nothing exists in the real world.

 

[Flamestrike]

I'm pretty sure I'm looking at the rules for a long jump.

• Champion Fighter – Remarkable Athlete: This ability adds your Strength modifier to the long distance jump distance of your character.
• Monk – Step of the Wind: For the cost of a ki point, all Monks can double their jump distance for a turn in addition to getting the benefit of the Disengage or Dash action.

A Champion 7, Monk 2, with a relatively low Strength of 14 could literally long jump 30 feet, matching the world record. With a Strength of 18 this becomes 40 feet, exceeding the world record by 10 feet.

For PCs with the same or similar distances, the DM would certainly allow an opposed Athletics check to exceed those maximums.

You're assuming the feats you see athletes do are down to ability scores alone. Why on earth would you think that? They literally have dedicated, specialized training in what they do (feats etc),

 

[CleverNickName]

No, you're looking at ...

You're assuming...

You keep saying that I'm doing these things...looking at certain things, assuming other things, but I'm not. I promise, I'm only looking at the rules for a long jump, as they are written on page 182 of the Player's Handbook. Those rules are pretty clear.

 

[Flamestrike]

You keep saying that I'm doing these things...looking at certain things, assuming other things, but I'm not. I promise, I'm only looking at the rules for a long jump, as they are written on page 182 of the Player's Handbook. Those rules are pretty clear.

There are rules elsewhere - that effect jump distance - you're ignoring though!

It's like watching a video of some expert marksman and trying to judge his Dexterity score. There are likely other class features, feats and class levels (i.e. specialized training) in play (sharpshooter, archery style etc).

Let me ask you this. Do professional Olympic athletes and World class strongmen and power lifters have specialized dedicated training in what they're doing? The sort of thing, represented in the game by Class levels and Class features, Proficiencies and Feats?

 

[Crimson Longinus]

Officially, a Large creature can carry and lift twice what a Medium creature of the same Strength can. Huge is double that (4x), and Gargantuan double that (8x).

So officially, a dragon turtle can carry 25 x 15 x 8 = 3000 lbs. and lift 25 x 30 x 8 = 6000 lbs. About six times Hafthor's record here.

(Also, the dragon turtle's Strength 25 is basically a Medium creature's Str 200...)

Which still is way less than one would expect. You'd think a dragon turtle could easily carry an elephant. But no it can't. Stone giant can lift about the twice what Hafthor can. You'd think they would be massively powerful, being able to hurl big boulders, but no. The strength math is just broken.