D&D 5E Being strong and skilled is a magic of its own or, how I learned to stop worrying and love anime fightin' magic

[payn]

Every PC should have to give "why are you special" as part of there origin... but "Because I am stubborn and never stop" has to be as valid as "I am the son of a god" and both should be way above commoners

I think thats fine, but it certainly is not default or part of any D&D game I have played.

Kind of like 13th Age's "one unique thing".

See what I mean?

 

[Haplo781]

I think thats fine, but it certainly is not default or part of any D&D game I have played.

Are you suggesting the game should never evolve or change in any way? Because if so you should really be playing this.

 

[payn]

Are you suggesting the game should never evolve or change in any way? Because if so you should really be playing this.

What is the befit of all PCs being special? I mean, so much so that it has to exclude PCs that are not.

 

[Haplo781]

What is the befit of all PCs being special? I mean, so much so that it has to exclude PCs that are not.

The benefit is that people want it.

You don't, that's fine. You can just not take those options.

 

[Maxperson]

This might be why folks need Gods blood and spider bites to explain why their PC is more magical then everybody else.

I don't know, I've seen both martials and casters use gods blood or other magical past to explain their martial/spellcasting powers.

 

[GMforPowergamers]

I think thats fine, but it certainly is not default or part of any D&D game I have played.

officially I don't think I have every had a DM ask... they have all just assumed we had our backgrounds our origins and our "oh we aren't a commoner any more" moment, even if we never officially state it

 

[payn]

I just use them as modern mythology we can all understand. I like angel summoner and BMX bandit... but I have been told (a few years ago now) that it was a BAD example of 5e so I stopped doing it...

I think the gulf was shortened in 5E, but clearly BMX bandit and Angel summoner is still an issue with all the arguments.

this is why I want MORE classes... give us more options

Class is not the issue, it wont fix the problem. What is needed is a descriptive expectation of the leveling system. Then, adherence to those levels. No more "fireball is overpowered at level 3, but has to be because people expect it to be." Either fireball should be weaker at first entrance, or its entrance should be pushed further down the line at a higher level. Martials should get similar power ups at expected levels.

 

[Maxperson]

Commoners don't have class levels. You can't lop the top off a mountain without training for the same reason you can't cast a fireball without training.

Sorcerers don't have training. It's all intuitive for them. Commoners are also not magic in any sense. I reject that premise as it does not match up with anything D&D in any edition has ever stated.

The world being fantastical makes these things possible, but not everyone has the talent, the dedication, or the experience to actually pull it off.\

I get that. When a martial character starts being able to do things that surpass what is possible, they enter the supernatural(magic) state as the reason they can do those things. They train there physically, but the ability is quasi-magical in nature.

Using Orcus as a baseball bat is the D&D equivalent of swimming the English Channel.

A 14 year old school girl from Sacramento swam the English Channel. How well do you think she would do against Orcus?

 

[GMforPowergamers]

What is the befit of all PCs being special? I mean, so much so that it has to exclude PCs that are not.

it excludes commoners that can cast fireball or chop off mountain or fight a red dragon 1 on 1... it is more an excuse to level. I mean you can just as easily have a moment in game 1 or 2... but it still needs to be "Not anyone can do this... but YOU can" it doesn't have to be just PCs... there are some number of NPCs that are too... but most of the world are commonors

 

[payn]

it excludes commoners that can cast fireball or chop off mountain or fight a red dragon 1 on 1... it is more an excuse to level. I mean you can just as easily have a moment in game 1 or 2... but it still needs to be "Not anyone can do this... but YOU can" it doesn't have to be just PCs... there are some number of NPCs that are too... but most of the world are commonors

Thats already excluded by the leveling system. High level characters are rare in the setting, but anybody can become one. You dont have to be a unicorn to explain it in a fantasy world.