D&D (2024) Fighter brainstorm

[Emberashh]

That's great, but they lack the versatility of Bobby Hill yelling "That's my purse".

Improvise Action is a thing and is in the core rules. The player dictates the action and the intended effect, the DM adjudicates whatever skill check, if any, is necessary.

Is it a robust and well integrated part of the game, no, but there again not a lot is.

But it is there. And you may come back with this being a mother may I issue, but the thing about that is is that we're now approaching an expectations problem.

For one, DMs shouldn't be arguing with players over something as simple as kicking a dude in the giblets.

And for two, 5e as designed emphasizes rulings over rules, and it does give you the tools for that. They may be disorganized, but they exist, and they demonstrate that 5E isn't a game thats intended to be overthought to death.

Like the aforementioned Bobby Hill special. That isn't a complicated action, and it doesn't take an argument to understand getting kicked like that will Stun a person momentarily, and given you're probably aiming that kick at a fantasy warrior or monster of some type, it probably won't take them out of the fight for long. If the improvised attack hits their AC, Roll 1d4 to determine how many turns the Stun applies.

Easy. Zero reason to overthink it and both players and DMs should know better than to start arguing over this.

 

[Incenjucar]

Unfortunately the Mother May I problem and "there's a feat/feature for this so you must have that feat/feature to do it" problem are both extant. If there was a basic explicit can-do list, we'd be in a better place.

 

[Pauln6]

Unfortunately the Mother May I problem and "there's a feat/feature for this so you must have that feat/feature to do it" problem are both extant. If there was a basic explicit can-do list, we'd be in a better place.

Yes I agree there should be a better list of sample combat moves and I agree that the existence of certain feats gets in the way of making them at will. This is why I think meeting in the middle is a dally pot that lets fighters perform them as a bonus action X number of times.

 

[W'rkncacnter]

Yes I agree there should be a better list of sample combat moves and I agree that the existence of certain feats gets in the way of making them at will. This is why I think meeting in the middle is a dally pot that lets fighters perform them as a bonus action X number of times.

why not just cunning action but for tripping, disarming, etc.? why have a limit on uses?

 

[Incenjucar]

Being able to convert a standard weapon or unarmed attack into an effect reliably would do so much. It would make the weed whacker fighter suddenly have amazing tactical utility. Prone>blind>stab vs stab>stab>stab.

 

[Emberashh]

Unfortunately the Mother May I problem and "there's a feat/feature for this so you must have that feat/feature to do it" problem are both extant. If there was a basic explicit can-do list, we'd be in a better place.

Thats a self imposed issue that isn't really solved by not addressing that people shouldn't be thinking like that.

DND isn't and shouldn't be structured like a video game. Making it more like one doesn't fix people boxing themselves into that videogamey box where theres only buttons to press and nothing else.

 

[Incenjucar]

Thats a self imposed issue that isn't really solved by not addressing that people shouldn't be thinking like that.

DND isn't and shouldn't be structured like a video game. Making it more like one doesn't fix people boxing themselves into that videogamey box where theres only buttons to press and nothing else.

D&D is what created a lot of those video game tropes. Making the whole game mother-may-I is much less likely than making more explicit options, which has already been done in previous editions and for current edition subclasses.

 

[Tales and Chronicles]

Being able to convert a standard weapon or unarmed attack into an effect reliably would do so much. It would make the weed whacker fighter suddenly have amazing tactical utility. Prone>blind>stab vs stab>stab>stab.

I could see it go the same way they went with the unarmed strikes that can replace the damage roll with some effects.

Melee
Damage
Shove (push or prone)
Bind (Disadvantage on AoO)

Ranged
Damage
Slow (speed -10)
Overwatch (target triggers AoO if it moves on its turn)

 

[Emberashh]

D&D is what created a lot of those video game tropes. Making the whole game mother-may-I is much less likely than making more explicit options, which has already been done in previous editions and for current edition subclasses.

I think you're conflating the limitations of video games to allow for freeform interaction with the gameworld with "tropes" associated with DND; kinda nonsensical and Im not sure if you're really conveying what you meant to.

A video game can only account for what was programmed into it. If a player wants to barter for an NPCs shoes, they fundamentally can't unless the developers happened to include such a mechanic, and even if they do, it will still fundamentally be a limited and narrow facsimile of what a genuine freeform interaction with this NPC can be in a TTRPG.

And while its fair to point out that previous editions may have included some of the things you're looking for, you also have to consider that previous editions (namely 3e/3.5e) are also known for being bloated, rules heavy messes, and even its more modern and streamlined derivitives (PF1&2E) can still be described that way to different degrees.


And moreover, with the way tastes have changed, more DND players are wanting to utilize the game more for collaborative improv storytelling than for just a more niche video game experience. Having obnoxious rules (and they will be obnoxious) for something simplistic isn't going to be popular with those types.


And plus plus, also has to be said that the perfect middleground was already found in DCC, insofar as martial stuff goes, with the Mighty Deed mechanic, which negates the mother may I as an issue, and integrates it well mechanically, and still allows for near total freeform interaction.

 

[Incenjucar]

I'm going to refrain from taking this into the history of games tangent and just say that, at this time, D&D is primarily composed of discrete abilities, regardless of what an ideal game might be. Within the existing paradigm of discrete abilities, martial classes could use more to expand their options.