D&D 5E [+] Ways to fix the caster / non-caster gap

[Vaalingrade]

You know what? I'm convinced.

Humans should be removed from D&D because they're inconsistent with a fun fantasy world.

 

[Eric V]

Nah.

If you fall off a cliff at my table, even playing 5e - youre dead.
If someone shoots you point blank in the head while you're asleep or otherwise utterly helpless - you're dead.
Fall into piping hot liquid magma? Maybe not dead, but definitely disabled permanently.

Hit points only exist when I need them to exist.

So...not D&D 5e rules. Got it.

 

[Tony Vargas]

Since the thread is actually about closing the martial/caster gap, I'd like to point out that the 80s era discussion about realism in a fantasy game that we're reprising, in that context, is essentially a nerf casters vs buff martials debate

If realism holds, and martials have to be as lacking as they are now (if not moreso, like hps = CON score, weeks of healing w/o magic, etc), then casters must be nerfed, hard. Like, Tier 1, cantrips. Tier 2, a first level spell slot, half way thru, it becomes level 2, Tier 3, add a third level spell slot.... actually, no, like street magic and cold readings. (and "monsters" are like, remnant populations of pre-historic life)

If realism is abandoned, entirely, martials can just be buffed. Like anime/wuxia, Heracles/Cuchulain type stuff.

If realism is irrelevant, and genre is the guide, martials should be buffed significantly but not to supernatural levels, and casters nerfed, but not so hard they're down to legerdermain and bluff.

 

[Raiztt]

So...not D&D 5e rules. Got it.

Rule 0.

 

[mamba]

Humanoid giants also can't stand under their own weight, and any flying creature larger than about 60lb/30kg, is also prettymuch grounded.

and yet Earth produced these

So I am ok with Giants and Dragons...

 

[Raiztt]

If realism holds, and martials have to be as lacking as they are now (if not moreso, like hps = CON score, weeks of healing w/o magic, etc), then casters must be nerfed, hard.

We should nerf casters then.

 

[Vaalingrade]

Since the thread is actually about closing the martial/caster gap, I'd like to point out that the 80s era discussion about realism in a fantasy game that we're reprising, in that context, is essentially a nerf casters or buff martials debated.

If realism holds, and martials have to be as lacking as they are now (if not moreso, like hps = CON score, weeks of healing w/o magic, etc), then casters must be nerfed, hard.

If realism is abandoned, entirely, martials can just be buffed.

If realism is irrelevant, and genre is the guide, martials should be buffed significantly but not to supernatural levels, and casters nerfed, but not so hard they're down to legerdermain and bluff.

Even it realism holds, martials should be buffed after forcing the people who insist what we have is 'realistic' to watch actual weapon fighters and athletes and not just amateur MMA fights at the local gym. and to ACTUALLY ACKNOWLEDGE Jack Lalane, damnit.

 

[Eric V]

Rule 0.

Where is that in 5e?

 

[M_Natas]

to go back to topic, I would propose to look at BG3 how they fixed the martials. They made some rules tweaks, like no attunement. They added a bazillion magic items and rained them over the world and changed a little bit the classes (like monks being able to wear armor and do martial arts stuff).
Martials in BG3 work well, I would say.

 

[Neonchameleon]

D&D can be and has been much more about worldbuilding than WotC's "official" version currently is. Heck, 5e in other forms, like Level Up, is better about worldbuildinh. This is WotC's problem, not mine or those who favor worldbuilding.

I'm aware that using the 3.0 DMG "How many chickens in a given city?" was a question that could not only be asked but answered. D&D has been more about worldbuilding - but has never been any better at it and the more it tries the worse it gets. (Which is entirely different from setting building - which is largely done only with limited reference to the rules)