D&D General When do you overrule RAW?

[Kannik]

It's joke acronym. Non-Ac DefenseS
It'd actually be NACDs, but that doesn't delight the inner 12yo.

(4e consolidated the basic attack roll and 3e Touch ACs & scaling saving throws into a single attack roll mechanic with 4 possible defenses, AC, plus FORT, REF, & WILL - which corresponded with the 3e saves of the same name, and REF also subsumed touch AC - the non-AC defenses.)

Which leads to one of my favorite things ever written: "I want to be a (4e) monk, so I can run around kicking people in the NADs."

(In 4e all Monk attacks targeted Ref, Fort, or Will rather than AC... )

 

[Micah Sweet]

When you say the caster can use higher level slots you're requiring something that a fighter CANNOT provide. You phase their benefits out because they aren't high level, like spells. ALL fighters get low level stuff they can do slightly more of. There aren't higher level maneuvers to satisfy your extra v-tude requirement. So yes, one set of classes effectively just stops being able to do stuff unless it passes an arbitrary realism sniff test from a guy who isn't a world class warrior in a world full of monsters. The caster has high level tools, the warrior doesn't because people demand they continue to be "guy at gym" from 1 to 20.

Well, it's a good thing then that we all get to play as we like, and aren't beholden to folks on the internet who disagree with our preferences.

 

[Swarmkeeper]

...or how that ghost, who is immune to being frightened, would still run away in fright if someone cast Dissonant Whispers...

Not to be too nitpicky but... a failed save due to Dissonant Whispers does not result in "fright" or the Frightened Condition.

 

[Tony Vargas]

You whisper a discordant melody that only one creature of your choice within range can hear...move as far as its speed allows away from you

Not even ghosts like Nirvana....

 

[Tony Vargas]

(substitute whatever well-known band you find discordant)

 

[fluffybunbunkittens]

Not to be too nitpicky but... a failed save due to Dissonant Whispers does not result in "fright" or the Frightened Condition.

Someone running away as far as they can get, heedless of triggering opportunity attacks, certainly sounds like a panic of some sort to me.

 

[Maxperson]

When you say the caster can use higher level slots you're requiring something that a fighter CANNOT provide. You phase their benefits out because they aren't high level, like spells. ALL fighters get low level stuff they can do slightly more of. There aren't higher level maneuvers to satisfy your extra v-tude requirement. So yes, one set of classes effectively just stops being able to do stuff unless it passes an arbitrary realism sniff test from a guy who isn't a world class warrior in a world full of monsters. The caster has high level tools, the warrior doesn't because people demand they continue to be "guy at gym" from 1 to 20.

Except at no point in 5e does any class stop being able to do anything. And if you think not bring able to use Sentinal is worse than losing cantrips through 3ed level spells, I have a few bridges to sell you.

So you are still grossly misrepresenting things.

 

[Caephros]

So to answer the OP: Whenever I want to, but also rarely. There's seldom any need.

Agree completely - love the brevity.

 

[James Gasik]

Someone running away as far as they can get, heedless of triggering opportunity attacks, certainly sounds like a panic of some sort to me.

So like Turn Undead?

 

[FitzTheRuke]

Wait.... there's another kind of thread?
Asking for a friend.

As to the subject of the OP, I generally find that there are two types of people-

1. People who believe that the rules are suggestions, and as such don't really think too hard about "overruling" the rules.
2. People who believe that the rules must be followed, and as such are very concerned about overruling the rules.
3. The innumerate.

Well... there's also people (like myself) who have no problem overruling the rules but don't find a need to very often. I'd do it for "fun" (as in, to make the game more fun, not for giggles) but I don't find that I very often have to do it for "verisimilitude" or whatever you want to call the OP example. I can very very easily come up with stories that don't require messing with the rules for THAT.