D&D 5E Thoughts on Divorcing D&D From [EDIT: Medievalishness], Mechanically Speaking.

[Shardstone]

I actually think modern D&D is tied more to Disney than medievalism.

I'm not seeing it.

 

[Reynard]

I actually think modern D&D is tied more to Disney than medievalism.

I'm not sure exactly what you mean. Can you elaborate?

 

[W'rkncacnter]

I actually think modern D&D is tied more to Disney than medievalism.

what is bro on about???

 

[MichaelSomething]

You want to make D&D less medieval? Then why are we largely talking about guns? It would make one think D&D is just about combat.

How about making the Cleric class less required for healing to represent how the churches lost political power?

How about more rules for research to represent the rise of the Scientific Method and the Enlightenment?

Or have a rule that gives advantage on saving Throws vs disease if you washed your hands??

 

[Reynard]

You want to make D&D less medieval? Then why are we largely talking about guns? It would make one think D&D is just about combat.

D&D is a lot about combat.

How about making the Cleric class less required for healing to represent how the churches lost political power?

I would get rid of the cleric entirely, in favor of a priest class.

How about more rules for research to represent the rise of the Scientific Method and the Enlightenment?

That's not a bad idea. Maybe reconfigure the alchemist as a pulp science hero type.

Or have a rule that gives advantage on saving Throws vs disease if you washed your hands??

Wut

 

[LordBP]

The OP mentioned Tommy guns. That was 1918, and automatic.

And even durring Napoleon in the early 1800's, he supposedly said "God is on the side with the best artillery".

Though in the 1600's and 1700's sure. The long reload time and low accuracy of flint locks would still allow for melee. It could basically be a once per encounter skill, then switch to the sword.

But once the cartridge was created in the early 1800's, melee was on it's way out. Having pre-measured the gunpowder really boosted consistently and reload times. And the modern bullet was invented in 1849 sealed the deal.

Not that a game has to follow history of course. Maybe gunpowder was never invented and all guns use compressed air power, or some trapped elemental.

Late 1700s would have had repeating air rifles.

Girardoni air rifle - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[mellored]

Late 1700s would have had repeating air rifles.

Girardoni air rifle - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Which has a muzzle velocity of 600 ft/s and ~300' range. Which is comparable to a large crossbow.

Compared to the M1 Garand, WW2's favorite rifle, which is 2800 ft/s and ~1500' range.

So yea. A compressed air Tommy gun would be in the right ballpark. Automatic fire that is blockable by a shield and plate.

 

[Shardstone]

The ability to create heat with magic turns magicians into producers of energy. Wizarding families and artifice companies can combine this power with the scientific industry to create arcane flames that sustain trains and boats. Of course, always-burning magical flame will create a lot of arcane smog as well. The pollution problems that marked the Industrial Era become ever more dangerous here.

You could take the Princes of Elemental Evil and tie them to these comments. Elemental magic ruthlessly exploited for the progress of civilization leads to smog that crackles with hyperdimensional energies wherein are born all kinds of monstrosities. Rivers tainted with arcane run off produce hydras, etc. The Princes of Elemental Evil, born themselves from civilization's reckless progress, become natural disasters haunting the world.

Meanwhile, states begin to change as theological authority wanes. All the money coming from Wizard and Sorcerer "arcane energy-as-oil" barons has led to the rise of early American capitalist conditions. These rich try to use their huge wealth to influence nascent democracies; meanwhile, empires are being toppled via revolutions, and colonies established by ancient arcane kingdoms are establishing independence. It's not as easy as it sounds though; battle wages on every continent as new democracies rise up and attempt to achieve stability.

Beneath all of this is the old world, a more mythical world, one now host to cities and states but still hiding within it powerful artifacts, hidden secrets, ancient monsters. There are still many explorers up until the mid 20th century IRL; in this Fantasy version that takes place before that, you have expeditions to all kinds of insane environments only talked about in stories (and of course, there are peoples there whose ways you can learn).

I think this kind of world is what grows from this idea.

 

[Kobold Avenger]

I'd put the upper limit of technology in the late 1800s before gunpowder was replaced with modern propellant, as a loose guideline.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

I actually think modern D&D is tied more to Disney than medievalism.

What do you mean “modern”? Disney’s Sword in the Stone (1963) was a huge influence on the look of early D&D!

These days, D&D is an influence on Disney.