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

[Baron Opal II]

Rolled across this photo of a Georgian (Euro-Asian) soldier from the late 1800s. He's wearing mail and carrying a jezzail, it looks like.

 

[Reynard]

Rolled across this photo of a Georgian (Euro-Asian) soldier from the late 1800s. He's wearing mail and carrying a jezzail, it looks like.

Armor is a response to potential threat. Just because shark divers wear chainmail doesn't mean it is in common use today. If that guy was fighting in a war where the enemy had pointy sticks instead of guns, it only speaks to that war, not 1800s tech.

 

[Gammadoodler]

Armor is a response to potential threat. Just because shark divers wear chainmail doesn't mean it is in common use today. If that guy was fighting in a war where the enemy had pointy sticks instead of guns, it only speaks to that war, not 1800s tech.

This is certainly true. And I think an interesting point that hasn't yet been examined.

What kinds of threats would D&D monsters represent in the more modern milieu you are looking for?

Would post-medieval adventurers wear "dungeon armor" in the same way that divers wear shark armor? Similarly, is there a greater or lesser case for the use of melee weapons against D&D monsters?

 

[Baron Opal II]

Armor is a response to potential threat. Just because shark divers wear chainmail doesn't mean it is in common use today. If that guy was fighting in a war where the enemy had pointy sticks instead of guns, it only speaks to that war, not 1800s tech.

True.

It's a cool photo with a guy in mail with a rifle, about the right time period.
I thought it might inform your project.

 

[Reynard]

This is certainly true. And I think an interesting point that hasn't yet been examined.

What kinds of threats would D&D monsters represent in the more modern milieu you are looking for?

Would post-medieval adventurers wear "dungeon armor" in the same way that divers wear shark armor? Similarly, is there a greater or lesser case for the use of melee weapons against D&D monsters?

Good question!

The most real world land monsters I can think of are tigers (800 pounds of teeth, claws and fury), bull elephants (10000 pounds of just fury) and hippos (split the difference). So if you put a bullette in that same category, I am okay with maybe reintroducing DR for the monsters and giving PC armor both DR and hp so it degrades.

 

[Kobold Avenger]

Armor is a response to potential threat. Just because shark divers wear chainmail doesn't mean it is in common use today. If that guy was fighting in a war where the enemy had pointy sticks instead of guns, it only speaks to that war, not 1800s tech.

I don't think Georgians from the 1800s fought many who were armed with pointy sticks.

But anyways, the existence of things like Ghouls and Zombies and whatever else might prevent some armors going obsolete, even with inventions like percussion caps and rifling on barrels.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

Would post-medieval adventurers wear "dungeon armor" in the same way that divers wear shark armor? Similarly, is there a greater or lesser case for the use of melee weapons against D&D monsters

If you look at genre movies and TV monsters are usually depicted as being immune or highly resistant to bullets.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

I don't think Georgians from the 1800s fought many who were armed with pointy sticks.

The Zulu wars were later than that. But I think the climate wouldn’t have been conducive to wearing mail.

 

[TiQuinn]

You're getting to hung up on the horror aspect. Masque IS NOT HORROR. It's D&D set in the 1890's, and you can roll the timeframe forward or backward as you desire. It's simply a modernish setting. The 3E version was put out by White Wolf under their Sword & Sorcery imprint. I tried looking for it on DRPG, but sadly it is no longer available there. If you can find a copy, I do think it covers exactly what you are attempting to accomplish.

View attachment 365505

Since the 3e version was brought up, I have to mention that there was an excellent 5e update that you may want to check out:

Dungeon Masters Guild

www.dmsguild.com

 

[Reynard]

But anyways, the existence of things like Ghouls and Zombies and whatever else might prevent some armors going obsolete, even with inventions like percussion caps and rifling on ba

Again, the point is to mechanically incentives a more modern feel including eliminating armor as standard. That means making armor less effective and compensating with some other defense (probably proficiency). Of course there might be specific circumstances under which the solution to this particular adventure challenge is armor.