D&D General Could a real human survive your D&D adventures?

[Micah Sweet]

Good points and very true.

The same goes for the antagonists. There's no reason why a kobold in a wheelchair should be treated any differently than the others. It's still the same amount of XP.

Provided they're actually a hostile combatant, absolutely.

 

[ezo]

And I'm saying there's no good reason for them not to have those things, if people already in the setting have them.

Your normal human is a commoner. So, 4 hit points, no saves, etc. As I said it my first post, give them proficiencies which you would reasonably expect a "normal human" to have: a couple skills, weapons and armor (in some cases), etc. But they don't have classes (as per the OP), so they don't "advance", no further HP, no features, no spells, etc.

The "people in the setting" which have them are adventurers or "creatures" (yes, an "apprentice wizard", for example, is a creature) -- not normal humans.

 

[Micah Sweet]

Your normal human is a commoner. So, 4 hit points, no saves, etc. As I said it my first post, give them proficiencies which you would reasonably expect a "normal human" to have: a couple skills, weapons and armor (in some cases), etc. But they don't have classes (as per the OP), so they don't "advance", no further HP, no features, no spells, etc.

The "people in the setting" which have them are adventurers or "creatures" (yes, an "apprentice wizard", for example, is a creature) -- not normal humans.

I would argue they are, just with cool adventurer jobs, many of which could be replicated by modern humans. Presumably the modern humans can also learn magic. There is no reason to debilitate the modern humans in this way unless the whole point is to only have one answer to the question.

 

[ezo]

I would argue they are, just with cool adventurer jobs, many of which could be replicated by modern humans. Presumably the modern humans can also learn magic. There is no reason to debilitate the modern humans in this way unless the whole point is to only have one answer to the question.

I'm just going by the points specified in the OP, which included no spells, etc.

 

[Micah Sweet]

I'm just going by the points specified in the OP, which included no spells, etc.

Oh sure. I just think the OP's scenario raises some questions.

 

[Zubatcarteira]

Oh sure. I just think the OP's scenario raises some questions.

My idea is less about the game mechanics, and more about what real people could accomplish there. You don't need to look at it in terms of HP, AC, etc, just the in-fiction reality of humans facing what the D&D characters normally would. A character can have the "level up" to increase their power, but in real life you wouldn't become exponentially more powerful just with fighting experience.

So, say, fighting an Iron Golem, it's not about hitting the AC 20 AC and draining the 200 HP, it's about trying to hurt a giant robot made out of metal with mostly medieval weapons at your disposal.

 

[Chaosmancer]

Ok, that just seems like a blatantly unfair and to my mind therefore meaningless discussion. Take away all possible source of advantage: can you survive? You're worse off than a villager from outside Neverwinter. What's the point?

The point, as outlined in the OP, is to consider that question in the same vein it is being considered for an individual in a wheelchair, or otherwise differently abled.

The common critique the OP had seen towards the inclusion of those people is that they would never be able to survive. The OP wanted a discussion of if it made any difference to be able-bodied, without the advantages that come with such things. If you cannot possibly survive as a normal earthling in a normal DnD adventure not tailored specifically to protect you, then it is no different to have an adventurer in a wheelchair, but who is also a [insert class here] and therefore heroically capable.

 

[Micah Sweet]

My idea is less about the game mechanics, and more about what real people could accomplish there. You don't need to look at it in terms of HP, AC, etc, just the in-fiction reality of humans facing what the D&D characters normally would. A character can have the "level up" to increase their power, but in real life you wouldn't become exponentially more powerful just with fighting experience.

So, say, fighting an Iron Golem, it's not about hitting the AC 20 AC and draining the 200 HP, it's about trying to hurt a giant robot made out of metal with mostly medieval weapons at your disposal.

In that case, it would be a problem for anyone in a D&D world, not just a transplanted modern human.

 

[ezo]

So, I started thinking about the title while reading a Reddit thread about adventurers with disabilities, many people there were claiming it was a ridiculous concept, since they couldn't possibly survive the dangers in dungeons and such. I initially thought it was silly argument, since in the games I've played even a completely healthy person would probably die a hundred times over between all the fights with giant monsters, being hit by lightning, fire, explosions, bullets, and waves of poison, getting beaten to a pulp and completely recovering in a night, etc. The PCs only survive due to superhuman abilities granted by their classes and general D&D mechanics, all of which a disabled character would have as well.

But that's not necessarily how people play, and a lot of games have more grounded situations for the players to face, so I figured I could ask here what people think. Could real people survive in the games you've played or DM'd? A party with normal human limits, with no class abilities, magic, luck, divine favor or any game-granted ability that wouldn't be possible in real life. They can't use any modern technology or metagame knowledge, but they can be as capable as a real person could physically be (so 200 IQ Navy Seals are fine), and any magic items a regular party would find along the way are fair game as well.

Could they complete your adventurers, or at least survive all the challenges? If not, where do you think they'd fail?

Would this work as an example?

No class, no saves, no magic. Just one HD, like a commoner. Ability scores sum to 66 (60 base common with +1 to all human race). Basic armor/shield and weapon proficiencies (you could limit the weapons to individual weapons as well). Just two skills (as from a background), two tools, and human race granted languages (common plus one).

Compared to an "adventurer" PC, you have less hp, lower ability scores, fewer proficiencies (including no saves), and of course no class features.

Finally, this PC would never advance (since no class) so no improvement or changes short of allowing downtime training. Certain rewards might include training for feats and additional skill proficiency since this is permitted normally IMO.

So, does this qualify?

 

[Zubatcarteira]

In that case, it would be a problem for anyone in a D&D world, not just a transplanted modern human.

Without game mechanics saying they can do it, or some explicit superhuman ability, yeah. It's pretty much what I figured, but would like to see what other people think.