D&D (2024) Bastions in the 2024 DMs Guide

[Xeviat]

Ah yes, the true fantasy of 2024: Owning Property!

But for serious, I'm so excited for this, not just for using it at my table but giving me another angle to homebrew. First thing I'm gonna do is decide which of the level 5 options are okay for earlier and give out 1 facility per player at 1st level. I don't think a tavern owner should have to be 5th level, some things should feel mundane (at the very least, a tavern, artisans' facilities like a smithy, and so on).

 

[DarkCrisis]

A lot of people play the published adventures (lvl 1-10) which are typically one and done and then move onto the next published adventure with new characters. I don't see Bastions being used in those unless the published adventure actually calls for it.

 

[Micah Sweet]

Would give a really good reason for campaigns to slow down and give characters a month of downtime after an adventure.

I wonder if bastions can be blended well with A5E's haven resting and the 2014 slow rest variant to create a realistic feel. The trek to the dungeon is the start of the adventure, sapping supply and potentially stacking some fatigue. Can they clear the dungeon in a day, or will they have to rest when a night's rest is only a short rest?

Failing an adventure (retreating) becomes a real possibility.

Yeah, I live all of that as possibilities. Level Up's stronghold system works differently rules-wise, but I definitely think there are aspects of this that can potentially be ported over. Certainly your stronghold counts as a haven.

 

[DarkCrisis]

Ah yes, the true fantasy of 2024: Owning Property!

But for serious, I'm so excited for this, not just for using it at my table but giving me another angle to homebrew. First thing I'm gonna do is decide which of the level 5 options are okay for earlier and give out 1 facility per player at 1st level. I don't think a tavern owner should have to be 5th level, some things should feel mundane (at the very least, a tavern, artisans' facilities like a smithy, and so on).

New LVL 5 Player: I go to put the gold downpayment on my bastion land.

DM: Sorry, someone from Menzoberranzan paid twice as much in platinum. And before you ask also bought all the other lots nearby. You are welcome to talk to them about renting the lots though. Better luck next time.

 

[Micah Sweet]

New LVL 5 Player: I got to put the gold downpayment on my bastion land.
DM: Sorry, someone from Menzoberranzan paid twice as much in platinum. And before you asked also bought all the other lots nearby. You are welcome to talk to them about renting the lots though. Better luck next time.

Nothing personal. It's just the market.

 

[Kurotowa]

So nothing specific from what they've said that I can tell about changes from the UA playtest.

Though I didn't expect them to go into details about the specifics of things.

One change I caught is that they said the only way your Bastion can fall is if you draw Ruin from the Deck of Many Things. Which sounds like the Bastion Attack event is gone, which would also mean the Facilities that were entirely about interacting with that one event result will have new functions.

And that makes me very happy, because the nested mini-game of having to recruit Bastion Defenders for the low chance of an Attack event coming up was the one part I most disliked in the UA version. My survey feedback was mostly about how that part needed work. So I'm glad to see this.

 

[Xeviat]

Rereading the UA version, and I did settle on my first tweak. I may move some of the facilities to lower level and gatekeep features to higher level, or change the BP generation to be level based not individual facility based (so your low level facilities feel like they're growing in function and not be something to replace), but I'll have to wait for the full system.

SPECIAL FACILITY ACQUISITION

Level	Special Facilities
1	1
5	2
11	4
17	6

 

[Charlaquin]

I still really don’t like the whole abstract Bastion Turn currency. Downtime already exists, just make Orders a Downtime activity.

 

[grimmgoose]

One change I caught is that they said the only way your Bastion can fall is if you draw Ruin from the Deck of Many Things. Which sounds like the Bastion Attack event is gone, which would also mean the Facilities that were entirely about interacting with that one event result will have new functions.

And that makes me very happy, because the nested mini-game of having to recruit Bastion Defenders for the low chance of an Attack event coming up was the one part I most disliked in the UA version. My survey feedback was mostly about how that part needed work. So I'm glad to see this.

While I agree that the UA version was — bad — removing the risk of your Bastion getting attacked, and moving it into the realm of DM fiat feels like giving up more than anything.

If the intent of the Bastion system is ONLY to get players to be “mini DMs”, then this is a pass. 5E, as a system, already gives spellcasters plenty of opportunities to do that already.

Looks like I’ll be porting in the Savage Worlds Strongholds system, if/when my group returns to D&D. That system has plenty of opportunities for unique events/interactions, and is incredibly simple to set up, maintain, and upgrade.

 

[Micah Sweet]

I still really don’t like the whole abstract Bastion Turn currency. Downtime already exists, just make Orders a Downtime activity.

Yeah. As I said, I would and do handle it differently mechanically, but at least the concept is coming back to the official game, and there's bound to be something there was can be adapted.