D&D (2024) Uncommon items - actually common?

[Oofta]

And yet they almost never do...

Up to the DM and players to decide what they care about. I don't see an issue if other groups don't care about this level of detail.

 

[Jfdlsjfd]

Up to the DM and players to decide what they care about. I don't see an issue if other groups don't care about this level of detail.

While I agree it's setting-specific, that's something that I would like explored in a DMG. But "build your own setting" might not be the focus of newer DMs (I have no proof, it's just a feeling) and I guess WotC prefers to sell settings than encourage world building.

 

[Oofta]

While I agree it's setting-specific, that's something that I would like explored in a DMG. But "build your own setting" might not be the focus of newer DMs (I have no proof, it's just a feeling) and I guess WotC prefers to sell settings than encourage world building.

On the other hand, thinking about stuff like this where we don't have explicit rules can be a great outlet for creativity and making the world your own. It makes sense that we have some of this type of stuff spelled out for Eberron because that's a published setting. But maybe I want my world to have nothing at all or more of a steampunk or magi-tech feel.

In any case, I find that most people don't really care all that much. When there's some magic going on that's not explicitly spelled out in the book the DM just kind of handwaves it, whether or not they've given much thought to the logic backing it up. After all, we don't really have magic rituals that require human sacrifices to resurrect a god but it's a trope of more than one campaign. Utility magic isn't, to me, that much different.

 

[jmartkdr2]

Honestly? It reminds me of no period of the European Middle Ages, not in demography, social organization (how can centralized power can organize over a large distance in a PoL setting?) and mindset of the PCs -- which is decidedly not feudal in the default D&D assumption. It reminds me of the US expanding from the 13 colonies into mainland America. The distant king is the central government, points of civilization exist around a sheriff/baron or a fort, outlying farms owned by very modern citizens, not serfs, that could be threatened by outlaws and native hostile life forms everyone considers a threat to be removed without any moral quandary. Also, lot of religious freedom with a presentation of polytheism that is more a collection of monotheism or henotheism and no inquisition nor even concepts like cujus regio, ejus religio (contrast to the Albigensian Crusade in the European Middle Ages...). Sure, it doesn't reflect the current mindset, especially with regard to the inhabitants, but it's always the impression that PoL gave me, with the resettling of the land thanks to entreprising adventurers sounding very much like the manifest destiny. And a few roman/ren faire trappings on top.

The other source of inspiration could be an exaggerated, dystopic view of the 500-800 AD period. A civilization crashed hard in the past, population collapsed big way, trade route that were needed to maintain higher living conditions disappeared, and right now, there are only a few remaining cities, half-empty, separated by wild areas that are about to be reconquered. Devoid of life, in need of clearing and reclamation because trees overgrew on the ruin of ancient cities. Like a tenfold Black Plague (which was not sufficent to cause that, despite a 30% reduction in population) or a seismic collapse of the Roman Empire (though the idea that Gaul lost most of its inhabitants after the collapse of the Roman Empire is seriously watered down nowaydays). Something that would make people consider abandon farming to become hunter-gatherers again, with only a few places from where civilization could regrow.

It’s more Wild West than any other romanticized period in history, just with knights instead of cowboys

(Other than minotaurs)

 

[Minigiant]

Do the D&D 5e books say that anywhere?

Are you expecting an official D&D book to tell you to buy niche 3PP?

5e's slow schedule and the DM Guild were designed to shift obscure mechanics to unofficial products.

 

[Micah Sweet]

Are you expecting an official D&D book to tell you to buy niche 3PP?

5e's slow schedule and the DM Guild were designed to shift obscure mechanics to unofficial products.

I expect if a game wants us to believe it's designed a particular way, it should say so.

 

[Minigiant]

I expect if a game wants us to believe it's designed a particular way, it should say so.

That's an unreasonable ask.

Almost No company is going to outright tell you to buy their competitors product officially.

 

[Micah Sweet]

That's an unreasonable ask.

Almost No company is going to outright tell you to buy their competitors product officially.

Then they accept a degree of incoherence and confusion from their fans, that they are responsible for.

Alternatively, they could simply try to widen their player base by providing more options.

 

[Minigiant]

Then they accept a degree of incoherence and confusion from their fans, that they are responsible for.

Alternatively, they could simply try to widen their player base by providing more options.

Again
That's an unreasonable ask.

 

[Micah Sweet]

Again
That's an unreasonable ask.

I've seen plenty of games that manage to be clear about how they're designed.