D&D General How Often Should a PC Die in D&D 5e?

[Reynard]

It seems weird to argue about how dangerous or deadly 1E versus 5E is when it is demonstrably the case that 1E was more dangerous/deadly simply by virtue of the existence of ubiquitous save or die effects along with energy drain. No other metrics need be considered to make a fair judgement about this. Maybe we can quibble about how much more dangerous, but that is about it.

 

[Micah Sweet]

Do the systems line up like this? If so Orcs appear much more dangerous in 3e and 5e than in older editions.

Yeah, they do. Regardless, an orc warband is an orc warband regardless of what edition it appears in. It represents the same thing in the fiction of the setting.

 

[Micah Sweet]

I've run two different groups, same level, similar items and for one group it was a cakewalk and the other it was touch and go. So I don't think it's just edition, there are a lot of factors.

But both groups were capable of the same actions, so it's a matter of running it multiple times to determine the margin for error and the average.

 

[Crimson Longinus]

Yeah, they do. Regardless, an orc warband is an orc warband regardless of what edition it appears in. It represents the same thing in the fiction of the setting.

Well, sometimes the concept of what the creature is like changes and evolves over time.

 

[Maxperson]

This is pretty easy to test. Run the same level, same class PCs against the same group of monsters in different editions and see what happens.

I don't really need to do that, though. I played and DM'd 1e, 2e, 3e, and 5e for years each. I know those interactions already.

 

[Micah Sweet]

Well, sometimes the concept of what the creature is like changes and evolves over time.

Citation, in D&D? And does your concept apply to either of my examples?

When is a troll not a troll?

 

[Micah Sweet]

I don't really need to do that, though. I played and DM'd 1e, 2e, 3e, and 5e for years each. I know those interactions already.

Me too. Like I said, I'm comfortable where I stand here.

 

[Crimson Longinus]

Citation in D&D? When is a troll not a troll?

Kobolds were originally not draconic, orcs were pig-people at some point, but no anymore, and have become more "big brutes" instead of "lowly footsoldiers of evil" over the years. Sizes of the dragons and giants have varied from edition to edition. A lot of the fiction connected to various monsters has subtly changed over the years.

 

[The Sigil]

Where’s “once per character?” I mean, unless you are playing BECMI and ascend to immortality your characters DO die eventually, right?

 

[Oofta]

It seems weird to argue about how dangerous or deadly 1E versus 5E is when it is demonstrably the case that 1E was more dangerous/deadly simply by virtue of the existence of ubiquitous save or die effects along with energy drain. No other metrics need be considered to make a fair judgement about this. Maybe we can quibble about how much more dangerous, but that is about it.

It was always up to the DM whether or not they used the save or die effects or energy drain.