D&D General Playstyle vs Mechanics

[Micah Sweet]

Not even if it doesn't make any sense?

Not a bad player, no. That's an issue with the game, not the player.

 

[mamba]

I think it's pretty close, yeah.

and I think you are completely off, because how you actually use the feature and how I use it are pretty similar.

You just ignore what it says and do what you feel is right, and I point out that the feature is poorly designed / written in addition to using it basically like you do

how is that not being overly self-generous in reading the feature?

because that is literally what it says and what people are defending here

 

[Mort]

no, because it applies everywhere. Not sure why this is still not clear…

It's a LONG thread. But to answer, the PCs tend to expand their range and widen their areas as they go up in level (start local and branch out) not universal, but pretty common. Makes sense the feature would "branch out" too. If this doesn't apply to the campaign (you're doing strangers in a strange land type stuff) - then some features may be inappropriate. Though for me, it would be fine - some PCs just have a knack.

already went through that repeatedly here too, yes, I am ok with the character establishing a new contact and that background helping with it and accelerating it (you still need to gain trust, this is not a ‘one successful skill roll’ situation except for the most basic requests)

Seems like a lot of hoops, I tend to prefer "it generally works and if it doesn't - something is REALLY wonky..," so the player actually knows the feature failing is not the norm.

 

[Micah Sweet]

Some do. It's been bandied about in this thread.

I disagree. This problem is solved by fixing the game.

 

[mamba]

I would certainly call a player granted a certain amount of latitude to make something up, and then using it in a way that stretches plausibility, to be a problem player; at the very least, they are someone who doesn't under the social contract of the game they joined.

and who decides what stretches plausibility, because when I call anything improbable nonsense, people get upset and defend their contrived coincidence as reasonable

 

[Mort]

I disagree. This problem is solved by fixing the game.

Fixing the game how?

How do you fix something when there are wide disagreements on what the problem is or if it's even a problem?

The very features we are talking about have been called useful to great by some and awful and game disruptive by others. You can remove them (as WoTC has actually done) but the people who like them wouldn't call that a fix.

 

[mamba]

No, I am pointing out the hypocrisy of people saying the first is OK but the second isn't.

huh? the first and the second are contradictory

 

[TwoSix]

and I think you are completely off, because how you actually use the feature and how I use it are pretty similar.

You just ignore what it says and do what you feel is right, and I point out that the feature is poorly designed / written in addition to using it basically like you do

I think the distinction is you see a rule as being a problem/poorly designed because a motivated player might abuse it to "beat the scenario".

In my games, the players and I are trying to tell a fun story together, and I don't need a rule to prevent a good player from telling a bad story.

And even if I was playing in "beat the scenario", there's nothing in the power description that prohibits the DM from reining in bad narration or declaring a particular usage implausible and thus out-of-bounds.

 

[TwoSix]

and who decides what stretches plausibility, because when I call anything improbable nonsense, people get upset and defend their contrived coincidence as reasonable

Group consensus, of course.

 

[mamba]

It doesn't say anything about you know someone in every town you ever visit.

it kinda does

And how often do you need to contact your guy in City A if the adventure is 1000 miles to the north? Once, maybe twice a campaign?

and those two cases just so happen to be the ones where you fortunately do know a messenger in the town you are in, so yeah, everywhere