D&D General Playstyle vs Mechanics

[Pedantic]

no, there is no difference between a PC and an NPC, except that the former decides that being a cobbler is not what he wants out of life

I'd go one step further, and say "and PCs largely get encounters in a level appropriate order," but that's quibbling.

There's also nothing wrong with making PCs a special case in the established universe of the game, as long as it's sufficiently explained. Exalted is the classic example of a game that worked that in pretty well.

 

[mamba]

I'll just cast a spell - SURE THING BUDDY, PERFECT SUCCESS

time to address that too

 

[Micah Sweet]

The basic rules of the game inform a certain playstyle, which is heroic monster fighting action. You keep running into problems because you keep supposing a model and world that doesn't reflect the rules of the game. Or would if you actually played 5E.

5E really doesn't support everything, and they've largely stopped pretending it does with ditching barely functional kludges like gritty resting. Its a poor fit for dirt farmer world because the players have access to massive amounts of magic. It's also not great at being a combat free dating sim. That's fine, there are games that do that better anyways.

I don't run into problems. The version of 5e I play works well enough, and I have OSR games I play when i can to better suit my preference.

 

[mamba]

I'm legitimately not joking when I say this should be the only option presented to players.

can’t think of anything that would make me drop the game faster, but it is crawling in that direction either way, not moving to 2024 already, so no big loss for either side

 

[mamba]

As I said, the idea that magic always works but mundane abilities that always work are a problem is due to a flawed way of looking at the game.

agreed, we just move in different directions to resolve this

 

[hawkeyefan]

That's about where I am. I'll say no if someone's actually violating like a clear rule, but I'll try to make something work toward the same end. I also have players who understand they don't need to surprise me with a tactic for it to wrong-foot their enemies, so they'll ask be about stuff between sessions before they try it.

I had a player who always felt he needed to keep his strategies and build choices (or at least their implications) secret from me. It always baffled me and harkened back to the more adversarial aspect of gaming from the earliest days of our group. I would tell him over and over that there's no need to keep that stuff from me, but he never seemed to believe me.

no, there is no difference between a PC and an NPC, except that the former decides that being a cobbler is not what he wants out of life

Well, no, there are plenty of differences.

Mechanically, PCs are different. They have level progression and other elements not shared by NPCs.

And then there's the big one where... you know... the game revolves around the PCs and what they do. Seems pretty significant!

 

[mamba]

Well, no, there are plenty of differences.

Mechanically, PCs are different. They have level progression and other elements not shared by NPCs.

there are NPCs with levels and if the cobbler set out to find his luck he too would gain them. That is not a difference between them, except that the cobbler stayed at home

And then there's the big one where... you know... the game revolves around the PCs and what they do. Seems pretty significant!

same as above, it could revolve around the cobbler picking up a club and taking on the pesky goblins just as much, the only difference is that he did not do it. His neighbor the blacksmith did, got his friend the farmhand to join him and they are now PCs

 

[Jefe Bergenstein]

no, there is no difference between a PC and an NPC, except that the former decides that being a cobbler is not what he wants out of life

Except for the rules which players use and NPC's don't, such as classes, levels, death saves, inspiration, etc. 5E expressly acknowledges that PC's are different. Not to mention the biggest one, that NPC's largely operate by DM fiat. Unless you're making individual rolls to see if they fall in love, persuade one another offscreen, etc. Possibly JMISBEST does that to determine which of the suiters the 8th step niece of the king prefers, but I hazard a guess most don't.

Have you ever had a PC roll to see if they fall when walking down the inn stars out of combat? Or have Parkinson's? People do this all the time. You're already filtering the world through a dramatic and heroic lens. They don't have to roll to see if there are important events taking place near the PC's. The DM is already orchestrating that to ensure important events happen where they are at because otherwise it's a dull game about cobblers and farmers going about their routine lives in a quiet village where the biggest issue is the Lionel Pritcherd and the Wolfington brothers painting a cow, what most NPC's in the game world experience.

 

[Jefe Bergenstein]

time to address that too

I'd be 100% down for that, but good luck with the rest of the playerbase hah!

 

[Micah Sweet]

Except for the rules which players use and NPC's don't, such as classes, levels, death saves, inspiration, etc. 5E expressly acknowledges that PC's are different. Not to mention the biggest one, that NPC's largely operate by DM fiat. Unless you're making individual rolls to see if they fall in love, persuade one another offscreen, etc. Possibly JMISBEST does that to determine which of the suiters the 8th step niece of the king prefers, but I hazard a guess most don't.

Have you ever had a PC roll to see if they fall when walking down the inn stars out of combat? Or have Parkinson's? People do this all the time. You're already filtering the world through a dramatic and heroic lens. They don't have to roll to see if there are important events taking place near the PC's. The DM is already orchestrating that to ensure important events happen where they are at because otherwise it's a dull game about cobblers and farmers going about their routine lives in a quiet village where the biggest issue is the Lionel Pritcherd and the Wolfington brothers painting a cow, what most NPC's in the game world experience.

If there's one thing we're looking for from this discussion, it's being told how wrong we are about our own preferences.