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I know you called the problem solved, but I'll throw Iron Heroes into the ring. Do you remember the old 3e book, The Book of Nine Swords? Imagine that approach to martial classes with the magic stripped way back. Each class (with one exception) takes a particular martial archetype (archer...

Have you actually run a game of The One Ring and been able to achieve this? My understanding is that it's very difficult to play it happy and lighthearted if you play according to the rules.

Thanks for the praise. ;) The first place I'd look is spells and class Moves. Look for places to either attach tags to existing moves (add <Honeytongued> to the Bard's Bamboozle Move) or let players acquire tags temporarily with spells (after casting Charm Person, allow the Wizard to select one...

Deleted. Just feels like I'm harping on the same point. ;)

I read your examples as adding specificity to the "what you want" part of my italicized statement. For example: "I'm engaging in a social conflict because I can't use physical force to [create an actual, reciprocal relationship or long-term alliance.]" "I'm engaging in a social conflict because...

You might also consider creating social tags in the same way that monster/equipment tags work. What is the social-tag-equivalent to a monster's "Stealthy" tag? What's the social-tag-equivalent to a weapon's "Piercing" tag? You don't need to translate all of the existing monster/equipment tags...

I've never been a fan of things like Threaten or Intimidate being classified as social actions, especially if, as your current design suggests, they allow someone to use a physical stat like Strength to substitute for a social stat like Charisma. Imagine how you would react if someone's trying...

I like the cut of your jib, sailor. ;)

The simple fixes I've used in my game to boost sorcerers are as follows: They are a CON class, not a CHA class. Power comes from your blood, not your personality. Sorcerers can use a free hand as a material component. They still need to use verbal and somatic if the spell calls for it. Biggest...

Although it's not been mentioned much in this thread, the 13A solution does allow for limited player control over recovery. The hypothetical party screwed over by a tough encounter can choose to take a "campaign loss" and jump instantly to a long rest (in 5e terms). A campaign loss is defined...

I'm with you, but put a lot of emphasis on the part about whether the pacing is being handled via other pressures in the world. New DMs can really struggle with the solutions you're describing, especially in the moment when sitting at the table. How much stronger should the enemy be if the party...

This approach still puts control over rest - and therefore the difficulty of the game - in your players' hands. The decision becomes a little harder, but not much in my experience. You're still trying to connect a out-of-game balance mechanism ("How often should the characters recover their...

As a new DM, it's hard to understand the most important function of the rest system: control of the game's pacing. It's an artificial restraint on the recovery of the characters' limited resources. It makes the game challenging and rewarding. Control of the game's pacing is the DM's job, not the...

1) As you can tell, few people have specific answers because 5e isn't as focused on what to do with gold as previous editions are. But I know how helpful it can be for new DMs to have *something* to hold onto as a guide. You'll find this thread helpful...

[Deleted: answered my own question by reading prior replies more carefully.]

I use a variation of this idea and it's been very successful. Often, threads like this acknowledge that pacing is the DM's responsibility, but miss the fact that 5e's current rest system puts a lot of control over pacing in the players' hands. The trouble comes from the players being able to...

The Oasis of the Golden Peacock, by Tim Eagon in Dungeon 169 is a classic desert adventure for me. It reminds me of a miniature Caves of Chaos location filled with well-designed encounters and opportunities for RP. It's a gem.

I'll go one better: 4e's DMG2 is the best D&D book of all time and space.

4e is not for you and that's fine. :)

That's not the case. All of the classes share the same design concepts, but there are several martial classes in the PHG (Fighter, Rogue, Warlord) that don't use magic. If it helps bridge the gap, think of the 4e Fighter as 5e's Battle Master Fighter. For the 4e Rogue, they're close to 5e's...