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Driftglobes go back at least to 2e.

So one thing missing in this discussion is that for the most part, people tended to go to bed when it got dark, rather than stay up. In addition, the light of a fire would be sufficient and already present during the seasons or places where the night is longer because it’s also colder. If...

Sure. 1) Healing. So it helps to define hit points a bit here. To us, your first level hit points are kind of your physical health. The remainder are a combination of luck, stamina, and skill. Primarily the last two. Why? Because you gain more as you gain a level. A higher level character is...

So if the game has a mechanic like Inspiration where you can recollect the die cheating? How about an ability that allows a creature to choose to succeed at a saving throw they failed when they rolled the die? What about one that allows a creature to roll a die and apply that as a positive or...

Sigh. You said “it breaks the game.” My experience says otherwise. That was my only point. And again, I don’t think the various options in 2e appeared out of thin air. We were not the only ones using alternate rules for XP, and while I honestly don’t recall at this point, I would guess there...

Nope. The "revised" books change nothing other than incorporating errata and altering the presentation of the books. At one point many moons ago I had gone through to find what changed, but I certainly can't remember now. It wasn't significant, and that's noted in the books themselves. I think...

Umm, we played AD&D without XP, at least without using it in the way it was originally designed, with XP for treasure and killing monsters. We leveled up at what we felt were appropriate times. Didn't seem to break the game. I guess you'd say we did reward XP for playing well, but used an...

I rarely roll dice behind the screen, and attack rolls pretty much never. Secrecy is a red herring here, there are lots of other rules that use secrecy from the players, in this and other games. Even being "dishonest" is a bit of a red herring, as games can codify that into their rules as well...

Umm, just because that's a synonym for the word, doesn't mean that's what I'm doing. Perhaps "fudging" is the wrong word? How about altering? Because, I'd like you to explain just how, when my players know that I might use this rule, and they all agree that the rule is OK, and they are welcome...

That’s a bit different. My campaign has been running for about the same length of time, but sadly, people moving has meant that over the years I’ve had complete turnover. I also start new players on a regular basis, some just new to the campaign, many new to D&D as a whole. I also occasionally...

The “selling your soul” was just an example. Your idea of the patron granting them without their knowledge is also a cool one. My point is that there is theoretically a benefit to the warlock’s patron, whether the character chooses to remain a warlock or not. Whereas in Realmslore, and...

And this will just feed the fire for those who say it should never happen. If your players don’t trust you to be a good judge of when to use a discretionary tool, then you probably shouldn’t be using it. I get what you’re saying, nobody knows that you’re using it. But that goes squarely...

I think that it’s only fair, in today’s broad range of play styles, that the more controversial rules are agreed upon up front. Of all the rules, this one in particular is important because it clearly poisons the well for those of us that prefer the style when people who don’t like it (including...

I’m not sure what you mean about the hit points. They capped the Hit Dice in AD&D so all you got were a couple of hit points. But regardless of that, also keep in mind that the abilities NPCs and monsters get don’t have to be available to PCs. So a boon allowing them to be attuned to more...

I don't necessarily dislike multiclassing, and have used it for decades. I'm not a fan of "dipping" or designing 20 levels of character with all of the multi-classing planned out before the character ever sees play either. The mechanical aspects of multiclassing can sometimes be a bit of a...

So the levels of these characters have fluctuated quite a bit in older editions already. If you look at what is gained at level 21+ in earlier editions, other than spell progression tables, most of them could be converted to the boon system in place in 5e. That is, you max the NPC at 20th...

Yes, they are different. But the point is that if a rule allows fudging, then fudging is not cheating. It's simply a rule that states, "use the dice as a tool to help adjudicate resolutions. Most of the time the dice are the right answer, and most of the times you use them, the results of the...

So I've mentioned several times that I really don't care what Gygax wrote, or any of the later books. I only really care what works for us at our table. Having said that, I think that the White Wolf "golden rule" arose out of the play styles of the day. Just like we still debate the nature and...

Again, this is where I disagree with Hussar and you.ere are a couple of definitions of cheating: Act dishonestly or unfairly in order to gain an advantage, especially in a game or examination. "she always cheats at cards" And another: Act dishonestly, be cunning, be dishonest, befool...

Yep. Note that he doesn't say "don't alter the rules," but rather "don't allow them to encounter monsters without consequence." He's already given permission to alter or ignore a rule (roll for wandering monsters every x amount of time), and stated that it's a better option than having a...