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Framing determines the start conditions - you "frame a scene". Framing doesn't determine outcome of the scene. Force - Railroading - determines outcome. Framing a scene while leaving its resolution open is generally seen as better than forcing the outcome of the scene, eg "The Villain Will Get...

The biggest difference from modern D&D is that there is much more emphasis on non-violent encounter resolution. Violence can easily get you killed or maimed. Many creatures are happy to talk, even many undead, and you get an XP check for resolving at least one encounter peacefully each session.

Looking at the Secret of the Dragon Emperor adventures, it's roughly 50-50 whether the PCs fight true Monsters or NPCs, with NPC including orcs, goblins, skeletons et al.

IMO: You only provoke an OA by moving out of reach, so you wouldn't be able to attack the OAer anyway. Ofc actions don't interrupt reactions so the OA would resolve before the PC attacked. But you could take an OA, then move back into reach, then attack the OAer with your extra attack.

Yes. But that makes the threat of it a major thing players will work hard to avoid.

Yes, that's my experience.

Just saying it takes 10 or 20 times longer to travel off-track is both realistic (IME) and will generally keep players to the node links.

I think the obvious non-TPK Fail State in 5e exploration/survival would be "You acquire a level of Exhaustion". Or if long rests are available, 2+ levels of exhaustion.

Just to note that a Dragonbane Troll has Ferocity 2, giving 2 actions per round, some of which can affect multiple PCs. Still not as bad as 8 goblins though.

I like to have plenty of low DC skill checks so the guy with +9 Athletics can feel competent when he auto passes all the DC 10s. I think with 5e it's important to avoid much scaling of DCs by party level. Keep most DCs in the 10-15-20 range at all PC levels. If there is a DC 30 it should be for...

I got Tasha's for £13 on Amazon, I expected it to be bad, and it was just as bad as I expected. So basically the opposite of this thread. My biggest ever disappointment was Gary Gygax's Necropolis for 3e D&D. The 3e statting was appalling and we had to abandon the adventure. Conversely I loved...

Starting the campaign as a newb and starting as experienced both work fine IME. They each give a different feel. I start my Arden Vul campaign with experienced PCs at 3rd level, but I recently started a retro "5e Basic" campaign with PCs starting as 1st level novices; both are fun, both work...

Hirelings are not an assumed part of Dragonbane, but the system can certainly accommodate them easily and my group often adventures with NPC companions - who tend to be short lived.

Great account. I've heard that a previous iteration of DoD was already using D20, like Pendragon, but I don't have a source. The single die opens up a lot of design space with the excellent Boons/Banes system, pretty clearly a refinement of 5e D&D Advantage/Disadvantage. I also find that the...

They give explicit permission to move attack move. I don't see how that indicates that you do need something explicit to act in the middle of another action. Move is not an action in 5e. AFAICT the implication is much more that you can split stuff up however you like.

I was pleased with myself we did eventually get across. Then I was amazed how long it took! The stream cuts a pretty deep gouge, with boggy terrain on either side. The remains of cut-down trees on either side create treacherous covered pits that can easily collapse when stood on. Difficulty 6-3...

I definitely find wilderness hiking improves my GMing.

It's a brilliant game! Takes the best of BRP with a bit of 5e D&D and a smidgin of YZE.

I remember in the forest near my family's highland house (Boganclogh Lodge), it took an hour or so for my son & me to cross some boggy ground with a small stream, the Kirkney Water, in the middle. I think I carried him across in the end; there was a fallen log over the stream, but it seemed too...

Yes, Boon/Bane is Advtg/Disad except 1. They stack, you can have multiple net boons or banes 2. There are no plus or minus modifiers in DB, Boon/Bane is the sole modifier to success chance. Because skill levels are fixed/Platonic, as in Runequest, I find this works well in practice. Eg IMC Orla...