D&D 5E 5e consequence-resolution

[Bill Zebub]

Regarding setting of DC’s, my goal is not realism but hard choices. I only want to have players roll dice if it is because of a choice they made, over another choice. The DC is too high if the other choice is obviously better, and too low if the other choice is obviously worse.

And if there is no other choice then I have $&#%ed up as DM so they get auto-success.

 

[Hussar]

I have no idea what that means. Success is not guaranteed if the DC is between 10 and 20. I do have people automatically succeed at some things, especially at higher levels if they are trained.

Degrees of success and failure is covered in the DMG. I don't think it applies to every single check. Sometimes you succeed or not.

Such as? We had skill challenges. I still use a similar, but more flexible, structure at times. However, too often that structure as written just ended up in multiple checks by whoever had the highest modifier. The chase rules can give you an idea of how to expand into a more complex scenario, sometimes it applies but other times it does not. If you are attempting to open a lock, how much complexity do you want or need?

If you want to discuss some options, cool. I've given some examples of how I run more complex challenges myself. But just saying "do it better" isn't a discussion, it's a non-starter with nowhere to go.


I've asked for options, different ways of doing things. So far ... not much other than broad assertions with no actual suggestions.

But, you absolutely refuse to actually read or learn about any other systems so, what's the point of giving them? No matter what, you'll just brush it off. The fact that your only reference of a more robust skill system is 4e D&D proves that. I freely admit that a more robust system is not something I can design.

But, yeah, this is not going to go anywhere. I'm done. You win. You are absolutely right, @Oofta, popularity means that something is always better. There is no better system than what we have right now.

 

[Hussar]

Is combat not the same, though? Roll high to hit a higher AC. It’s not really more complex. What am I missing here?

And, if this was the sum total of all actions that you could take in 5e D&D combat, and that one check was the complete resolution to a combat, you might have a point.

But, yeah, I've made a terrible mistake. This is just far too frustrating and I need to walk away now.

 

[Oofta]

But, you absolutely refuse to actually read or learn about any other systems so, what's the point of giving them? No matter what, you'll just brush it off. The fact that your only reference of a more robust skill system is 4e D&D proves that. I freely admit that a more robust system is not something I can design.

But, yeah, this is not going to go anywhere. I'm done. You win. You are absolutely right, @Oofta, popularity means that something is always better. There is no better system than what we have right now.

Well, you absolutely refuse to take two minutes to provide any examples at all or even links to web pages that explain examples. You don’t even specify specific games.

I'm not the one saying that other systems are better or could be adapted to a D&D style of play, you are. What we have works fine for me and I can explain how I use it and why it works for everyone I've ever played with.

Why should I learn other systems when you can't provide any specifics to support your broad assertions?

 

[Swarmkeeper]

And, if this was the sum total of all actions that you could take in 5e D&D combat, and that one check was the complete resolution to a combat, you might have a point.

IME, very few exploration or social interaction scenes have been handled with a single roll. Nor is "rolling high" the "sum total of all actions" that one can take in 5e D&D exploration or social interaction. Not to mention that the pillars often overlap in our games so scenes are definitely not always an isolation of a single pillar.

I've also experienced all three pillars (yes, including combat) where no rolls were made at all. For example, a mid-level party encounters 5 twig blights on the trail to the Demon Death Cavern™ and they decide to fight them... yeah, I'm not even going to make the players roll. DM: "describe what your characters do to these hapless blights". IMO, sometimes adjudication benefits from complexity of rules and sometimes adjudication benefits from flexibility of rules and sometimes its a bit from column A and a bit from column B.

At the end of the day, I've been around here long enough to know that two posters can look at the exact same thing and one declares "this is garbage" and another declares "this works well"... and they are both right in the context of how their table approaches the game.