D&D 5E (2024) Better Monster Design. 6E/BG3 Ideas

[GobHag]

Can modern players handle getting one shot (0 hp)on a critical?

As a modern player let me tell you right away: NO

 

[Zardnaar]

As a modern player let me tell you right away: NO

Are you doing the 4 round work day though.

 

[GobHag]

Are you doing the 4 round work day though.

8-10 actually

 

[Zardnaar]

8-10 actually

That's more 3 encounters. Mearls might be a bit hyperbolic but probably not by much.
I've been noticing it since 2015. New players burn their spell slots faster. 3 or 4 encounters depending on level theyre probably tanked.

Wonder if giving them a wand of fireball or lightning bolt lvl 3-6 would help.

5.5 RAW 1st rare item can drop tier 1.

Pre 3E things like that start turning up around level 4+.

 

[BenjaminPey]

I really don't want dnd to be built around the expectations and tactics of the super hardcore gamers.
Dnd easy mode for me, thanks. I want my kids to have fun with it out of the box. Me and the uber optimizers can tweak it on our own.

 

[Zardnaar]

I really don't want dnd to be built around the expectations and tactics of the super hardcore gamers.
Dns easy mode for me, thanks. I want my kids to have fun with it out of the box. Me and the uber optimizers can tweak it on our own.

Im not expecting them o account for hard core optimizers. Even for me its mostly theory crafting.

Even with moderate obvious power gaming it may be to easy if players nova off.

Mearls may be slightly exaggerating (probably not by much).

I suspect he will come out with something quick and easy to play casual friendly. 2-3 encounters in an hour 10 levels maybe.

He's not designing a D&D clone afaik.

Wonder if you could make a 5 or 6 level game or equivalent?

 

[BenjaminPey]

I don't know. Even for theory crafting, BG3 is not a good model for a tabletop game, at least not for me. There is a crap tone of magic items and consumables to abuse, when in my games every magic weapon is a wonder long pursued (and even in a video game format this inventory is a nightmare). You can endlessly experiment with builds, respec-ing at will, even for a single fight if you want to. You can "examine" everyone to always choose the best tactics against them. You even know most of the fights in advance with the F5/F9 magic (quite a spell, this one) and the multiple runs.

And it is way more combat centric than my games, too.

But I have no problem downing characters in 5E (even less now in 5.24), so I guess I'm not your target market anyway. As I was saying, easy mode is fine for me, if it's what it is now. I don't play with power players, and for casuals the game is dangerous enough as it is.

 

[Zardnaar]

I don't know. Even for theory crafting, BG3 is not a good model for a tabletop game, at least not for me. There is a crap tone of magic items and consumables to abuse, when in my games every magic weapon is a wonder long pursued (and even in a video game format this inventory is a nightmare). You can endlessly experiment with builds, respec-ing at will, even for a single fight if you want to. You can "examine" everyone to always choose the best tactics against them. You even know most of the fights in advance with the F5/F9 magic (quite a spell, this one) and the multiple runs.

And it is way more combat centric than my games, too.

But I have no problem downing characters in 5E (even less now in 5.24), so I guess I'm not your target market anyway. As I was saying, easy mode is fine for me, if it's what it is now. I don't play with power players, and for casuals the game is dangerous enough as it is.

My resident power gamer isn't running a power build. Its a celestial Warlock. As I said its mostly theory crafting.

BG 3 we have done simple builds. Eg not using the worst offending items, classes, abuses and exploits.

I gave up on solo honor mode play as I found it boring (abusing stealth mechanics).

Hence why I gave a range of options vs Grym. I used him as he is vastly overtuned vs 5E monsters and even more HP, resistances and immunities.

Level of exploitation.
1. He dies in one shot doesn't get a go.
2. 1 shot fails he might get a go might not. Dies round 1.
3. He dies round 2 using BG3 power builds that are not available pen and paper.
4. He does round 3 with moderate builds similar to 5E ones.
5. He dies round 4 if things go wrong, roll poorly etc.
6. Thing go really wrong failed honor mode run (4 moon Druids no exploits).

6 has happened a couple of times when we goof off.
A few BG combos work as is in 5E.

 

[BenjaminPey]

Again, I think your view about what is power gaming and what is casual is skewed, or mine is in the other direction, to the point that it might be a fool's errant to design a game for the both of us, at least as a design goal. And that's not a problem, I think.

For instance, your 150 damage a turn fighter is not something appearing in my games. Hence, having monsters designed around this expectation would not suit me at all.

 

[Zardnaar]

Again, I think your view about what is power gaming and what is casual is skewed, or mine is in the other direction, to the point that it might be a fool's errant to design a game for the both of us, at least as a design goal. And that's not a problem, I think.

For instance, your 150 damage a turn fighter is not something appearing in my games. Hence, having monsters designed around this expectation would not suit me at all.

That's a level 11 fighter action surging rolling several crits with piercer feat. Advantage to hit every attack.