D&D 5E Bounded Accuracy: does it deliver as promised?

[GMMichael]

Does handling the dragon by fiat-ing away Bounded Accuracy make for a more interesting adventure? Yes. Does bounded accuracy deliver as promised? IMO yes - which is why to make for a more interesting adventure HotDQ had to get rid of it.

Spoilers. We want spoilers.

 

[Sacrosanct]

One thing I'd note about bounded accuracy is that HoDQ doesn't actually carry it through. Notably with the dragon attack. Unless it's utterly immune to non-magical weapons (in which case the PCs are near-irrelevant, which they aren't) by-the-book Bounded Accuracy would lead to a big flappy winged pincushion knocked out of the sky by guards with bows.

Does handling the dragon by fiat-ing away Bounded Accuracy make for a more interesting adventure? Yes. Does bounded accuracy deliver as promised? IMO yes - which is why to make for a more interesting adventure HotDQ had to get rid of it.

I don't think I agree with this. That encounter showcases the benefit of bounded accuracy. I.e., even at low level, you can still do damage, and if there's enough of you, you might even succeed. However, I can't see any way in which the dragon would just end up like a pincushion knocked out of the sky. The dragon would devastate area for quite a while before that happened. And you know what? I'm glad that eventually enough low level guards would be able to take out a marauding dragon, or drive it away (which is what happens in the adventure). I certainly don't think getting rid of BA makes the adventure more interesting. Quite the opposite in fact. There's nothing interesting about a dragon attack that no one can do anything about and all you can do is sit and watch. Boring.

 

[jodyjohnson]

Without bending backwards too far, in a 'what would Guard #14' do sense, the scenario works fine.

Firstly, even on a save and resistance the breath weapon is insta-kill for all the guards. Later they say even the best guard is still not as combat-ready as the Level 1 PCs (thus the Challenge scenario).

So while they give Guard stats with AC 16 (AC 14 with a bow), hp 11 and +3 to hit, they spend most of their time just Dodging and Hiding. Not including the earlier Fear effect.

So on any given round let's say only 20 shoot with a 30% success rate (discounting the darkness, cover, fear effect). 6 hits at 5 damage for each pass of the Dragon which spends other rounds out of range of breath Dashing or Dodging when the success rate is 15%. The dragon takes ~60hp per pass (2 1/2 rounds, and a full round). But kills 2.5 defenders (failed saves) and only injures 3.5 (targets who were hiding or dodging with cover and made saves resulting in mere - unconsciousness/death save territory). So the Defenders lose 6 for every 60 hp they inflict.

So the dragon can make 1 or 2 effective passes then Short Rest. Multiple times. Say, 6 passes where Archers fired and were exposed. So by the time the adventurers defend, the dragon is spent and the keep losses are in the 15 dead, 21 injured range.

Now if we assume the keep has 100s of these guards than the whole scenario is a problem (the enemy force is smaller and weaker). So after hours of periodic assault with the guards not shooting very effectively the dragon is still around. Why? Earlier fear cut the hit rate plus the guards stayed out of line of breath. The dragon starts with 200+ hit points and presumably he can short rest also for another 200+. He's got a ton of hit points, thus the scenario can hand wave the guards as ineffectual and yet have the Dragon retreat when he sustains only 10% damage.

 

[mcbobbo]

You also couldn't use it with a Staff of Defence while wielding a shield, because it requires using a finesse weapon which the staff is not.

Edit: Actually I don't know if that joke breaks any rules. Redacted...

 

[aramis erak]

One thing I'd note about bounded accuracy is that HoDQ doesn't actually carry it through. Notably with the dragon attack. Unless it's utterly immune to non-magical weapons (in which case the PCs are near-irrelevant, which they aren't) by-the-book Bounded Accuracy would lead to a big flappy winged pincushion knocked out of the sky by guards with bows.

Does handling the dragon by fiat-ing away Bounded Accuracy make for a more interesting adventure? Yes. Does bounded accuracy deliver as promised? IMO yes - which is why to make for a more interesting adventure HotDQ had to get rid of it.

The dragon is given a clear set of conditions under which to run. Given the HP of the dragon, getting the extra 200 damage isn't something that ≤6 PCs are going to do before he's out of range. Keep in mind... Fly 80.

Take a bow specialist fighter: With a +7 to hit (bow specialist +2, Dex +3, PB +2) vs that 19, that's an 8/20 chance of hit - at short range...
At long range, 64/400, or 2/25.

With fly 80, said dragon flys 40 in, zaps, then flies 40 back... and so only prepared actions get to shoot at short range.

But the men on the walls are not bow specialists. They don't even appear to be fighters. They're probably only +3 with bows, and firing at long range, so 1/25 at long. and there are only 20 of them. Assuming they're even proficient. If not, at long range, it's a 1/100 chance...

Once he decides to flee, its 160'/round. 3 rounds, and he's gone!