D&D 5E Bounded Accuracy. Where can I find it referenced?

[painted_klown]

Hello all,

I see bounded accuracy mentioned a lot on these forums, but I am not quite sure what it is. Initially, I thought it was in the DMG, so I waited until I got it (DMG) to try to look it (BA) up. Well I finally picked up my DMG over the weekend, and haven't been able to find it all week.

Silly question, I know, but can someone point me to the rules that talk about bounded accuracy?

Thanks!

 

[Giltonio_Santos]

It's a design principle, you won't find it written as a rule. But, if you want to read more about the concept, the article by Rodney Thompson is a nice start, I believe: http://archive.wizards.com/dnd/Article.aspx?x=dnd/4ll/20120604

 

[The Crimson Binome]

Bounded Accuracy isn't any one rule in particular. It's just the design philosophy of how they came up with the rules, and the idea that it's better to keep bonuses small (and DCs low) so that specialists and non-specialists are still operating within the same world.

 

[painted_klown]

Interesting, thanks a lot. I was wondering why I didn't see it mentioned anywhere.

 

[aramis erak]

Interesting, thanks a lot. I was wondering why I didn't see it mentioned anywhere.

It was discussed a lot in the playtest process commentaries by Mearls and others. Which is why so many of us know of it. It's one of those cases of "if you were reading at the right site and in the right timeframe, you know about it."

It's probably the most debated chunk of design philosophy. And design philosophy generally doesn't get explicated in rules, tho' several notable exceptions exist. (Aparently 13th Age does so. Burning Wheel has some, too.)

 

[miniaturehoarder]

It's why attack bonuses don't climb by each level or close to that for PCs, being far closer to Basic than AD&D & 3E.

 

[Psikerlord#]

It's what makes magic items awesome again, lets you keep large groups of orcs relevant even at level 9, and lets you throw a much higher CR monster at a party and maybe, just maybe they will defeat it or at least have the opportunity to flee and fight again another day.

 

[Chocolategravy]

It's what makes magic items awesome again, lets you keep large groups of orcs relevant even at level 9, and lets you throw a much higher CR monster at a party and maybe, just maybe they will defeat it or at least have the opportunity to flee and fight again another day.

Large groups of monsters have always been relevant, at least until that fireball wipes them all out, nothing has changed there. Much higher CR monsters in 5E are generally less forgiving than in earlier editions.

Anyway, 5E doesn't have bounded accuracy. Although they took out a bunch of the pluses going from the last playtest to release, they left far too many in. The DMG added even more in, and doubtless future releases will add even more.

 

[CapnZapp]

Just ignore the claim there's no bounded accuracy. Gravy has said this over and over, despite repeatedly been told it's only if you choose to give your players all magic items without restriction.

 

[Chocolategravy]

Just ignore the claim there's no bounded accuracy. Gravy has said this over and over, despite repeatedly been told it's only if you choose to give your players all magic items without restriction.

Giving magic items is the de facto standard. A DM has to choose to REMOVE magic items from the game. Players who don't want magic items in OFFICIAL play with Adventurer's League, have to hand off or destroy the magic items they receive.

Trying to lay the blame on the DM for not going counter to how the game is intended and officially run by WotC is utterly absurd levels of fanboyism.

And CapnZapp, even if your argument had any merit at all, it's irrelevant as you've been shown bounded accuracy is busted even without magic items. Choosing not to believe something despite what the math shows you doesn't make it true.