Fifth edition should be base-twelve

[Aramax]

We're all nerds here, right? If you're not familiar with base twelve notation for mathematics, you should do a google search for it.

I'll try and summarize the best I know how.

I presume you're familiar with binary and hexadecimal notation. Binary is notating numbers using only two possible digits: 1 and 0. Hexadecimal is notating numbers with sixteen possible digits: 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, A, B, C, D, E, and F.

Binary and hexadecimal are really good systems for working with computers, because binary is the natural language of logic, and it's what you make circuits out of. Hexadecimal is an abbreviated, human scale version of binary. Again, Google if this is going over your head.

However, it has been demonstrated that base twelve is the best notational system for general purposes. Base twelve does fractions more easily than the decimal system, because the number twelve has more convenient divisors than ten does.

12 = 2 x 2 x 3

10 = 5 x 2

In base twelve, it's easier to measure, estimate, and calculate with numbers from the real world, because the system is inherently more precise.

Consider a third. In base ten, a third is 0.333... repeating. Measuring and estimating that quantity can be a pain, because at some point, you have to chop off some part of the fraction. But in base twelve, a third is 0.4. No repeating. You know exactly where to cut.

Using base twelve will make it easier to calculate changes to your character's rate of movement. It will make calculating range increments easier. It will even make dividing up party loot and XP easier.

Plus, base twelve is a little bit quirky and geeky, the perfect crown jewel for a game that's already based on weird things like polyhedral solids and 2-dimensional hexagonal surfaces (okay, we don't know yet if the game will use hexes, and that can be discussed in another thread).

What say you, math geeks?

um.....just no

 

[Jawsh]

um.....just no

I am crestfallen. What part of base twelve isn't perfectly elegant and perfectly suited to D&D?

 

[Dausuul]

Nerds.

You've reached a level above 1 on this forum. I don't think you have any room to criticize.

 

[gloomhound]

You've reached a level above 1 on this forum. I don't think you have any room to criticize.

I'm just a poor jock that fell in with a bad crowd back in 79.

 

[Saracenus]

You are just playing with how we count. To really get accuracy we need to introduce accounting principles to D&D, you know accrual basis accounting of treasure and xp.

For example, when my PC earns xp for running off a bad guy, that I might encounter later, I need to figure out how much of the xp I earned during the fight and put the balance of the xp in a unearned xp account.

This way I don't level up too soon and I don't "accidentally" book more xp for the monster if I encounter it again.

This would incentivize the players to either not let monsters get away or make sure they hunt them down.

My two coppers,

 

[Hassassin]

You are just playing with how we count. To really get accuracy we need to introduce accounting principles to D&D, you know accrual basis accounting of treasure and xp.

For example, when my PC earns xp for running off a bad guy, that I might encounter later, I need to figure out how much of the xp I earned during the fight and put the balance of the xp in a unearned xp account.

This way I don't level up too soon and I don't "accidentally" book more xp for the monster if I encounter it again.

This would incentivize the players to either not let monsters get away or make sure they hunt them down.

My two coppers,

Alternatively, a troll let's say, that is let away should lose xp equal to that earned by the PC's. That way it would have go eat some goblins or something (in effect doing the PC's job) before it can be challenged again.

 

[Olgar Shiverstone]

Sorry, no base-12 for me. But I would support movement to the d12 standard.

 

[Jawsh]

My two coppers,

I'm gonna need ten more coppers. The fee to post here is twelve coppers.