D&D General Filling the Gaps

[Samloyal23]

What are some things you can do in real life that you think should be accounted for in the rules but are missing from the game? What do you see as gaps in the simulation that take you out of the immersion of gameplay, things there should be rules for but aren't?

 

[dave2008]

The entire premise of this question is diametrically opposed to my approach to RPGs on every level.

Yep, in general I am fine with some more crunch - but to not to fil gaps in the simulation.

 

[Levistus's_Leviathan]

Crafting potions/magic items rules. I get that there is a benefit to these rules not existing so the DM can determine it, but that tends to just make more work for the DM than encourage creativity, IME. Potions of Fire Breath could require red dragon blood, giantslayer weapons could require ground up giant bones, and so on. They don't have to do all of them, but give some more guidelines than just "the DM determines it".

More prices for typical items, like wood, clay, building houses, the costs of a whole town living, etc. Just more rules for taking care of a home base in general.

Better unconsciousness/0 hp rules. When you're reduced to 0 hp, you shouldn't just immediately fall unconscious, you should just be incapable of fighting, possibly staggering on the ground trying to get up. Currently it's very immersion breaking that a troll bites you, so you fall asleep, and then the cleric prays, and you wake up, and then the cycle keeps going until one side is dead.

 

[jmartkdr2]

Blocking with weapons. It should be something everyone can do if they're holding a weapon, ergo it should be a factor for any weapon being held.

But I don't want to handle it "realistically." I just want it to be an option for defense. (Mostly because that's the easiest solution to the biggest hurdle to more anime-inspired games.)

 

[dave2008]

Blocking with weapons. It should be something everyone can do if they're holding a weapon, ergo it should be a factor for any weapon being held.

But I don't want to handle it "realistically." I just want it to be an option for defense. (Mostly because that's the easiest solution to the biggest hurdle to more anime-inspired games.)

Maybe because I started with 1e I take it for granted, but the general assumption is that you are blocking with your weapon or shield, etc. That is abstract nature of AC & HP. A miss is not just a dodge, but could be block too. Heck a "hit" can even be a block.

What I prefer to do is define what is really a hit.

 

[Seramus]

What do you mean by this? Rules for inventing what?

Long term innovations. Like creating self-cleaning chamber pots.

1. Gain inspiration for an invention (1/Story)
2. Gather rare materials (along your journey).
3. Create your invention (downtime).
4. Change the world a little.

 

[dave2008]

Long term innovations. Like creating self-cleaning chamber pots.

1. Gain inspiration for an invention (1/Story)
2. Gather rare materials (along your journey).
3. Create your invention (downtime).
4. Change the world a little.

OK, nothing I would use - but if that is what you want, fantastic!

 

[Seramus]

OK, nothing I would use - but if that is what you want, fantastic!

Yeah, I'm always bothered when a setting suffers from eternal stagnation. Even settings where prior civilizations are lying in ruins and former progress is evident, it's rare to have the players really contribute to that progress in a meaningful way. Of course, a good DM can handle those issues without a problem. But I would love to see a modest (not crunch) framework for this in the game.

Same for spellcasters. The game has a million fire-and-forget spells, but not many leave a lasting impact on the world. Where are my 'enchant a building against rats' spells? Or 'grant fertile crops for a year' spells? I would love to see a simple framework for this too.

 

[ninjayeti]

Decent chase rules. Chases are a staple of action movies, but the DMG rules are a halfhearted attempt to make the square peg of the existing tactical movement rules fit in the round hole of a chase.

 

[Grogg of the North]

I'm not sure if this quite fits but here's what I'd like to see:

The degradation of permanent magical effects. I guess that's how you get cursed items but I'm thinking more like what happens to the villain that was turned into stone a hundred years ago. Does the spell slowly lose potency? Could he return? I suppose that could be a campaign premise.

The evolution of long lived and immortal monsters. That vampire has been alive for a thousand years. He hasn't evolved/adapted/whatever some way to overcome his sunlight weakness? 3.5 tried to do something like this with a template that was, frankly, awful. Of course, the GM could just say whatever they want but some sort of guidance would be nice.

 

[Charlaquin]

Blocking with weapons. It should be something everyone can do if they're holding a weapon, ergo it should be a factor for any weapon being held.

But I don't want to handle it "realistically." I just want it to be an option for defense. (Mostly because that's the easiest solution to the biggest hurdle to more anime-inspired games.)

You could just narrate the dodge action as taking a guard position (“guard” would be a much better name for the action than “dodge” anyway), and if an attack misses you, narrate it as a parry.