D&D 5E How difficult should Difficulty be?

[Maxperson]

Correct, and that is exactly what I am saying. You, however, seem to be arguing that very thing.

I'm not. Something that is nearly impossible to achieve doesn't have to be achievable by every Tom, Dick or Harry that tries it. In fact, it shouldn't be achievable by them. It should take someone who is extraordinary even among heroes to achieve it. DC 30 does that. DC 25 does not. DC 25 makes nothing nearly impossible.

A static 30 is the opposite of nearly impossible changing for anyone who tries it. It's just.......................nearly impossible and only achievable if you have high enough numbers, and even then it's unlikely, because.......................it's nearly impossible.

 

[Maxperson]

I really, really don’t. It’s not just a matter of chance, I absolutely lack the physical ability to even compete in any sporting event at anywhere near an Olympic level, let alone win against athletes at that level. It would (and does) take years of highly dedicated training to even have a chance, which is exactly why it’s a nearly impossible feat.

When I was much younger I had world class sprinting speed, and at one point was training to go to Barcelona. My friends nicknamed me Turbo and understood that they had no shot at beating me in a foot race.

 

[Peter BOSCO'S]

That was amazingly generous. If a PC in my game was on a world he had never been to and had no connection to, there would be a zero chance of success. You only roll if the outcome is in doubt. I would have simply told him no he doesn't know.

Planar travel is a thing - Example - Raistlin travels to the Forgotten Realms and talks with Elminster about the War of the Lance. Elminster repeats part of this. Someone writes what Elminster says down. Your FR PC reads it. That's how your FR PC knew about some DL events even though he had never been to Krynn.

 

[Tallifer]

Hard DCs have to be super hard considering all the spells, tricks and items PCs can muster. But 5e is all about empowering the DM to adjust DCs according to the powergamer quotient of the party.

 

[Maxperson]

Planar travel is a thing - Example - Raistlin travels to the Forgotten Realms and talks with Elminster about the War of the Lance. Elminster repeats part of this. Someone writes what Elminster says down. Your FR PC reads it. That's how your FR PC knew about some DL events even though he had never been to Krynn.

The odds of that are just about 0. Elminster doesn't walk around holding seminars on the War of the Lance or talking to low level PCs.

 

[James Gasik]

The odds of that are just about 0. Elminster doesn't walk around holding seminars on the War of the Lance or talking to low level PCs.

What? Have you read any of the fiction Ed Greenwood has written? Elminster does that all the time!

 

[Maxperson]

What? Have you read any of the fiction Ed Greenwood has written? Elminster does that all the time!

No. I just read the D&D products, because those are what is in the game.

 

[James Gasik]

No. I just read the D&D products, because those are what is in the game.

Well, trust me, Elminster as written is always expositing to low level characters. In Spellfire, he basically gives a seminar in "how to beat a Wizard in combat", lol.

As for D&D products, there was that season of Encounters where your 1st level characters are on a pub crawl of the Realms, end up in Shadowdale when the Drow attack, and Elminster dragoons your party into serving as a distraction by sending you into the Underdark.

 

[Maxperson]

Well, trust me, Elminster as written is always expositing to low level characters. In Spellfire, he basically gives a seminar in "how to beat a Wizard in combat", lol.

As for D&D products, there was that season of Encounters where your 1st level characters are on a pub crawl of the Realms, end up in Shadowdale when the Drow attack, and Elminster dragoons your party into serving as a distraction by sending you into the Underdark.

So basically, because of Elminster everyone should have a chance to know anything?

Even with Elminster traveling around doing that, the odds of a given PC encountering him AND learning that specific piece of information is still next to 0.

 

[James Gasik]

So basically, because of Elminster everyone should have a chance to know anything?

Even with Elminster traveling around doing that, the odds of a given PC encountering him AND learning that specific piece of information is still next to 0.

That's what Volo's Guides are for.