D&D 5E Intoxicated Condition?

What do you think of the Intoxicated mechanic?

  • I like the mechanic as is

    Votes: 11 22.9%
  • It should exist but not grant DR

    Votes: 17 35.4%
  • There should not be an Intoxicated mechanic

    Votes: 17 35.4%
  • Other

    Votes: 3 6.3%

There is no condition you can't use that argument for. Indeed, there is no in-game situation, event, or rule that that argument doesn't apply to.

While I technically agree with those who feel that it should be modelled under the poison rules (or alternative conditions, or adv/disadv - but, hell, like I said, you can validly argue that anything be subsumed into that mechanic) I think it's in there for an occasional bit of easily apply-able fun. Yes, it's a "poison"; but it's the poison that's readily available, legal, common, and can provide amusing scenes on occasion. So why not let it have it's own little rule? Sure, you can ignore it. Or you can have fun with it.

In order to warrant its existence, the intoxicated condition needs to be used for more than just drinking contests.

For instance, imagine if a nymph's kiss or a satyr's song intoxicated creatures?
 

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In order to warrant its existence, the intoxicated condition needs to be used for more than just drinking contests.

For instance, imagine if a nymph's kiss or a satyr's song intoxicated creatures?
Faerie dragons!

I could also imagine traps that aerate low-quality but high-proof alcohol to protect dwarf/derro/duergar lairs to keep non-dwarves out.

That said, it wouldn't be the worst idea in the world to have it be a standard type of poison, along with all the goofy fantasy kinds.
 



This is an idle thought and may not be worth the bookkeeping, but what people think about the idea of modeling the intoxicated condition is a combination of temporary points, and DM hit point tracking. In that case, the DM would not notify the player of the amountdamage that was being done to him. Which is more accurately model any sort of increased durability, via temporary hit points, as well as the recklessness that might come with being intoxicated.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD Edited for spelling, as this is a dictated post.
 

It's nonsense that, for 40 years, adventures have started in taverns but the powers that be have pretended that all the alcohol served there -- and priced out in the PHB or its equivalent -- was water.
Gygax's DMG had rules for intoxication. From memory, it could give bonus hit points (up to +3, I think). The same rulebook also permitted a shot of spirits to revive someone from unconsciousness.

On the bigger issue - I don't think it adds a great deal to the game. And the DR seems ridiculously good - 1d6 DR will negate the damage from a 1d4 dagger blow 75% of the time, and makes the average damage a little more than 0.4 hp per hit. DR of 1 would seem ample (if they're not going the temporary hit point route): in the case of a dagger, this would still reduce average damage to 1.5 per hit, or a 40% reduction in damage output.
 


I cringed a little a bit when I saw the condition for the first time; mainly because back in the "D&D is Satanic" days the TV preachers always made a note of "it even has rules for getting drunk in it" which concerned my parents, until I actually showed them the section in question. They laughed.

As for me, I would give the condition give temporary hit points equal to level or number of hit dice (temporary Toughness) so that an 8th level character or 8HD monster would get 8 temporary hit points. The disadvantage features and botched spell casting chance look fine to me.
 

That's a lot of votes already just to remove the condition. I voted so too, but there should be disease and herbalism effects in the game. Altered states if you will. Maybe if the conditions list were suggestions and not rules. Then I'd have no problem with comedy mechanics like this.
 

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