Least Belivable aspect of D&D?

[|]emonix]

To anyone who reads this...

nuf said

 

[SableWyvern]

My vote for other covers every relevant/important aspect of the game. I have yet to convince myself that any of the worlds I have created over 15+ years have any effective, consistent basis in reality.

More seriously, believability (which I'm assuming refers to some degree of realism?) ranks towards the bottom of those things I expect from d&d. If I'm after more realism, I'll play a different game.

Basically, if I can explain something to my players in a fashion that enables them to visualise it, the game has met my expectations.

 

[Plane Sailing]

What is the least belivable aspect of D&D?

Hit points

 

[Left-handed Hummingbird]

A little meta-comment: If you don't think the poll is any good, is there any reason to not just ignore it? There is room enough for most of us.

Oh, and 47, the word is "abundance".

Personally, my biggest gripe is somewhat the same as BiggusGeekus'; namely the fact that given the proliferation of magic, it hasn't had the effect you would expect on society as a whole. But it's not a big gripe; I don't let myself get all hot and bothered by it.

 

[green slime]

I disagree.

I think just because americans are fond of their lie-detecting machine, doesn't mean that every other culture envisionable would use these marvelous devices in a fantasy world.

Ask yourself the question: "Why isn't the use of the lie-detecting machine more wide spread in the world today?"

The answer of course is that it is unreliable, and it can be beat.

In the fantasy world, there are ways past the common detect lie spell. Or should this only be the previlege of the very rich?

How many priests does the justice system have at their beck and call to cast constant detect lies in every court case? Who reimburses them their expense? Who vouches for the priest's honesty? Who watches the watchers?

If I build myself a lair to hatch "Evil plots" (TM), I want myself and my closest plot-hatchers near me, in a secluded place, insulated from would-be do-gooders. So I have the toughest, most loyal muscle near me, as body guards, and out front I have the two-bit goons.

I would go on, but lunch calls, so maybe after lunch

To me the biggest problem is the abundance of Humanoids. How many intelligent bipeds can there be, all competing for the same resources?

 

[Ruvion]

My friends and I found evasion to be extremely unbelievable...even for a fantasy game. I mean, not even bullet-time powered Neo (from Matrix fame) can dodge a 20 feet radius spread fireball and manage to remain in the same position. Where are these rogues and monks deaking to? The etheareal plane (phasing out so to speak)? Or they just choose not to believe (and so it doesn't affect them)? Granted, the aforementioned classes have to save, but still...when they do save, they apparently phase out or something.

 

[CRGreathouse]

Magic item-filled dungeons. They just sit there for hundreds of years, until a group of adventureres waltz through with just enough power to make it... and come out more powerful.

 

[Storm Raven]

My friends and I found evasion to be extremely unbelievable...even for a fantasy game. I mean, not even bullet-time powered Neo (from Matrix fame) can dodge a 20 feet radius spread fireball and manage to remain in the same position. Where are these rogues and monks deaking to? The etheareal plane (phasing out so to speak)? Or they just choose not to believe (and so it doesn't affect them)? Granted, the aforementioned classes have to save, but still...when they do save, they apparently phase out or something.

We just assume that while area effect spells generally blanket the area they are cast into, they don't completely saturate the area. A fireball fills a 20 foot radius sphere with flame, but it doesn't fill it completely. A Rogue or a Monk just has an uncanny knack for finding those small gaps and twisting into them for the brief second that the spell is in effect.

 

[Ruvion]

Originally posted by Storm Raven
We just assume that while area effect spells generally blanket the area they are cast into, they don't completely saturate the area. A fireball fills a 20 foot radius sphere with flame, but it doesn't fill it completely. A Rogue or a Monk just has an uncanny knack for finding those small gaps and twisting into them for the brief second that the spell is in effect.

This just conjurered a funny image in my head...Trying to imagine our rogue contortist trying to fit into small nooks and crannies that weren't saturated...

But seriously, I don't think this is possible even in matrix (but we'll have to wait and see matrix 2 to be sure )!

 

[Storm Raven]

* that, given its permenance, every torch hasn't been replaced by a continual light (or eternal torch or long-lasting flame or whatever the spell is called in 3rd edition)

Why doesn't everybody use those GE lightbulbs that last for years on end rather than standard light bulbs? Oh yeah, price.

* that, given their effectiveness in a battle, troops and militia don't train to "kill the spell caster first" (at least, I've never seen this expressly stated and reflected in a setting. Usually when I mention this people say things like "oh yeah, folks do that" and go back to killing the fighter first because he's in front)

They don't try to kill the wizard first? In most combats I have seen, enemy spell casters are a big target. Of course, the wizard's allies usually try to prevent the wizard from getting hit with attacks, so it can be hard to pull off.

* That, given that the harm spell has no save, clerics over 11th level of an unknown god aren't shot on sight

Do all clerics run around announcing their power to the world?

* that people tolerate any follower of an evil god at all. C'mon. The guy next door says he worships Hastur, has the evil spells to prove it, and you're just gonna hope for the best? Sure, people live in fear next to tough guys in the real world, but those tough guys don't follow gods that think its nifty to destroy the planet.

And why did anybody in the Catholic world allow Protestants, Satanists or holdover pagans to exist in our world? Oh yeah, the Protestants who weren't burned as heretics mostly stayed in countries where they were legally protected, the Satanists didn't tell anyone that they were Satanists, and the pagans stayed out of sight (or just didn't tell anyone their religious beliefs).

Do your evil cultists run around saying "Hi! We are the evil cult of Set. Can we kidnap your children to use in human sacrifice rituals please?" Or do they hide their affiliations and avoid drawing attention to themselves anywhere where they aren't strong, powerful and at least have some control over the government?

Which reminds me. What kind of moron follows a guy who wants to blow up the world? Don't you think in ONE of those secret meetings that there would be ONE guy to raise his hand and say, "Um, dudes? Have we really thought about this one?"

The kind that thinks that the evil deity will give him a special place of power in the afterlife for serving him. Or thinks that when the world is reformed in the evil god's image, the cultist will be given a seat of powerin the new order. Or someone who is a nihlist. Or someone who is insane. Or someone who is stupid.