D&D 5E [poll] How RAW are you re: environmental effects

[Sacrosanct]

Curious to see how people utilize the rules for environmental effects (which includes encumbrance). On page 110 of the DMG, there are several things like extreme heat, cold, etc and how to enforce rules on them. So my question is, how often do you actually use them?

 

[jaelis]

I would use them if they were part of a scenario design. If the environmental effects were just intended to set the scene I wouldn't worry about it.

I have not yet run a scenario where they have come up. But I like having the option.

 

[Satyrn]

I would use them if they were part of a scenario design. If the environmental effects were just intended to set the scene I wouldn't worry about it.

I have not yet run a scenario where they have come up. But I like having the option.

This.

 

[CapnZapp]

This.

Sent from my C6603 using EN World mobile app

 

[Ralif Redhammer]

When it is used to make an encounter more interesting or exciting, yes, absolutely.

But just for the sake of using them, no, I do not abide by them all that much.
Walking along and getting layer after layer of exhaustion in the desert before you even get to the destination – meh. Because getting beaten up by a desert is not the stuff heroes are made of.

Having to fight a white dragon in the midst of a blizzard – heck, yeah! It makes combat more dynamic and ups the stakes.

 

[iserith]

I roll for weather if there's going to be both wilderness travel and encounters along the way. Extreme heat or cold, strong wind, or heavy precipitation can change the nature of the encounter.

I use the variant encumbrance rules if there's a dungeon run (thereby creating some trade-offs about what you can bring into and out of the place), but otherwise don't pay attention to weight totals in other scenarios.

 

[Saeviomagy]

I find that most of the rules for mundane activity end up being distinctly unheroic. As in - following them gives you results that are below what you expect of real-world ordinary humans. Almost as though the designers didn't do any actual research and simply spit-balled numbers.

 

[Ath'kethin]

I follow the rules pretty closely, largely because any intelligent creature will use the environment to its advantage. A creature immune to fire would try to lure others into a hot environment, a creature that can breathe water is a great guardian for a treasure kept in a submerged location, etc.

I try to design encounters that include challenges beyond just being smacked and spelled, and environments are a great way to do that.

 

[ccs]

Well, my current game is a 5e version of Mummies Mask (a PF adventure path). All 6 modules take place in the desert.
So yes, the heat rules tend to come into effect. More so when exploring the deep desert vs town/dungeon, but I still track the heat day to day.

 

[Sunseeker]

I don't really. I only track encumbrance when it's relevant (like moving hoards of small objects or a few very large objects).

I only run weather for thematic reasons. It's always foggy when the ghost pirates invade. The jungle is always hot and humid. It's always sunny in philadelphia.