D&D 5E Power Gamers and Balance - How to handle

[JacktheRabbit]

If you think it's idiotic behavior that would result as part of a successful persuassion check then the check should never have been allowed in the first place. If the only kind of success that can be had is something that includes a major drawback then it's not success at all but failure. If there was no chance of success without that drawback then you don't do an ability check as there is no uncertainty.

I don't think people knowing your very persuasive makes your job automatically harder. There may come a point where certain people that listened to you ended up in enough bad spots that they don't give you the time of day anymore but that's not quite the same thing as increasing a dc check on a persuasion checks to others in town because you have a reputation. That kind of reputation doesn't usually stop those kinds of people from functioning just fine. They just claim the others are liars and move on. Their persuasive enough to make everyone else believe that. But same NPC may be harder to persuade if you screwed him over somehow the first time. That's perfectly legitimate.

A suggestion spell that was cast with metamagic subtle spell cannot be mundanely traced back to you. Any number of people encountered could have cast such a spell. That's part of why subtle spell is so important. It makes it difficult to trace back.

I was talking to Kenny yesterday, suddenly I did something rather out of character and let him in the back door of the guild Hall, normally I demand at least 50gp for that and yesterday I just did it for free.

I better go question the bar wench, inn keeper, and bouncer to see if any of them suddenly charmed me while I was talking to Kenny.

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[Krachek]

If you think it's idiotic behavior that would result as part of a successful persuassion check then the check should never have been allowed in the first place. If the only kind of success that can be had is something that includes a major drawback then it's not success at all but failure. If there was no chance of success without that drawback then you don't do an ability check as there is no uncertainty.

I don't think people knowing your very persuasive makes your job automatically harder. There may come a point where certain people that listened to you ended up in enough bad spots that they don't give you the time of day anymore but that's not quite the same thing as increasing a dc check on a persuasion checks to others in town because you have a reputation. That kind of reputation doesn't usually stop those kinds of people from functioning just fine. They just claim the others are liars and move on. Their persuasive enough to make everyone else believe that. But same NPC may be harder to persuade if you screwed him over somehow the first time. That's perfectly legitimate.

A suggestion spell that was cast with metamagic subtle spell cannot be mundanely traced back to you. Any number of people encountered could have cast such a spell. That's part of why subtle spell is so important. It makes it difficult to trace back.

In complex and obscure situation Npc may use the "follow the money" tactic.
Sooner or later they will reach the pc!

 

[FrogReaver]

I was talking to Kenny yesterday, suddenly I did something rather out of character and let him in the back door of the guild Hall, normally I demand at least 50gp for that and yesterday I just did it for free.

I better go question the bar wench, inn keeper, and bouncer to see if any of them suddenly charmed me while I was talking to Kenny.

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After questioning everyone and realizing that no one seen anyone cast a spell Kenny realizes it must have just been momentary insanity.

 

[JacktheRabbit]

This might be backfiring on you.

Since you're giving your players the impression that they have a chance to suceed on even anything they try, and then find they just aren't hitting the DCs reasonably often enough, they may have decided that they need to pump up the numbers higher and higher.

I know I'd be thinking I'd have to pump up my checks if you let me roll but I was never seeming to succeed.

Nope, it pushes them to not focus.

A persuasion roll to get the guild accountant a copy of last weeks revenues succeeded, you think, he said yes and told you he would make a copy tomorrow and deliver it to you tomorrow night.

At this point a smart balanced character make an INSIGHT check to see if the guild accountant is being honest or if he is going to walk out of this room and report you straight away to the guildmaster.

To me Insight should be as important in social encounters as persuasion and it has the benefit of not allowing players to just min/Max via Charisma based skills and dump on Wisdom.

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[JacktheRabbit]

After questioning everyone and realizing that no one seen anyone cast a spell Kenny realizes it must have just been momentary insanity.

Yep, that is EXACTLY how someone in a world of magic would think.

Now you are just being silly. You play your game I will play mine. Obviously they are different games.

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[FrogReaver]

In complex and obscure situation Npc may use the "follow the money" tactic.
Sooner or later they will reach the pc!

What money are they following?

 

[FrogReaver]

Yep, that is EXACTLY how someone in a world of magic would think.

Now you are just being silly. You play your game I will play mine. Obviously they are different games.

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The whole because magic exists everyone must instantly be aware of magic and do everything to guard against it and be aware that anything that happens could have been caused by magic is boring and no more realistic than any other setting.

It's much more fun when magic is relatively rare and most people view it more like something that doesn't exist. If a normal person was to go and talk about magic like it was real they would be made fun of because everyone knows magic is just a myth etc. There's a few people in the know but by and large it's not advertised. To me that's a more compelling world because it's one I can relate to more. Making me guess what countermeasures have been placed on magic in a world where magic is commonplace is much more obscure to me.

 

[JacktheRabbit]

What money are they following?

Why did I let him in when I dont let anyone in.

I must be crazy, he reached into his pocket and pulled out that snake tongue and suddenly everything he said made perfect sense.

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[JacktheRabbit]

The whole because magic exists everyone must instantly be aware of magic and do everything to guard against it and be aware that anything that happens could have been caused by magic is boring and no more realistic than any other setting.

It's much more fun when magic is relatively rare and most people view it more like something that doesn't exist. If a normal person was to go and talk about magic like it was real they would be made fun of because everyone knows magic is just a myth etc. There's a few people in the know but by and large it's not advertised. To me that's a more compelling world because it's one I can relate to more. Making me guess what countermeasures have been placed on magic in a world where magic is commonplace is much more obscure to me.

Yep and just so happens to be one that allows your power gaming sorcerer to thrive in.

Enough said.

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[Krachek]

What money are they following?

It an expression taken from spying movie.
Follow the benefits.
Who benefits all this weird behavior in town?