D&D 5E Q&A 8/1 - Attack & Skill Checks , Spell DCs and Stat Caps

[keterys]

If bonuses don't stack, there's no point in having more than one, or at least no point to as many as we have. Perhaps it just needs pointing out how many sources there are.

Sounds like a feature to me

For example, maybe one guy has a class bonus, another has a cloak that improves a skill, and the other has a spell. And they all end up with some bonus (probably of different amounts), but nobody tries to stack all three.

If bonuses don't stack, we could probably eliminate half of those, which I honestly wouldn't be totally opposed to.

Well, one benefit of having a stringent stacking rule is that you wouldn't have to remove them. Because D&D has long shown that where there's a vacuum, someone will fill it. If we don't have a weapon focus feat at start, it just means we'll have one within 3 years some way or another.

Even with the stacking rule, people will still try to put in exceptions so that their special snowflake gets to stack, cause it's special, and eventually the arms race rolls along.

 

[Li Shenron]

I think that particular ship (changing dice) has sailed. Though even (2d10 or 3d6) +5 still makes DC 20 pretty easy.

And that's why I suggested a +10 training bonus, to spread the DCs out enough to make sense in a d20-land. You then set the DCs from 10 to 30, and you're good to go.

I would prefer a large bonus that grows with level rather than a sudden difference.

 

[keterys]

That's certainly an established way of doing it; it depends on if they're having level already give bonuses to checks, and whether it makes any sense for level to affect skills. In a lot of cases, it really doesn't, which makes you wonder why level ends up being the overriding evaluator of how skilled someone is.

Ie, let's avoid the "he's a 20th level expert so he can get the skills he needs". The NPC can be 1st (or whatever) level and just be that skilled, thanks.

 

[Li Shenron]

Ie, let's avoid the "he's a 20th level expert so he can get the skills he needs". The NPC can be 1st (or whatever) level and just be that skilled, thanks.

There is no NPC problem.

Currently NPCs and monsters don't follow the same rules of PCs. I'm not necessarily a fan of that, but if that's the case, make the NPC just like you need.

In 3ed, I never bothered statting a master chef just because I needed her to have +20 in Profession: Cook, if I wanted her to have +20, she just got it. If I wanted her to be "rules-compliant", I could have made her a high level Commoner, but then pick low combat stats or assume she rolled 1 on all HD rolls for Hit Points, that would pretty much negate any combat proficiency.

In any case 99% of the gaming groups don't need NPCs to even make skill checks.

 

[Sunseeker]

Sounds like a feature to me

For example, maybe one guy has a class bonus, another has a cloak that improves a skill, and the other has a spell. And they all end up with some bonus (probably of different amounts), but nobody tries to stack all three.

Well, one benefit of having a stringent stacking rule is that you wouldn't have to remove them. Because D&D has long shown that where there's a vacuum, someone will fill it. If we don't have a weapon focus feat at start, it just means we'll have one within 3 years some way or another.

Even with the stacking rule, people will still try to put in exceptions so that their special snowflake gets to stack, cause it's special, and eventually the arms race rolls along.

Which is why I think it would be simpler to remove things that could potentially stack, than just have RAW say "these don't stack". Because really, from how many things this edition has so far that could stack, I'm not anticipating lower numbers than in previous editions.

 

[DEFCON 1]

Apparently complex non-combat resolutin mechanics have become a thing of the past.

Absolutely. Because we all know "might" is a synonym for "definitely".

 

[Warbringer]

Apparently complex non-combat resolutin mechanics have become a thing of the past.

Read that line and felt exactly the same way. You can talk "3 Pillars" all you want, but is they don't have the same level of engagement then there is no such thing (as 3 Pillars)

 

[UngeheuerLich]

still awaiting the downtime mechanics. Those should be your primary sources of skills you pick up.