D&D 5E Reducing Power Gaming

[Bae'zel]

DELETED (pointless rambling)

 

[ezo]

I have no issue with "you missed, moving on". I have issue with DMs who persistently interpret failed attack rolls as "LOL you whiffed, way off the mark, you kind of suck bro" (slightly exaggerated, but not by a lot).

Sure.

I don't run into DMs like that anymore. I mean, maybe back in the 80s... when I was a teen, but I haven't seen any like that in about 40 years now.

If you run into them now, how old are they???

 

[jmartkdr2]

Agreed. Also, I feel that a lot of people misunderstand what AC represents. If you fail to meet the AC of a target, it can also legitimately mean that your blow was parried, dodged, sidestepped, or bounced off of their armor.

Most DMs I've played with will say: "you miss your target, flailing about, OOPS haha" while I'll typically say: "the orc parries your blow / the goblin ducks under your swipe / your sword slashes the creature but only superficially scratches it's armored hide" etc...

Makes players feel a BIT less bad about missing, and frames their character's actions as OPPOSED vs PASSIVE. Sure, failing to hit can just mean that 'oops, you misjudged things and hit empty air", but AC doesn't just represent your weapon skills failing for some reason.

Agreed: my go-to narration is “the other guy’s defenses worked.” So it bounced if the armor/got blocked/was dodged etc.

A nat 1 or single-digit total might get a “you goofed” narration, but only then and only that.

 

[jmartkdr2]

Sure.

I don't run into DMs like that anymore. I mean, maybe back in the 80s... when I was a teen, but I haven't seen any like that in about 40 years now.

If you run into them now, how old are they???

Usually early 20’s, dming for less than a few years.

 

[Bae'zel]

DELETED (pointless rambling)

 

[KYRON45]

I have no issue with "you missed, moving on". I have issue with DMs who persistently interpret failed attack rolls as "LOL you whiffed, way off the mark, you kind of suck bro" (slightly exaggerated, but not by a lot).

EDIT: I get that different groups have different play styles, and some people enjoy joshing each other on a regular basis, teasing and poking fun at each other. Good for you! I get annoyed, however, at how a failed skill check, for a completely reasonable attempt by an otherwise competent character, gets narrated, on the record, as "slapstick comedy" when it's jarring and tonally inconsistent at best, to creating an ongoing joke in the campaign going forward at worst. "LOL don't have the Rogue try to pick the lock, remember that one time he failed 3 times in a row on a mundane lock? LOL Our Rogue sucks!"

What are the unnamed faces on an internet forum expected to do about the way your group treats you?

 

[Bae'zel]

What are the unnamed faces on an internet forum expected to do about the way your group treats you?

I'm just expressing my likes and dislikes in terms of DMing styles. Don't take it personally.

But I get it, I'll delete my posts.

 

[KYRON45]

I'm just expressing my likes and dislikes in terms of DMing styles. Don't take it personally.

But I get it, I'll delete my posts.

No ones taking it personally.
When you Dm you set the tone for what you expect from your players. It's up to you to communicate with them.
Friends or strangers it shouldn't matter. If people are behaving in a counter productive manner...discuss it and change the tenor of the way you all interact with one another.

 

[SteveC]

The discussion of failing really hits home, since I've had more than my share of bad DMs who did exactly the humor stuff at failing a check or missing that Bae'zel is talking about.

What I do as a result of this is look at how skilled the character who's trying something is and narrate accordingly. If you have a strong stat in a skill and expertise in it, you're not going to fail for the same reason as a character who was just trying for a hail mary play.

Of course, I don't make that very skilled character roll unless something serious is at stake: they just get to show their skill.

 

[Hussar]

Sure.

I don't run into DMs like that anymore. I mean, maybe back in the 80s... when I was a teen, but I haven't seen any like that in about 40 years now.

If you run into them now, how old are they???

Forties. With decades of experience.