D&D General Reification versus ludification in 5E/6E

[Teemu]

No. You might have a point if the abilities granted had nothing to do with the races in question, but they do have something to do with the races. Non-brutish races/professions don't get brute. Small races don't get brawny. They BIG ones do. And so on.

If you are looking at a creature and reasoning out something they might have that fits with the creature's theme, there's no circular logic going on. Circular logic is asking why a race has X ability and saying, because they have X ability. That's circular.

Example 1: "Why do goliaths have brawny? Because they are a larger than average race and brawny fits their theme." - Not circular.

Example 2: "Why do halflings have brawny? Because they have brawny they must be brawny creatures, so they have brawny." - circular.

How do races come into play when discussing which traits generic NPC stat blocks have?

Why does the 2014 Archmage have Magic Resistance? Where does it come from? Why does it have damage resistance against damage from spells?

Why does the 2014 Assassin have proficiency in Dex and Int saves? Why is it proficient in shortswords and light crossbows?

Why does the 2014 Knight have the Leadership action? Why can it take a Parry reaction to increase its AC by 2? Some other NPCs have a Parry reaction that increases their AC by 3.

Why does the 2014 Priest have the Divine Eminence bonus action? Where's that coming from? Can PCs learn that? If so, how? Where is it detailed as a player option?

Many 2014 NPCs have Multiattack. Can PCs learn Multiattack in place of Extra Attack? If so, how? Where is it detailed as a player option? The 2014 Scout has Multiattack but only 3 HD. Can a PC with 3 HD learn Multiattack as well if they train with a Scout NPC?

 

[Remathilis]

Half edition is a thing too.

Version, not edition.

 

[Micah Sweet]

How do races come into play when discussing which traits generic NPC stat blocks have?

Why does the 2014 Archmage have Magic Resistance? Where does it come from? Why does it have damage resistance against damage from spells?

Why does the 2014 Assassin have proficiency in Dex and Int saves? Why is it proficient in shortswords and light crossbows?

Why does the 2014 Knight have the Leadership action? Why can it take a Parry reaction to increase its AC by 2? Some other NPCs have a Parry reaction that increases their AC by 3.

Why does the 2014 Priest have the Divine Eminence bonus action? Where's that coming from? Can PCs learn that? If so, how? Where is it detailed as a player option?

Many 2014 NPCs have Multiattack. Can PCs learn Multiattack in place of Extra Attack? If so, how? Where is it detailed as a player option? The 2014 Scout has Multiattack but only 3 HD. Can a PC with 3 HD learn Multiattack as well if they train with a Scout NPC?

Great questions that IMO should have answers.

And by the way those issues bothered me long before 5.5 was released.

 

[Remathilis]

Why does the 2014 Assassin have proficiency in Dex and Int saves? Why is it proficient in shortswords and light crossbows?

Hey, while we're at it, if I kill an assassin NPC in 2014, how many doses of 7d6 poison do I get?

Shortsword. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: (1d6 + 3) piercing damage plus (7d6)poison damage. The target must make a DC 15 Constitution saving throw, taking the poison damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.
Light Crossbow. Ranged Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 80/320 ft., one target. Hit: (1d8 + 3) piercing damage plus (7d6)poison damage. The target must make a DC 15 Constitution saving throw, taking the poison damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.

Anyone? Anyone? Bueller?

 

[Micah Sweet]

Version, not edition.

Ok. You know I'm not @Maxperson , right?

 

[Micah Sweet]

Hey, while we're at it, if I kill an assassin NPC, how many doses of 7d6 poison do I get?

Shortsword. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: (1d6 + 3) piercing damage plus (7d6)poison damage. The target must make a DC 15 Constitution saving throw, taking the poison damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.
Light Crossbow. Ranged Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 80/320 ft., one target. Hit: (1d8 + 3) piercing damage plus (7d6)poison damage. The target must make a DC 15 Constitution saving throw, taking the poison damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.

Anyone? Anyone? Bueller?

As many as they have on them in my game.

 

[Remathilis]

Ok. You know I'm not @Maxperson , right?

Half-editions aren't a thing. They are versions of the same edition or they are a new edition. 3.5 is either part of 3e OR it's really 4e. I can't make that any clearer.

 

[Remathilis]

As many as they have on them in my game.

Which is? The stat block is unclear per RAW...

 

[Teemu]

Great questions that IMO should have answers.

And by the way those issues bothered me long before 5.5 was released.

My point is, you'll never get a satisfactory answer in D&D, and no edition of D&D has provided a satisfactory answer to the question of game rules vs in-world logic. Not even 3.x, which I played and ran extensively, because its core rules do not make a lick of sense if you play them as in-world physics.

In my opinion you have to look outside D&D to find a satisfactory answer. It could be a gamey game like Free League's Year Zero games, and in the context of fantasy it would be Forbidden Lands, or it could be something much more granular like GURPS or Mythras.

 

[ezo]

Anyone? Anyone? Bueller?

None. They used their last one during the encounter with you!

Aww... shucks!