D&D General The Fourth Pillar of D&D…shenanigans

[beancounter]

she·nan·i·gans
noun
INFORMAL

1. secret or dishonest activity or maneuvering.
   
   • silly or high-spirited behavior; mischief.

 

[darjr]

she·nan·i·gans
noun
INFORMAL

1. secret or dishonest activity or maneuvering.
   • silly or high-spirited behavior; mischief.

Choose the silly bits.

 

[beancounter]

Choose the silly bits.

I just thought it would be helpful to have a shared definition.

 

[Mannahnin]

I don't consider that shenanigans.

That's using the base system in the intended way the pillar mechanics are designed for and with options clearly not hidden nor unaccounted for

I partially agree. Improvised gambits, arguments unforeseen by the DM, and surprise ideas by the players are not exactly unaccounted for by the rules. The designers DO expect that players will come up with weird stuff and original ideas, including in the Social pillar.

That being said, I think they still fall under the general umbrella of shenanigans as Ben describes it in the video. The idea is to be creative and to do things and come up with ideas the DM does not expect and did not specifically plan for. And for the DM to be open to these surprises and to adjudicating them with a reasonable chance of success.

I think it's valid for Ben to so highlight this improvisational "anything may be attempted" ethos, which is particularly popular in the OSR and which IMO maximizes the value and virtues of tabletop RPGs with a GM over computer RPGs.

 

[darjr]

I’ve run a ton of public games. Online, at conventions, in stores and other events.

Shenanigans are on a dial, some groups have it cranked to 11 and the knob is missing. Some look at me waiting for the next prompt. Most tables are a variety of dial settings all mixed in.

The tables with mixed expectations are the hardest to run. You have to play a bit of social deduction just to discover where each player is at. Tuning things to the different expectations can be a tough balancing act.

I do have fun though, regardless. The particular flexibilities of this hobby both drive the differences and allow me to run a fun game given them.

 

[Ruin Explorer]

On the spur of the moment I replied something like "Your mother works at a cheap tavern" in Orcish. The DM (later informing us that the password had actually been "orc"), deciding that this was both funny and would be funny to the bored Thieves' Guild guard (I can't remember whether he made a Reaction Roll), had the guard open the door for a conversation.

Yes to this. That's correct DMing!

 

[Ruin Explorer]

Shenanigans are on a dial, some groups have it cranked to 11 and the knob is missing. Some look at me waiting for the next prompt. Most tables are a variety of dial settings all mixed in.

Very definitely right. I have seen groups (one in particular) where shenanigans were basically "get your coat and leave" material, and given my natural instinct as a player is shenanigans, that wasn't... the best. Whereas my main group, if there aren't shenanigans, did we even really play? They also possess an astonishing ability to cause a perfectly normal situation to basically degrade into The Three Stooges (or similar) through "bold" decision-making, but to also come up with Leverage-style plans at times. It also varies between settings and games. Like, I can't think of a CoC game with the same main group where it went shenanigans and most WoD is similar, but D&D, Shadowrun, Cyberpunk, Exalted? Definitely. Superhero games weirdly it's less likely, though the time they used an unconscious Reed Richards to whip Human Torch out of the air and then start using Reed to slap around The Thing with probably makes up for that.

 

[pantsorama]

I think Shenenigans are really more of a Meta-Pillar. A way of performing any pillarous activities, no? Not so much the pillar itself.

 

[Flexor the Mighty!]

At our table the 4th pillar is whisk(e)y. Which of course leads to shenanigans so I think he's right.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

Superhero games weirdly it's less likely, though the time they used an unconscious Reed Richards to whip Human Torch out of the air and then start using Reed to slap around The Thing with probably makes up for that.

If there is a rule for the shenanigans it ceases to be shenanigans.

Baldur's Gate 3 tries to put the shenanigans into the rules. Everyone knows about the explosive wine barrels and salami weapons, but do they know their version of the berserker is based around hitting people with goblins?