D&D General The Monsters Know What They're Doing ... Are Unsure on 5e24

[AlViking]

Not a discussion. You haven’t discussed what they mean by a tortle, what aspects of tortle they think will work well in the campaign, and so on. And of course because “tortle” is a hypothetical, no one who is posting here could give you a true answer.

I have seen a few people give answers to why hot a tortle (whatever). That come across as “because my world building is more important than making the game fun”, which I suspect the posts you are thinking of where responding to. “Because tortles don’t exist in this world” is not a good answer in a world of magic, because they could be mutant terrapins or from another world. “Because everyone hates tortles” is not a good answer, since being hated by NPCs is something players are willing to deal with (see 2nd edition drow), “it doesn’t fit the theme of my Conan campaign” is a reason - to play with different people, because the player clearly isn’t interested in that theme.

I tried. I really did. I finally came up with tortle man post 9829476 and was told it was not good enough because it wasn't a tortle.

As far as why I say no I've explained it many times. Nobody has explained why I must say yes when I already tell people what the limitations are when I ask if people are interested in joining my game.

 

[TwoSix]

I tried. I really did. I finally came up with tortle man post 9829476 and was told it was not good enough because it wasn't a tortle.

As far as why I say no I've explained it many times. Nobody has explained why I must say yes when I already tell people what the limitations are when I ask if people are interested in joining my game.

OK....

If my GM told me I couldn't be a tortle, but I could be a human in a turtle suit, and was actually serious about it, then that's a "run away from the table" moment for me.

 

[Scribe]

OK....

If my GM told me I couldn't be a tortle, but I could be a human in a turtle suit, and was actually serious about it, then that's a "run away from the table" moment for me.

Agreed lol

 

[AlViking]

Turns out the Monsters Know What They're Doing - Again

The same thing they've always done

The Monsters Have Gained Some Clarity - The Monsters Know What They’re Doing

Hello again! I’d wish you all a happy 2026, except that it seems more like we didn’t do a good enough job of making sure 2025 was properly dead and buried. Get [whack!] back [whack!] in [whack!] there [whack!] I want to start off by thanking you all for understanding the assignment and leaving...

www.themonstersknow.com

I don't see much of anything new, including saying that only munchkins like the revisions. It's fine if he doesn't like the changes I just wish he wouldn't lump everybody together who does (or at least is okay with it) together into one pejorative category.

 

[AlViking]

OK....

If my GM told me I couldn't be a tortle, but I could be a human in a turtle suit, and was actually serious about it, then that's a "run away from the table" moment for me.

As I said ... no conversation, no compromise. Just tortle or nothing. Thanks for confirming.

edit - @Paul Farquhar do you still think that it's a strawman?

 

[Paul Farquhar]

As I said ... no conversation, no compromise. Just tortle or nothing. Thanks for confirming.

edit - @Paul Farquhar do you still think that it's a strawman?

No, that’s not “tortle or nothing” that’s “tortle or something completely ridiculous that will make me look foolish”. That’s not a discussion, it’s being insulting to anyone who dares challenge you.

 

[Zardnaar]

Why does an official publisher get a free pass to make a D&D setting with constraints but DM's don't?

Say I wanted to run a Witcher campaign using the D&D system. An official publisher does the same (using the D&D system). Both have species and class restrictions. Why is the DM going against the grain here, but not the publisher?

Why the assumption that DM's just can't get it right? Or that they're always acting in bad faith or personality flaws?

That's what's bothering me about this thread. This feels like "don't make up your own stuff, buy your settings".

Last time stuff like this came up was a few years back.

1. A potential player really wanted to follow the Ravens Queen. I was running a 3pp gane set in not Egypt very limited gods and they were Ra etc. He also insisted on a level 20 game. We couldnt work it out and he lost interest fast when I said my games extremely unlikely to go to 20. I spent $300 on 3pp stuff so I wanted to use it and top out level 10-13.

2. Second potential player. New person just bought the books looking tor game on Facebook. Cant remember thr details but I think they wanted something very specific. Essentially I think they wanted a DM for their personal main character syndrome story. Player couldn't find any suitable DM and advertised their books for sale 6 months later.

So both players were really insisting on specific stuff. Player 2 would require payment imho.

Not sure what happened to potential player 1. Friend of a friend of a friend sort of thing. I dont think he found a level 20 game.

You can't really compromise on that. Covid lockdowns killed the Egypt game so even if we agreed on 1-20 we wouldn't have made it anyway.

Neither player afaik got what they wanted or found a DM. Their tastes were to specific.

If youre willing to pay me I'll run whatever you like and if you pay me enough I'll buy the books as well. But if ive dropped $300 we are playing this your choice to play or not.

 

[Epic Meepo]

OK....

If my GM told me I couldn't be a tortle, but I could be a human in a turtle suit, and was actually serious about it, then that's a "run away from the table" moment for me.

As an aside, when I first heard the expression, "humans in funny hats," I immediately envisioned a campaign setting where every humanoid "species" is a group of humans who acquired new physical and magical traits based upon the costumes they chose to wear during a magical coming of age ceremony.

If I ever run that campaign, I won't approach it as a comedy. It will be dark. It will probably have a Southern Gothic theme, plus lots of carnival scenes and masquerade balls. There will likely be monsters called Face Thieves who try to rip off characters' faces/masks to feed upon the characters' identities.

 

[TwoSix]

As I said ... no conversation, no compromise. Just tortle or nothing. Thanks for confirming.

edit - @Paul Farquhar do you still think that it's a strawman?

I'm a fan of actual compromise, not..... that.

 

[AlViking]

No, that’s not “tortle or nothing” that’s “tortle or something completely ridiculous that will make me look foolish”. That’s not a discussion, it’s being insulting to anyone who dares challenge you.

So the only thing that is not "ridiculous" is a tortle?

I was attempting to have a conversation. That's how conversations work, I come up with an idea, it you don't like it you come up with a counter-proposal. Except the counter proposal is always "it must be a tortle". Which isn't compromise in any way shape or form. The visual could easily change - I was attempting to be a bit humorous with that - but the idea was that they look human but can get the same benefit as tortle armor without gaining proficiency from their class.

If it's ridiculous what's the counter?