D&D 5E Thoughts on Divorcing D&D From [EDIT: Medievalishness], Mechanically Speaking.

[Paul Farquhar]

 

[Kobold Avenger]

The Zulu wars were later than that. But I think the climate wouldn’t have been conducive to wearing mail.

So I thought there were conflicts between Russia and Georgia in the 1800s but looks like that's a more recent thing in the 1900s and 2008. In the 1800s Georgia was a willing participant of the Russian Empire under the Tsars, and it's conflicts in the 1800s were mainly against the Iranians/Persians and Turks/Ottoman Empire, who both very much had guns which would make mail a bad choice to wear.

 

[Yaarel]

Again, the point is to mechanically incentives a more modern feel including eliminating armor as standard. That means making armor less effective and compensating with some other defense (probably proficiency). Of course there might be specific circumstances under which the solution to this particular adventure challenge is armor.

Dexterity save adds the Proficiency, so improves while leveling, while gun attacks also improve while leveling.

 

[Yaarel]

If you look at genre movies and TV monsters are usually depicted as being immune or highly resistant to bullets.

Plausibly, one could make a "bullet proof vest" out of Dragon scales.

I am okay with maybe reintroducing DR for the monsters and giving PC armor both DR and hp so it degrades.

Good idea.

Damage Resistance versus Weapon (Pierce, Slash, Bludgeon) is probably the best way to handle body armor (and monsters).

They make a Dex save but reduce damage if hit. That the vest takes the other half of the damage until destroyed is a great idea.

A magic body armor vest, such as made of Dragon Scale, might be near indestructable and enduring.

Nothing wrong with making some monsters Immune to Weapon damage.

 

[Krachek]

Modern Weapons are great but most fantasy show just can’t stop using swords and fist fight.
Star war light saber and other martial technique, WH 40k with so many reference to medieval fighting and armor, Dune movie, and so on endlessly.
Medievalism is still a key element of fantasy even in 2024. Divorcing from it is a bad idea.

 

[Kobold Avenger]

One of my thoughts on Damage Resistance and firearms if one is going that route is to introduce the Damage Sub-Type "Ballistic" which is a sub-type of "Piercing". Some things might be resistant or vulnerable to Ballistic damage but not Piercing, but anything that's resistant or vulnerable to Piercing damage is also resistant or vulnerable to Ballistic.

 

[Yaarel]

Some things might be resistant or vulnerable to Ballistic damage but not Piercing.

Like what?

 

[Kobold Avenger]

Like what?

Theoretical for someone that wants to have things like bullet resistance, also I guess you could have something like "vulnerable to ballistic damage from silver bullets"

 

[Yaarel]

Theoretical for someone that wants to have things like bullet resistance, also I guess you could have something like "vulnerable to ballistic damage from silver bullets"

I am having a hard time visualizing what could possibly resist a bullet but not a sword thrust.

Heh, it reminds me of the laughable intro of the black-and-white Superman show, where Superman has bullets bounce of him but then needs to duck out of the way when the shooter throws the empty gun at him.

 

[W'rkncacnter]

I am having a hard time visualizing what could possibly resist a bullet but not a sword thrust.

bulletproof kevlar vests.