Reply to thread

Message: <blockquote data-quote="Bagpuss" data-source="post: 4091641" data-attributes="member: 3987">It is arbitrary and unrealistic.That is because D&D isn't trying to simulate reality, it is simulating the heroic fantasy genre. In heroic fantasy film and fiction, you don't see the hero trying to trip his opponent every few seconds or even every couple of minutes. He does it perhaps once or twice in the whole book, or film, and when he does it has a significant effect to the outcome of the battle. That's why it's per encounter. It accurately simulates the genre conventions. I'd be happy if it was a daily it would be a more 'realistic' reflection of the genre.If you want trip to reflect the effect it has in fiction and film, then the outcome of tripping someone has to be significant, and to reflect the genre you have to have a reasonable chance of it being successful. You don't see the hero trying and failing to trip the villain 5 times before he succeeds.But in a game if you make it easy and powerful, then someone will do it all the time.... (like square, square, square in your favourite beat 'em up) and that doesn't realistically simulate the genre either. So you have to limit the number of occasions they can actually do it to be real reflection of heroic fantasy fiction and film.It is arbitrary and unrealistic, because it has to be to realistically simulate a genre that is full of arbitrary and unrealistic events.</blockquote>