D&D 5E [+] Ways to fix the caster / non-caster gap

[Tony Vargas]

Since none of the class features or subclass features explain this capability as an exception to the setting logic, the core, inescapable premise of leveling in D&D is that leveling turns a mortal into a supernatural being.

Well, superhuman, unbelievably skilled, or improbably lucky.

There's nothing supernatural about an animal dying when you cleave it's skull open with a greatsword, not the first time, and not the 10th time.

 

[TwoSix]

To be honest, I'm not sure I really care if the martials get the tag "mundane" or "supernatural." I only care about them having rough mechanical parity with casters. The individual table can decide how mundane or magical their martials are.

Sure. I care only in the sense that "martials aren't supernatural, but casters are" is used as the justification to retain a martial/caster gap. I know plenty of people, both online and IRL, who think casters being supreme at upper levels is a feature, not a bug.

 

[TwoSix]

Well, superhuman, preternaturally skilled, or implausibly lucky.

There's nothing supernatural about an animal dying when you cleave it's skull open with a greatsword, not the first time, and not the 10th time.

The first two, yes...the third one less so since the 20th level fighter will be able to fight 10 grizzlies and win the vast majority of the time.

It's not killing the animals over time that's supernatural, it's being able to stand toe-to-toe with multiples of them and not immediately sustain killing wounds.

 

[James Gasik]

It's appropriate to genre/myth/legend/folklore heck, even RL beliefs, historically. Many an emperor/king/whatever has claimed divine favor... most all, really... Pharaoh claimed to be gods...


We assume Gods exist and empower Clerics/Paladins at every table, that there are extradimensional beings wanting to make pacts with would-be Warlocks at every table, that there are sorcerous-power bestowing wild magic events at every table, that there are Orders of Druids or Paladins in the setting at every table.... every class brings with it assumptions. "hidden blessings by the gods" isn't any worse than those brought in by Cleric, Paladin, Warlock or Druid... Sorcerer seems to have more of a range.

So something like, "...super-human potential from some source, perhaps the Gods themselves, the meddling of some not-quite divine power, a warp in the Weave, perhaps a Destiny the Gods themselves are unaware of...." would be even better. But, for a religious setting "blessed by the Gods" would work, even if it weren't accurate.


I expect they'd be a handful. Stark is arrogant and flippantly domineering, Barton ...has issues.

I'd rather have the Beast & Nightcrawler as players.

Beast? The dude's basically committed war crimes, lol.

 

[Cadence]

Beast? The dude's basically committed war crimes, lol.

The solution here is to realize that the vast majority of things since about Avengers 196 are apocryphal.

 

[James Gasik]

Hard disagree. If you want that narrative, put it in the book, just like we do for the magic and gods stuff.

The book already says that magic is found in every living thing, why isn't that enough of an explanation?

PH page 205

"The worlds with in the D&D multiverse are magical places. All existence is suffused with magical power, and potential energy lies untapped in every rock, stream, and living creature, and even in the air itself. Raw magic is the stuff of creation, the mute and mindless will of existence, permeating every bit of matter and present in every manifestation of energy throughout the multiverse."

 

[Tonguez]

I am not worried about how they got them, I am not interested in them turning into Thor or The Hulk. The solution is not to make everyone a superhero, the solution is for no one to be one.

There already is a Marvels TTRPG if that is what you are looking for…

people keep raising Thor and Hulk - the thing is that neither are good models of whats being discussed as Thor is a god with a magic weapon and the Hulk is a monster.
What is being considered is Captain America or Shang Chi or Batman. Maybe Spiderman. On the legendary side you have the likes of Arjuna, Cuchulainn, Samson or Heracles

Any DnD conversion of the Hulk should stat him as a monster not as a High Tier PC, he breaks the rules. Thor could work by stacking most of his powerset (Lightning, Flight) into Mjolnir.

 

[James Gasik]

The solution here is to realize that the vast majority of things since about Avengers 196 are apocryphal.

I wish that was true, lol.

 

[overgeeked]

Sure. I care only in the sense that "martials aren't supernatural, but casters are" is used as the justification to retain a martial/caster gap. I know plenty of people, both online and IRL, who think casters being supreme at upper levels is a feature, not a bug.

Same here. I know plenty of people like that. They're wrong, of course.

 

[overgeeked]

The solution here is to realize that the vast majority of things since about Avengers 196 are apocryphal.

If you don't like a bit of Marvel or DC lore, wait a few years. It'll be retconned.