What is "railroading" to you (as a player)?

[GrimCo]

Not to be lazy, i just checked ability descriptions in 3.5 PHB and 5e2014 one. 3.5 one is much more defining and goes more in depth about each ability than 5e. On page 10, it has nice paragraph about INT,WIS,CHA and roleplay. It gives examples of characters with different combination of those 3 stats. 5e has nothing about how stats might affect role play, stat descriptions are 2-3 sentences and that's it.

Also, not to quote every one, thanks to all who gave their insight about my hypothetical scenario. It's interesting and answers are very different among people. It was situation i encountered enough time both as a DM and as a player, so i was curious how other people handled it.

 

[Micah Sweet]

Not to be lazy, i just checked ability descriptions in 3.5 PHB and 5e2014 one. 3.5 one is much more defining and goes more in depth about each ability than 5e. On page 10, it has nice paragraph about INT,WIS,CHA and roleplay. It gives examples of characters with different combination of those 3 stats. 5e has nothing about how stats might affect role play, stat descriptions are 2-3 sentences and that's it.

Also, not to quote every one, thanks to all who gave their insight about my hypothetical scenario. It's interesting and answers are very different among people. It was situation i encountered enough time both as a DM and as a player, so i was curious how other people handled it.

Sounds like WotC used to be more interested in providing guidance in this area.

 

[CreamCloud0]

If I have a 3 Strength I wouldn't expect the GM to challenge me every time I got out of a chair, picked up a backpack, or tried to climb stairs. Rather, I would expect to roll dice with a -5 penalty if I declared an action that would require a roll for any character, not just mine.

So, yeah, if the table rule was "any time a player proposes an idea, they must make an Int check for their character" then that's fair. Not that I would want to play at a table with a dumb rule like that, but at least it's consistent and fair.

But if it's an arbitrary, "That idea is too good for your dumb character, but Tony would get a pass because his Int is 11" then....No Thank You, Evil.

i didn't say any of that.

 

[CreamCloud0]

Modifiers to die rolls is plenty.

But they also can be inspiration for roleplaying, for those who so choose.

unfortunately, the mental stats lend themselves to actions and situations expressed through roleplaying, which too often end up bypassing making any checks in the first place, so those modifiers end up being a bit of a non-consequence.

 

[Hriston]

Fiction is filled with examples of "dumb" characters having moments of clarity and insight and coming up with solutions that catch everybody off guard.

 

[GrimCo]

This whole discussion is one of the reasons i prefer skills based games. Heck, even 3.x D&D based skills are better than 5e "skill" system. My WoD character might have only 1 dot in Presence, but with 4 dots in Socialize and Expression, i can play social butterfly no problem. Same with 1/2 dot in INT, but 4-5 dots in mental skill, it's entirely possible and in game consistent that my character comes up with clever solution based on it's field of expertise. In 3.x, you could have +0/+1 in stat, but pump up skill and still be good enough.

 

[Micah Sweet]

This whole discussion is one of the reasons i prefer skills based games. Heck, even 3.x D&D based skills are better than 5e "skill" system. My WoD character might have only 1 dot in Presence, but with 4 dots in Socialize and Expression, i can play social butterfly no problem. Same with 1/2 dot in INT, but 4-5 dots in mental skill, it's entirely possible and in game consistent that my character comes up with clever solution based on it's field of expertise. In 3.x, you could have +0/+1 in stat, but pump up skill and still be good enough.

Agreed. Level Up's more granular version of 5e's skill system, including varying degrees of expertise (and hindrance) and skill specialties, is much better than what WotC uses for my purposes. Allows a character to be good at something even if the base stat is low, or bad at something with a good stat.

 

[billd91]

Now, if the player of the low Int character is always the one coming up with the solutions and the plans then I think that becomes a thing we talk about either individually or with the group (really depending on levels of comfortability) about what the stats mean from a roleplaying perspective, but I also don't see it as necessarily a game-breaking or immersion-breaking thing (there's lots of way to express a low Intelligence that allow for the occasional exception; this is kind of what having a skill proficiency does)

It might also mean that player is basically playing Winnie the Pooh, a bear of startlingly little brain. Yet he gets along and saves the day... a lot.