D&D General Why Exploration Is the Worst Pillar

[mrpopstar]

My confusion regarding disappointment with the exploration pillar is that the Dungeon Master's Guide dedicates 5 of 9 chapters to the subject, and there are applicable headings under 2 more of them, yet the general gripe is that it "glosses over exploration."

 

[iserith]

My confusion regarding disappointment with the exploration pillar is that the Dungeon Master's Guide dedicates 5 of 9 chapters to the subject, and there are applicable headings under 2 more of them, yet the general gripe is that it "glosses over exploration."

Nobody reads the DMG.

 

[Nefermandias]

Nobody reads the DMG.

Maybe that's the problem?

On a more serious note, I believe the problem lies in the fact that this game has too many tools that allows the players straight up skip any exploration encounter.

 

[iserith]

Maybe that's the problem?

On a more serious note, I believe the problem lies in the fact that this game has too many tools that allows the players straight up skip any exploration encounter.

I suppose that depends on how one defines "exploration encounter" and what one means by "skipping it." I can "skip" a social encounter with a charm person or, sometimes, a combat encounter with an expeditious retreat. Or turn a potential combat encounter into an exploration encounter by sneaking past enemies with a pass without trace.

 

[Nefermandias]

I suppose that depends on how one defines "exploration encounter" and what one means by "skipping it." I can "skip" a social encounter with a charm person or, sometimes, a combat encounter with an expeditious retreat. Or turn a potential combat encounter into an exploration encounter by sneaking past enemies with a pass without trace.

Sure, and I'm all for spells being really effective at those kind of things since they are daily limited resources and not always available.

 

[Yora]

I don't think that a game needs to have mechanically robust exploration in order to be oriented towards exploration.

Look at something like Mork Borg. It's rules lite in general IIRC, but it has a lot of weirdness inherent in the setting that is, IMO, there to make it interesting to explore.

I'd say that Numenera (and Invisible Sun) approach exploration from a similar angle.

You can certainly have exploration oriented games that are rules heavy, but it's not the only way to approach it. IMO, rules only get you so far in exploration, since they won't do you much good if you don't come up with something interesting to find.

But this ditches all the work to make exploration interesting on the GM without offering any tools to help with the process. If you can make great stuff up out of thin air. Great for you. You can't? Sucks to be you, then.

Of course it's true, but it excuses the absence of tools no more than saying a rule isn't broken because you're free to change them if you want.
Tools to help us make thing easier is what we're paying the game makers for.

 

[iserith]

Sure, and I'm all for spells being really effective at those kind of things since they are daily limited resources and not always available.

How else might exploration be skipped then?

 

[CleverNickName]

How else might exploration be skipped then?

Two ways:
1. The DM starts to describe something and all of the players interrupt, saying "Whatever, just tell us to roll initiative!"
2. The players ask to search for secret doors and the DM interrupts, saying "Whatever, you're under attack!"

 

[Yora]

Ranger abilities: You're not slowed down by terrain and can never get lost, if I recall correctly. And some other stuff.
It's not like you have an ability to get past an obstacle quickly, but instead you never encounter the obstacle at all.
Everyone would know that a thief ability that makes any door the party encounters already unlocked is stupid.

 

[Mort]

But this ditches all the work to make exploration interesting on the GM without offering any tools to help with the process. If you can make great stuff up out of thin air. Great for you. You can't? Sucks to be you, then.

Of course it's true, but it excuses the absence of tools no more than saying a rule isn't broken because you're free to change them if you want.
Tools to help us make thing easier is what we're paying the game makers for.

I think what @mrpopstar commented and @iserith (not as jokingly as it should be) followed with is important.

The DMG has A LOT of tools for the exploration pillar. But those sections don't seem to be nearly as discussed/emphasized/stressed as the combat and magic item chapters..