D&D General Wishing Away The Adventure

[Crimson Longinus]

I don't mean to imply people are bad roleplayers. I mean that most people roleplay dramatic figures -- heroic or otherwise -- rather than real people. We don't watch most action heroes have to take a potty break or get snippy over something minor. Like most forms of entertainment, RPGs focus on the "fun stuff" and that is totally understandable -- especially when most RPG stories are somewhere between B horror comedy and MCU action comedy.

I am just saying that sometimes I want characters that feel more real.

What you said earlier sounded a bit different to me. But sure, people will play adventurers that are willing to take risks in a game about adventurers facing constant danger. And if they wouldn't to some degree, the game couldn't exist. This doesn't mean you cannot portray these characters with actual people with personalities, fears, hopes, flaws etc. But if you want more down to earth stuff, then you need to structure the game differently. Different games are about different things, and D&D is about adventure and facing dangers.

 

[Micah Sweet]

What you said earlier sounded a bit different to me. But sure, people will play adventurers that are willing to take risks in a game about adventurers facing constant danger. And if they wouldn't to some degree, the game couldn't exist. This doesn't mean you cannot portray these characters with actual people with personalities, fears, hopes, flaws etc. But if you want more down to earth stuff, then you need to structure the game differently. Different games are about different things, and D&D is about adventure and facing dangers.

But it's not necessarily about letting bandits shoot you with crossbows because you have a good AC, and they don't do enough damage per attack to put you in danger of dropping to 0 hp anyway, and even if they did, your cleric would pop you back up inside six seconds.

 

[Crimson Longinus]

But it's not necessarily about letting bandits shoot you with crossbows because you have a good AC, and they don't enough damage per attack to put you in danger of dropping to 0 hp anyway, and even if they did, your cleric would pop you back up inside six seconds.

I mean if the charters are badass enough that they can do that, then they IMO will know it IC too and can act accordingly.

 

[Micah Sweet]

I mean if the charters are badass enough that they can do that, then they IMO will know it IC too and can act accordingly.

The problem is that it's always this way, because of the nature of the mechanics it is just not possible to plausible play out this kind of scenario in WotC 5e.

 

[Oofta]

Let's say robbery. A bandit in real life can train a weapon on someone and reasonable expect they will behave. No player I've ever met would stand for that, low level or not. Certainly in 5e they would see the gamist wisdom in just risking an attack and then going to town.

The problem is that it's always this way, because of the nature of the mechanics it is just not possible to plausible play out this kind of scenario in WotC 5e.

Most PCs aren't commoners. First level or two a single crossbow bolt is a threat. After that? Is it really much different from any edition published after the 70s?

 

[Crimson Longinus]

The problem is that it's always this way, because of the nature of the mechanics it is just not possible to plausible play out this kind of scenario in WotC 5e.

Low level characters can reasonably be threatened by a bunch of thugs with bows.

But yes, we get past that stage really quickly. Whether that is a problem is a matter of taste. I have played enough Rolemaster to know that I actually don't terribly much enjoy basically any character being one shottable. But if you do, there definitely are games that will do that. It however is not terribly reasonable to expect it from D&D as the whole point of HP mechanics is to prevent such a scenario.

 

[Oofta]

Low level characters can reasonably be threatened by a bunch of thugs with bows.

But yes, we get past that stage really quickly. Whether that is a problem is a matter of taste. I have played enough Rolemaster to know that I actually don't terribly much enjoy basically any character being one shottable. But if you do, there definitely are games that will do that. It however is not terribly reasonable to expect it from D&D as the whole point of HP mechanics is to prevent such a scenario.

If I use low level monsters, I just go with the mob rules. Have enough people shooting you with crossbows and eventually 1 will hit. But heroic fantasy isn't concerned about some street thug threatening an experience PC with a paring knife.

 

[Reynard]

Low level characters can reasonably be threatened by a bunch of thugs with bows.

If the game is one in which "playing for keeps" is on the table, a half dozen crossbow men all targetting the wizard as a "we're serious, give us the money" statement works up until like 4th level (rough guess using mental math). Can the other 3 party members wipe the floor with the bandits after that? Probably, but they still have a dead wizard (unless they have revivify on hand).

That said, why is there a group of 6 bandits on the road in D&D land? A bandit party should look a lot like an adventuring party, with a rogue or two, a wizard and maybe a cleric alongside the thugs.

 

[Crimson Longinus]

If the game is one in which "playing for keeps" is on the table, a half dozen crossbow men all targetting the wizard as a "we're serious, give us the money" statement works up until like 4th level (rough guess using mental math). Can the other 3 party members wipe the floor with the bandits after that? Probably, but they still have a dead wizard (unless they have revivify on hand).

That said, why is there a group of 6 bandits on the road in D&D land? A bandit party should look a lot like an adventuring party, with a rogue or two, a wizard and maybe a cleric alongside the thugs.

Sure, you could have that. Though I think most bandits usually just rob four HP commoners and are not expecting the PCs.

 

[Oofta]

Sure, you could have that. Though I think most bandits usually just rob four HP commoners and are not expecting the PCs.

Then the related question is, why are bandits attacking an obviously dangerous group? Odds are at least one is in armor, most are carrying weapons of one sort or another. Depending on the campaign it's likely the PCs will be recognized. If the group is actively disguising themselves with something like a Seeming spell, that's a different story, but most of the time that's not going to be something a group is going to center an encounter on.

I do occasionally throw low level mobs at groups, but there has to be a logical reason for even bandits to choose to be cannon fireball fodder.