D&D General Wishing Away The Adventure

[Crimson Longinus]

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.

Sure, I don't expect NPCs to be suicidal. But also one might not necessarily realise that a person in fancy clothes, another in plain clothes and third in armour are actually a sorcerer, rogue and a paladin, and not a wealthy merchant, a servant and a bodyguard.

 

[Reynard]

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

In the D&D economy -- such that it is -- robbing 4 hp commons doesn't get you anything worth fighting for.

 

[Oofta]

Sure, I don't expect NPCs to be suicidal. But also one might not necessarily realise that a person in fancy clothes, another in plain clothes and third in armour are actually a sorcerer, rogue and a paladin, and not a wealthy merchant, a servant and a bodyguard.

If that bodyguard is wearing plate armor, odds are your average half-starved bandit is going to think twice just because of that.

Of course the flip side is that this is just a game. In general PCs fight appropriate challenges because we don't want to waste time on easy encounters and TPKs tend to end campaigns.

 

[CreamCloud0]

This is an aside to the thread topic, ands we have discussed it before with some pretty contentious results, but I am talking about stuff as simple as PCs looking forward to a hot meal, cold drink, and warm bath after days in the wild. I am talking about characters actually valuing their lives and the lives of their friends. I am talking about dungeoneering work-life balance. I am talking about people with not just broad strokes ideals, bonds and flaws, but complex and sometimes contradictory traits, quirks and qualms. I mean players playing people, regardless of whether they are dragonfolk or feykin or whatever.

this might not technically be what you're specifically talking about, but having been listening to a blades in the dark campaign, i don't think it would be a totally awful idea for there to be a stress/addiction/flaw mechanic tied to some of these kinds of non-essential luxuries to actively incentivise their use, oh, your character is a gourmand? they wont eat basic rations or will take stress from doing so, so shell out for a bunch of quality rations or when they're in towns they can dump a bunch of gold at a restaraunt for a high quality meal and recover all that stress they earned on the road, or it might be an incentive to pick up chef's utensils so they can cook better meals themselves on the road, a 'gambler' wants to bet coin over cards and dice but loosing isn't fun either so proficiency with a gaming set helps favour the odds, and so on

 

[Micah Sweet]

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?

Yeah, it is, because pre-WotC editions had far fewer hit points on both sides, and no guarantee of functionally full recovery after a single night's rest. Generally speaking, you did not want to get hit, and consequences of getting hit mattered more than they do now. A lot more.

 

[Micah Sweet]

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.

That's my point. I miss the game that didn't assume "heroic fantasy", where adventurers had more in common with non-adventurers.

 

[Micah Sweet]

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.

Why would the adventurers be likely to be recognized?

 

[Crimson Longinus]

That's my point. I miss the game that didn't assume "heroic fantasy", where adventurers had more in common with non-adventurers.

You miss Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay?

 

[Micah Sweet]

Sure, I don't expect NPCs to be suicidal. But also one might not necessarily realise that a person in fancy clothes, another in plain clothes and third in armour are actually a sorcerer, rogue and a paladin, and not a wealthy merchant, a servant and a bodyguard.

Are you all saying the idea that a group of bandits surprise the party and hold them at crossbow point actually being dangerous to PCs, a situation that has occurred many, many times across similar media, should be preposterous?

 

[Micah Sweet]

You miss Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay?

I do actually, sometimes.