Something I've become increasingly aware of is that DnD actually has an annoying rolling system. Above the DC? You succeed. Below? Nothing happens.
Nothing happens.
Literally anything is better than nothing happening.
I would rather either succeed with consequences or fail with consequences than just... dead silence. I should never be in a situation where I'm rolling the same check repeatedly until I succeed. I would rather have the lock break by default than have to make 30 picking attempts where nothing happens.
I know that this can be fixed by the DM, but not everything in the game should have to be fixed by the DM.
I've been in that position. It sucks. I just want to play a better game, not hope my DM has homebrewed a million things to fix a game that should be ready to play and comprehensible out of the box. We shouldn't need Crawford on Twitter to tell us how the rules work. We shouldn't need to alter the game significantly to provide the experience the game promises.
Just... it wasn't a bad session, but once I noticed these things, I couldn't unsee them. This game is a mess.
It is just... such a mess.
For the most part I agree about the rolling thing. But I think it is really simple to fix.
I don't think you should be able to roll 30 times until you eventually pick the lock. If you don't roll well enough the first time, you can't just try again and rely on probability to get through. A different party member can try, but your character has tried and is unable to figure it out after that first try. I think your DM shouldn't be allowing the lockpickers to keep rolling until they succeed. I have always thought this was an unspoken rule.
For the most part I agree about the rolling thing. But I think it is really simple to fix.
I don't think you should be able to roll 30 times until you eventually pick the lock. If you don't roll well enough the first time, you can't just try again and rely on probability to get through. A different party member can try, but your character has tried and is unable to figure it out after that first try. I think your DM shouldn't be allowing the lockpickers to keep rolling until they succeed. I have always thought this was an unspoken rule.
The problem isn't that there are no consequences, it's that absolutely nothing happens if you fail most of the time.
It really, really shouldn't be something the DM has to homebrew, regardless of how easy it is.
For the most part I agree about the rolling thing. But I think it is really simple to fix.
I don't think you should be able to roll 30 times until you eventually pick the lock. If you don't roll well enough the first time, you can't just try again and rely on probability to get through. A different party member can try, but your character has tried and is unable to figure it out after that first try. I think your DM shouldn't be allowing the lockpickers to keep rolling until they succeed. I have always thought this was an unspoken rule.
The problem isn't that there are no consequences, it's that absolutely nothing happens if you fail most of the time.
It really, really shouldn't be something the DM has to homebrew, regardless of how easy it is.
It would be cool if there were consequences for some things. However, seeing as how the game allows infinite possible situations, I don't see how they can officially provide consequences for all of them. It seems to me to be something the DM has to decide.
For the most part I agree about the rolling thing. But I think it is really simple to fix.
I don't think you should be able to roll 30 times until you eventually pick the lock. If you don't roll well enough the first time, you can't just try again and rely on probability to get through. A different party member can try, but your character has tried and is unable to figure it out after that first try. I think your DM shouldn't be allowing the lockpickers to keep rolling until they succeed. I have always thought this was an unspoken rule.
The problem isn't that there are no consequences, it's that absolutely nothing happens if you fail most of the time.
It really, really shouldn't be something the DM has to homebrew, regardless of how easy it is.
It would be cool if there were consequences for some things. However, seeing as how the game allows infinite possible situations, I don't see how they can officially provide consequences for all of them. It seems to me to be something the DM has to decide.
While you have a point, it should advise the DM somewhere that they should apply consequences, and, possibly, what severity is reasonable.
For the most part I agree about the rolling thing. But I think it is really simple to fix.
I don't think you should be able to roll 30 times until you eventually pick the lock. If you don't roll well enough the first time, you can't just try again and rely on probability to get through. A different party member can try, but your character has tried and is unable to figure it out after that first try. I think your DM shouldn't be allowing the lockpickers to keep rolling until they succeed. I have always thought this was an unspoken rule.
The problem isn't that there are no consequences, it's that absolutely nothing happens if you fail most of the time.
It really, really shouldn't be something the DM has to homebrew, regardless of how easy it is.
It would be cool if there were consequences for some things. However, seeing as how the game allows infinite possible situations, I don't see how they can officially provide consequences for all of them. It seems to me to be something the DM has to decide.
While you have a point, it should advise the DM somewhere that they should apply consequences, and, possibly, what severity is reasonable.
That is true. Something like that would be very useful.
Are there other systems that you think do a better job?
For the most part I agree about the rolling thing. But I think it is really simple to fix.
I don't think you should be able to roll 30 times until you eventually pick the lock. If you don't roll well enough the first time, you can't just try again and rely on probability to get through. A different party member can try, but your character has tried and is unable to figure it out after that first try. I think your DM shouldn't be allowing the lockpickers to keep rolling until they succeed. I have always thought this was an unspoken rule.
The problem isn't that there are no consequences, it's that absolutely nothing happens if you fail most of the time.
It really, really shouldn't be something the DM has to homebrew, regardless of how easy it is.
It would be cool if there were consequences for some things. However, seeing as how the game allows infinite possible situations, I don't see how they can officially provide consequences for all of them. It seems to me to be something the DM has to decide.
While you have a point, it should advise the DM somewhere that they should apply consequences, and, possibly, what severity is reasonable.
That is true. Something like that would be very useful.
Are there other systems that you think do a better job?
FATE, for one. Mork Borg also tells the GM to make sure players get "rewarded" for their actions regardless of what they roll.
Basically, anything is better than nothing, and I don't care what that anything is. If the game is designed so that you have a 40-60% chance of success on average, something should happen the other half of the time. I find this particularly egregious in combat, where you can (and will) spend your turn doing nothing because the dice said so, and then wait about 30 minutes to do nothing again. Enemy counterattacks me? That's interesting. I hit, but deal half damage? Also interesting. I wasted my turn? Frustrating and boring.
Avatar Legends does absolutely awesome on the whole "success/partial success/failure" scale, and I really adore what I can see of Candela Obscura by Darrington Press so far in that regard! I love how other systems have taken the ideas from D&D and implemented them in new and original ways
Apparently everyone uses Cockney accents for orcs. Why didn't anyone tell me this? I learned to do a Russian accent just to voice orcs, I use Cockney for tieflings, and a slow paced British accent for Elves. Since when are orcs Cockney?
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Apparently everyone uses Cockney accents for orcs. Why didn't anyone tell me this? I learned to do a Russian accent just to voice orcs, I use Cockney for tieflings, and a slow paced British accent for Elves. Since when are orcs Cockney?
I know of a guy who uses Polynesian accents for orcs and made them seafarers! Although personally, I reckon orcs have the accent of the culture they're a part of, not just a unique accent due to their race - that's just me though, you don't have to share that belief
What race should my character be? I was thinking Custom Lineage or Reborn, but I really don't know what they would be.
They own a sweets shop where they sell penny candies, ice cream, and soda, all of which are made in-house. They also have a traveling shopfront and a lightly sinister vibe. The idea is that they're basically a Halloween character.
Custom lineage will be the safe path, but doing a reborn can open more role play aspects.
Avatar Legends does absolutely awesome on the whole "success/partial success/failure" scale, and I really adore what I can see of Candela Obscura by Darrington Press so far in that regard! I love how other systems have taken the ideas from D&D and implemented them in new and original ways
Apparently everyone uses Cockney accents for orcs. Why didn't anyone tell me this? I learned to do a Russian accent just to voice orcs, I use Cockney for tieflings, and a slow paced British accent for Elves. Since when are orcs Cockney?
I know of a guy who uses Polynesian accents for orcs and made them seafarers! Although personally, I reckon orcs have the accent of the culture they're a part of, not just a unique accent due to their race - that's just me though, you don't have to share that belief
Thar makes sense though, but I don't have the time or space in my mind to learn more accents
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Your friendly trans bard!
She/They pronouns
The Goddess of the Strings (thanks for the title Drummer!)
Apparently everyone uses Cockney accents for orcs. Why didn't anyone tell me this? I learned to do a Russian accent just to voice orcs, I use Cockney for tieflings, and a slow paced British accent for Elves. Since when are orcs Cockney?
I know of a guy who uses Polynesian accents for orcs and made them seafarers! Although personally, I reckon orcs have the accent of the culture they're a part of, not just a unique accent due to their race - that's just me though, you don't have to share that belief
Thar makes sense though, but I don't have the time or space in my mind to learn more accents
I can't do accents for anything lol, if I had to give orcs an accent, it would be a terrible Boston one, as that's all I can do
For the most part I agree about the rolling thing. But I think it is really simple to fix.
I don't think you should be able to roll 30 times until you eventually pick the lock. If you don't roll well enough the first time, you can't just try again and rely on probability to get through. A different party member can try, but your character has tried and is unable to figure it out after that first try. I think your DM shouldn't be allowing the lockpickers to keep rolling until they succeed. I have always thought this was an unspoken rule.
The problem isn't that there are no consequences, it's that absolutely nothing happens if you fail most of the time.
It really, really shouldn't be something the DM has to homebrew, regardless of how easy it is.
Let him who is without sin cast the first stone.
Awake, impure, divine
Breathgiver of the Strugels
It would be cool if there were consequences for some things. However, seeing as how the game allows infinite possible situations, I don't see how they can officially provide consequences for all of them. It seems to me to be something the DM has to decide.
While you have a point, it should advise the DM somewhere that they should apply consequences, and, possibly, what severity is reasonable.
Let him who is without sin cast the first stone.
Awake, impure, divine
Breathgiver of the Strugels
maybe the tools should bend or break and they need to spent time/money to repair it
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That is true. Something like that would be very useful.
Are there other systems that you think do a better job?
FATE, for one. Mork Borg also tells the GM to make sure players get "rewarded" for their actions regardless of what they roll.
Basically, anything is better than nothing, and I don't care what that anything is. If the game is designed so that you have a 40-60% chance of success on average, something should happen the other half of the time. I find this particularly egregious in combat, where you can (and will) spend your turn doing nothing because the dice said so, and then wait about 30 minutes to do nothing again. Enemy counterattacks me? That's interesting. I hit, but deal half damage? Also interesting. I wasted my turn? Frustrating and boring.
Let him who is without sin cast the first stone.
Awake, impure, divine
Breathgiver of the Strugels
Avatar Legends does absolutely awesome on the whole "success/partial success/failure" scale, and I really adore what I can see of Candela Obscura by Darrington Press so far in that regard! I love how other systems have taken the ideas from D&D and implemented them in new and original ways
Resident Mushroom 🍄
Apparently everyone uses Cockney accents for orcs. Why didn't anyone tell me this? I learned to do a Russian accent just to voice orcs, I use Cockney for tieflings, and a slow paced British accent for Elves. Since when are orcs Cockney?
Your friendly trans bard!
She/They pronouns
The Goddess of the Strings (thanks for the title Drummer!)
I know of a guy who uses Polynesian accents for orcs and made them seafarers! Although personally, I reckon orcs have the accent of the culture they're a part of, not just a unique accent due to their race - that's just me though, you don't have to share that belief
Resident Mushroom 🍄
(Minor extended sig update)
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...and started me on my way into my next chapter in life...
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Custom lineage will be the safe path, but doing a reborn can open more role play aspects.
Hi, I’m DrakenBrine, here’s my Sig and characters
I am The Grand Envisioner!
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Avatar legends is super cool!
Thar makes sense though, but I don't have the time or space in my mind to learn more accents
Your friendly trans bard!
She/They pronouns
The Goddess of the Strings (thanks for the title Drummer!)
I can't do accents for anything lol, if I had to give orcs an accent, it would be a terrible Boston one, as that's all I can do
the biggest screwup since the screw was invented
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You guys are awesome and mean so much to me. And mean so much to each other.
Yon that sig is mindblowing, and that image is just awesome
Long live the dragon slayers, long live the spider guild, long live the forums.
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i just looked at yours again drummer, listen, i didnt personally toss your tea in the bay, ok? am gud american 😢 i wanna be spanish tho 🇪🇸🇪🇸🇪🇸
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Love the Dr. Seuss quote Yon.
I really like D&D, especially Ravenloft, Exandria and the Upside Down from Stranger Things. My pronouns are she/they (genderfae).