• jjjalljs@ttrpg.network
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    2 days ago

    Years ago I kept having this argument with the party fighter. I was playing a rogue. He had some sort of magical lens with a bonus to find traps. I was like, “let me use that so I can find traps better. You can’t even find traps with a DC above 20, rules as written. That’s a rogue class feature. With the lens I’d be getting like 27 if I take 10.”

    He was like “no. It’s mine. I found it.”

    Like, my guy. We’re all in danger if we don’t find the traps. You don’t see me holding onto armor I can’t use.

    • binarytobis@lemmy.world
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      2 days ago

      Stuff like this is why games usually end by the 6th session.

      See also: rogue steals from the party because “It’s what my character would do!” but gets upset when my barbarian kills them afterwards for the same reason.

      • UnderpantsWeevil@lemmy.world
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        24 hours ago

        There’s a place for a dysfunctional party dynamic, particularly early on in a game. Savvy DMs can factor party dysfunction into the difficulty of an encounter and allow the story to progress even as individual party members tussle with one another.

        I think one thing that players and DMs both forget to include is paths for failure in a given adventure or chronicle. Sometimes its good to write out a “Bad Ending” to a game and allow players to experience it. This doesn’t have to be the end of the group, the end of the campaign, or even the end of the story. Particularly early on “everyone fucks up and gets thrown in jail together” can be its own kind of team-building exercise. And for faster and more heavy handed games, a “bad ending” can open up the possibility for players to roll up a new party to pick up the banner that the old party dropped.

        What really matters is that the game itself is structured so everyone has an opportunity to enjoy themselves. And that can include a kleptomaniac and a short-tempered brute, so long as the players can agree that’s the kind of game they’re ready to play.

        But it’s definitely harder to do than a game in which everyone’s a team player.

      • jjjalljs@ttrpg.network
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        2 days ago

        Hah, I should have. I do remember letting him search first once and being petty about it. “Oh, you got a 12? A whole twelve? Woowwwww. I’m going to take 10 and get a, let’s see- twenty-two. Would be a 27 if only I had some sort of magical equipment boost”

        (For those of you who don’t remember, “take 10” was a 3e rule where you can opt to treat the roll as if you’d rolled a 10, so long as you’re not in immediate danger. https://www.d20srd.org/srd/skills/usingSkills.htm )

        edit: fixed typo that reversed meaning

    • Szyler@lemmy.world
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      2 days ago

      Make the lens also go above that rule, because that rule sucks if the dm is adding a lot of traps above 20.

      • XM34@feddit.org
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        1 day ago

        No, it doesn’t. That’s precicely what classes are for. Everyone has their job and the rogue’s job is to finde traps and deal sneak attack damage. You don’t see the rogue going around demanding second wind, action surge and heavy armor, now do you?

        • Szyler@lemmy.world
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          22 hours ago

          Oh sorry, I miss read it as you couldn’t because rogue had some effect that only worked to 20, so you having it would only benefit you slightly until you hit the ceiling of 20 for your rogue mechanic.

        • ZombiFrancis@sh.itjust.works
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          1 day ago

          You don’t see the rogue going around demanding second wind, action surge and heavy armor, now do you?

          I mean ‘sneak attack totally applies here’ is the classic ‘rogue doing fighter things’ trope.

  • ZombiFrancis@sh.itjust.works
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    1 day ago

    I’d let the druid have it everytime. The druid could use either version and my fighters would scoff at a silly 1d6 weapon. Not even a martial weapon.

  • don@lemmy.ca
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    2 days ago

    Druid: You wanna try it

    Fighter: Yeah let’s see what happens

    Both: grab item together

    • Szyler@lemmy.world
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      2 days ago

      It splits in two, and both weapons now gain a downside as they broke the magic holding the power in balance between the two states.

      The Druid loses bonus actions on hits below 10 or when surrounded.

      The fighter lets out a massive roar that causes all neaby targets to focus him when he lands a critical hit.

  • surph_ninja@lemmy.world
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    2 days ago

    Proper min/max-ers will set aside their ego, and coordinate swapping the item as necessary. So thankful I’ve got a group with zero ego issues.

    • Szyler@lemmy.world
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      2 days ago

      Russian world war 1 strategy of having a dead mate. When your friend dies you pick up his weapon and continue on.