I think that's basically what I had said when I tagged you lol
this is potentially a question for meta/meta chat (if there is such a thing), but what should we do if we think that an answer is bad under most circumstances?
Specifically this answer: https://rpg.stackexchange.com/a/116082/34716
@Rubiksmoose But the thing is, he calls out that "you should only do this after you've tried the other better answers"
Like... it's a situation where I think it's technically a bad "answer", but good information for the person asking the question.... does that make sense?
okay. So, It's kind of like a "last resort" answer. it isn't the most direct or relevant answer, but it is valuable information, should you run out of options. Let's take the case "How do I get food to eat tonight?" Most of the answers will be "rummage in the fridge", "ask your friends", "go to the store", "order a pizza", etc. -- -- <br> but eventually, the answer is "if you're out of money and starving, you may have to steal it or start hunting".
"steal or start hunting" under 99%+ of circumstances is a bad answer to "how do I get food to eat tonight"
@goodguy5 to answer your question I wouldn't do anything. My downvote policy is likely different from yours, but I don't see why you would do anything here. OP will end up deciding what is most useful and even partial answers in the bottom are worthy of upvotes if they have a useful tidbit in there for someone. If they are good but not super useful answers likely they will just sit there with few/no upvotes (which appears to be what is happening here)
@goodguy5 oh I have had some success if I find a good answer that could be great with some additions/changes is comment to let them know your suggestion.
Leaving out information makes your argument incomplete, harms your credibility, can be seen as insulting your audience, and leaves room for future confusion when your audience discovers your omission. — ValhallaGH1 hour ago
@goodguy5 That's a viable answer that runs afoul of the norms and assumptions of a lot of the "community" here. The answer is a perspective of being a DM on the receiving end of a PvP climate at the table.
@Rubiksmoose I liked what you did with the edit, in terms of clarity and to address the criticism from the other comment. While your first answer was correct, your update was thorough and as nits was alluding to, answered a beginners question from a beginner baseline. hence the golf clap
@goodguy5 how should we rate answers that are only relevant as a last resort? (1) you don't have to vote on a given answer and (2) if it is helpful in some situations related to the problem statement, I'd not down vote it (personal guideline for me) but if you don't like it enough there is no requirement to up vote it. Your call, voting is based on your best judgment.
@KorvinStarmast thanks. That was appreciated as well. :) I just hate when a newbie is greeted on this site with a pile of downvotes and a passive or openly aggressive answer and/or comments.
@goodguy5 There's a good meta post somewhere that has convinced me that "vote the post, not the score" is a desirable stance to take. I.e. that votes to "correct" the score rather than score-blind personal criteria actually make the place messier.
@Rubiksmoose Here I go again with my observation about the latent received hostility that is a side effect (unintended) of how the SE system works ... so I'll stop before the usual suspects get all in my grill about it.
@nitsua60 I confess to now and again doing a "correcting" vote if I think that the sharks-to-chum dynamic is operative, but I think you are right in the main.
@nitsua60 I'd be interested in reading that for sure. I've definitely done that occasionally, but hadn't really thought about it in a site health context before.
is it worth saying something on this question? Feels like it's now 2 questions (the original too broad one AND the updated one on just how to be prepared for them.)
@NautArch I think so. I don't think it should have been reopened honestly. It is now an unclear question and an (optional?) list question bundled into one which does not solve the issue the original had.
@NautArch I'd say yes? But I'm pretty hesitant to modify a question in a major way. Plus, it was just voted open in its current form. Maybe we're just missing something?
Consider the following:
An Orc takes the attack action against a PC with an AC of 18. The DM
rolls in front of the screen and gets a 14. He silently adds the +5 bonus from the Orc and announces that the attack hits.
Pretty basic. Now consider the same situation, but with a Lore Bard in th...
There's a new tag, new-delta-green. Since what's new is relative to now and now keeps changing, that's obviously not a good long-term tag. I'm having a hard time deciding on a replacement though.
So the situation is that the new Delta Green is a full-fledge roleplaying game. The old Delta Green ...
@goodguy5 Then a good way to implement that is what GreySage said - choose an actual playable race, then add the "Was a dragon but then X happened" to their backstory. Otherwise you end up with a PC who starts with all sorts of crazy powers, which isn't really fair to the other players.
@MikeQ "So this enormous hoard of gold coins you're trying to hide behind you, but are only slightly obscuring because you are Medium and not Colossal, isn't yours?"
But anyway, if it's just a backstory flavor thing, then it's probably fine? If that comes with any lore-based benefits, then it's up to the DM to be careful with that.
For example, I know of a game where the party paladin is (probably) a reincarnation of a messianic dragon god figure. If he finds any members of that faith, then he can try to convince them to help him out for free. But mechanically, he has the same power as a paladin of his level.
in all honesty, though. adopting a system like LA from 3.x (while flawed) would probably work. Let them play a CR1 dragon. They skip the first level up or two, then start gaining class levels starting at 2-3 with the party
They can fly, but so can tengu. they get a breath weapon, but so do dragonborn
@goodguy5 Be careful how you do the breath weapon. Dragonborn get it once per rest (either long or short, i forget). True Dragons get it on a recharge, meaning at least they will get it once every encounter
Also, the delayed level up strategy doesn't necessarily work if the party starts at a lower level. You'd have one player dominating nearly every combat, or be forced to design challenges that are overpowered for the other players.
(This is generally the argument against an "unbalanced" party)
Very high hp for a level 1, and the flight obviously will be crazy with a ranged class. The breathe is too strong too, but that can be tuned down a bit (and grow with levels)
"very high hp" is a bit overstated, I think. Hill dwarf draconic sorcerers have about 12 hp at level 1. And the breath weapon is just burning hands or sleep
I think the most op thing is actually his 15ft burrow speed
We also maintain the same friendly welcoming atmosphere here because it helps maintain a near-zero baseline of tension for when a tense or difficult topic starts up — those escalate things, but if we are calm and respectful with each other nearly always it's hard for the escalation to get anywhere bad. Meanwhile freely swearing exacerbates those situations so fast The Flash would be surprised.
Reminds me of the days of play-by-post roleplaying on flash cartoon fan forums, one kid submitted a character sheet with the Personality section containing only: "lawful dwarf"
which is the furthest you can get from a personality
@NautArch well, the answer I'm going to propose is "it doesn't matter. he doesn't need stats. He doesn't need to fight the monster with actual rolls. it's all fluff for the players"
Consider: A character with 10 INT can take 10 on common knowledge checks and will pass 100% of the time. A character with 9 INT - just one less - cannot, and has to roll. He will pass only 50% of the time.
Anyway, the reason I bring this up is that you can tell the difference between a guy with all 3s and a guy with all 10s using skill points. In 3.5, your skills cap at 1 skill point per level, +3. A guy with a score of 3 has a modifier of -4. To be as good at something as a character with 10 in that score, he has to max out his level 1 skill cap.
@goodguy5 I mean it is sure, but it isn't helping clarifying the question. It is potentially derailing and cluttering the objective to clarify the question.
So imagine someone with CHA 3 - super awkward, crippled by insecurity, stuttering all over the place - spending hours and days of effort at Toastmasters, until he can speak with the confidence and conviction of a normal person shooting the wind with his buds.
To which I think the answer is "it's not a character with stats, unless the players attack him. Describe his amazingness. give him life, not a stablock"
@goodguy5 my guess is no. If he is "keeping the party alive" I'm guessing this is a DMPC that is traveling with the party. Obviously I have no profound insight into it though.
@goodguy5 I'm right there with you, but there was little chance from what I could see that this was going to be an answerable question here. Honestly, I give new people upvotes just so they can join chat a lot of the time.
@SPavel bahahaha
oh wow, I did not realize that we could vote to reopen a post deleted by the asker
stack exchange exists to fill a certain niche in the global internet ecosystem -- Q&A. we acknowledge we're part of that ecosystem, and so don't try to be all things to all people.
I'm gonna draw a line that unpleasant commentary at a mainsite user is not what chat is for -- if you wouldn't say it with them right here, it's not for chat either.
Some of the discussion earlier crossed that line quite significantly.
(and y'all floated the idea of actually inviting them in here. remember, they can scroll up.)
Creature into Creature: If you turn a creature into another kind of creature, the new form can be any kind you choose whose challenge rating is equal to or less than the target's (or its level, if the target doesn't have a challenge rating). The target's game Statistics, including mental Ability Scores, are replaced by the Statistics of the new form. It retains its alignment and personality.
@Hypersapien it gets the stats of the creature so it would have the intelligence to talk, but that is an interesting question.
@goodguy5 you may want to add the restrictions (besides death) that the spells have into your answer. EG does it require the missing body part to work?
@SPavel Nah, this was an abandoned utility cave. Partially caved in. Accessible only by a unmaintained pier without a ladder. Overlooking the frozen Baltic.
I like to think of myself as a brave person, but the ice makes noise. These waves come and go. Made me glad I remembered to pack my brown pants.
Consider the following:
An Orc takes the attack action against a PC with an AC of 18. The DM
rolls in front of the screen and gets a 14. He silently adds the +5 bonus from the Orc and announces that the attack hits.
Pretty basic. Now consider the same situation, but with a Lore Bard in th...
