TRPG General Chat

Ben

00:54

@Adeptus Fragmenjts of hardened materials (wood, concrete, etc) are chips too

Adeptus

01:25

@Ben You don't want to get those mixed up... fries don't make a good garden mulch (the birds would eat them all), and woodchips would be terrible in cookies.

Ben

Life advice haha

Hot RPG Questions

02:33

4

Q: Can you take the form of a swarm with the polymorph spell?

The Polymorph spell says: The new form can be any beast whose challenge rating is equal to or less than the target's Swarm of insects says: Medium swarm of Tiny beasts Can a wizard choose the form of a swarm with Polymorph, considering that even though its made up of many creatures it is trea...

Hot RPG Questions

02:58

2

Q: On Werewolves and Hybrid Metis

I'm the secondary storyteller for a Werewolf: The Apocalypse game. Our group is made out of mostly urban figures - specially Glass Walkers and Bone Gnawlers - playing out a very finance-oriented pack that is trying to do their part in saving Gaia by playing the Corporate Game/Stock Market and usi...

lore werewolf-the-apocalypse werewolf-20th-anniversary

Hot RPG Questions

03:48

2

Q: Can Misty Escape be used out of combat?

DnD 5e: What if my character is not in combat when using Misty Escape? For example, she could be imprisoned in a cell and use it to escape the cell. In that case, she teleports, but is not in combat when she rematerializes. Can she then stay invisible "Until she attacks or casts a spell?" "Until ...

dnd-5e spells combat warlock

Ben

04:59

Well, good news (potentially) the statement I gave on the day of my "epilepsy related traffic incident" doesn't match the triggers/symptoms of my actual epilepsy events.

Which is a promising lead to being cleared to drive again.

BESW

@Ben Grats!

Ben

Ty :)

BESW

Bundle for At-risk and Houseless Youth by tim zee and 22 others. This bundle of TTRPG products is helping Horizons for Youth by donating 100% of proceeds (minus itch's fees) for every sale made until June 30.

Ben

It's been a stressful week... just sort of waiting for feedback and not knowing what to expect.

trogdor

05:14

yeah

I can imagine

BESW

"Going Generic! An Introduction to Generic RPGs!" article by Graeme Barber. 2021 is the year of the generic RPG here at POCGamer, and it’s long past time to kick this series of posts off. And where better to start than by examining what exactly a Generic RPG is, and what strengths and challenges they can bring to your gaming experience. So it’s time to go Generic!

Submissions are open for The Indie Groundbreaker Awards. These awards will recognize games (and game designers) who are creating new and exciting game designs that push the boundaries in innovation, in promoting diversity, and in expanding what it means to be “indie.”

AncientSwordRage

09:48

@Ben My feedback is, hang in there, you're doing great

A. B.

10:07

@Ben Glad to hear they've thought of something as sensible as "that isn't really evidence about your epilepsy because that's not what your epilepsy does"! Hope it's all settled (the right way) soon.

kviiri

11:18

@Trish I'm personally moderately hyped for Victoria 3, unusually so if I should say.

I'm not really that big on... well, hyping video games most of the time.

I've grown bored with most of Paradox's line-up (though I still have plans to play and mod CK3, and to play HoI4 mods Kaiserreich and The New Order) but Vicky 3 feels like a very nice change of pace from their usual direction

AncientSwordRage

11:49

@kviiri I remember someone on twitter mentioning something about Bangladesh hoarding all the money from tea exports crashing the global economy in Victoria II ?

kviiri

@AncientSwordRage Yes, it actually just made the rounds on twitter twitter.com/eleleanora/status/1397338294485196808

I never played Vic 2 myself

One of the reasons why Vicky 3 has been so preciously waited for is that in the last "generation" of Paradox games, all their other IPs/franchises had an update. CK2, EU4, HoI4, and two new grand strategy IPs (Imperator and Stellaris). Then came CK3

I have played, though, an old strategy game series called Imperialism which I think is a considerable source of inspiration for the Victoria series.

Thomas Markov

12:07

@Trish mage-20th-anniversary needs a tag wiki.

procedural question

Would it be wrong to use my gold badge to clear erroneous dupe votes from a question?

RevanantBacon

@ThomasMarkov probably

I believe that lies outside of "intended use"

Thomas Markov

It's a dnd-5e rules question and the dupe votes are linking to a pathfinder question.

RevanantBacon

If the question doesn't get closed, they'll start falling off automatically after a couple weeks

Thomas Markov

Oh, it looks like they switched the proposed target.

So it's not blatantly incorrect now, just normally incorrect.

AncientSwordRage

@kviiri that's what I saw

Thomas Markov

12:12

It's already cleared review with 3 "leave opens"

RevanantBacon

@ThomasMarkov Can you link the question?

Thomas Markov

3

Q: If I cast light on an arrow and hit a creature, then it becomes invisible, does it reveal where they are?

Spells like invisibility say the objects that the creature is carrying also become invisible, but does that mean the invisible object stops shedding light? Or will my embedded light arrow reveal their position by glowing?

dnd-5e invisibility

RevanantBacon

Ah, so I do kind of agree that the dupe target mostly does answer the question, but I suppose it's reasonable to say it doesn't, dependent on DM ruling

Like, does an arrow sticking out of your arm count as something that you're wearing?

Which is a DM call

Thomas Markov

@RevanantBacon Yeah, I think the use case here sets the question apart enough to stay open.

RevanantBacon

FWIW if the arrow doesn't turn invisible, then it doesn't matter if it had Light cast on it, since you'll be able to see the arrow regardless

If it does (I would rule this way) it gives you the general location of where the target is, but not exact, since you can't pinpoint the light source

Also, I like the accepted answer on the question about invisibility and mundane light sources.

NautArch

12:28

@RevanantBacon Moreso that an arrow with a successful hit doesn't mean the arrow is still in the target.

RevanantBacon

@NautArch Also that

Trish

12:45

@ThomasMarkov Yes, had just tagged some more to that... working onit

@kviiri Inperator Rome is not new, it is Europa Universalis: Rome successor

@kviiri me too, we need Princess Victoria III of Prussia!

kviiri

@Trish Well, as a franchise/brand it's new

And EU:Rome was specifically an EU spin-off that no one really expected a sequel for, particularly

(especially since it flopped iirc)

Trish

well, IR was a good testbed for new mechanics... some of which I dearly miss in CK3

kviiri

I haven't player I:R yet, don't think I will either. Seems too much like EU for my taste

Trish

@ThomasMarkov done! mashed the Werewolf-20th and the Mage one

aaaand did vampire-20th-anniversary too...

Thomas Markov

Real talk yo, this question has 5 system tags.

Are they all necessary, or can we eliminate some of them, or even one of them, to get a tag that actually tags the subject matter of the question?

Trish

12:57

technically... one lore tag, and two times two tags: one for the gameline, one for the edition...

@ThomasMarkov WoD and the M20/V20 would be what the question actually is about.

Medix2

Is it even about WoD?

Thomas Markov

It looks like spellcasting should be in there somehwere.

Trish

no, Mage does not have any spellcasting in the traditional sense. you have no spells

Thomas Markov

> which Spheres could be used to cast a spell

Trish

magic but not spellcasting. spell is the wrong word. Mage has no spells.

Thomas Markov

12:59

is asking about how to cast a spell not a spellcasting question?

RevanantBacon

@ThomasMarkov Technically, [World-of-Darkness] is both a system and a setting tag

Medix2

@Trish I mean this exists

Trish

Mage handles magic as you bend reality around. reciting spells or chants is just one way how you facilitate the reality-bending.

@Medix2 misnomer because of low familiarity? If anything, they look for a rote

Medix2

I would assume this question would have seven tags if it could?

Trish

@ThomasMarkov my vote would be WoD, M20, V20, Magic

Thomas Markov

13:02

@Trish Then do that, I dont actually have any idea about the system, I just know that 5 system tags and no subject matter tag probably isnt the best we can do.

Trish

@Medix2 creatures might be missing, otherwise those are fine.

Medix2

It doesn't have any of the general tags though? Like [Mage the ascension]

RevanantBacon

@ThomasMarkov In Mage, there are multiple types of spellcasting, spontaneous magic, where you use your skill in a variety of spheres to bring whatever effect you want directly in to the world, and there are rotes, which are basically spells or effects that you do often enough to spend points on not having to roll them. Spells is still an accurate tag though

Thomas Markov

@Trish so when that question says "to cast a spell", is that actually incorrect terminology?

Cuz if it's not, it really seems like spellcastiing is the better tag based on usage guidance on magic:

Trish

@ThomasMarkov yes. that question was more MAgic.

Thomas Markov

13:05

> For questions about the nature of magic in a game. Use [spells] for questions on specific spells, and [spellcasting] for questions specifically about the process of spellcasting.

RevanantBacon

@ThomasMarkov Yes, casting a spell is the correct terminology. Just because it doesn't use D&D style Vancian spellcasting doesn't make it not a spell.

Trish

@ThomasMarkov there are little to no specific spells in mage (and even those rotes that exist are never used by players)

@RevanantBacon lemme look up how mage calls it properly.

Thomas Markov

@RevanantBacon Right, so which tag is more appropriate, [spellcasting] or [magic]?

Trish

imho, magic.

RevanantBacon

@ThomasMarkov Both work, but since it's asking specifically about "what do I need to do this spell?" spellcasting would be more correct

Thomas Markov

13:07

Im asking you guys because I have no idea, but the question definitely reads to me like "I want to cast a spell, how do I cast this spell"

Trish

Part I: Casting Magick

Thomas Markov

And my experience and undersanding of the [magic] tag is that it is about magic more generally, not spellcasting specifically.

Trish

> The key to Mage’s magick system is this: every mage does as he or she Wills. Although World of Darkness mages do use spells, tools, Procedures, rotes, and rituals, the things they do with those instruments change reality in accordance with the individual mage’s desires.

Thomas Markov

@Trish Right, so the question is about evoking a particular manifestation of the magick system e.g. spellcasting

not about the magick of the world in general

Trish

The problem with mage is, it's technically... Reality-warping. super rarely [spells] (=Rotes) and at times [spellcasting] ("What spheres are X")... and most often simply "Magic"

Thomas Markov

13:10

@Trish I think youre projecting the game's local understanding of what a spell is onto the generic terminology we use for tagging.

For the purposes of the tag, I think "spell" is best understood as any particular, willful manifestation of magic by a magic practitioner.

Trish

@ThomasMarkov I have not a single question about a pre-defined effect-combo here. Which would be in game terms a Rote. Spellcasting seems more appropriate for most questions?

Thomas Markov

And "spellcasting" is just whatever process that is.

Trish

@ThomasMarkov Spell is pre-defined.

Thomas Markov

@Trish Right, in the game

Anyway, Im just trying to learn a bit about this stuff, ill leave it to yall to work out the tags

Trish

@ThomasMarkov no, the spell reads "For questions about specific manifestations of magic that we generically call "spells."" - specific. Mage has rarely specific ones.

Thomas Markov

13:13

Mage doesnt have specific manifestations of magic?

Trish

Yes and no.

Spheres are like types of magic. Correspondence is the idea of distance or lack thereof and so on. Each sphere has 5 ranks. Rank 1 is described generally:

> Rank 1: Perception – the ability to perceive and observe the forces in question. With such basic (yet useful) understanding, a character can sense things that few mortals ever recognize.

Thomas Markov

This has been interesting. I'm finding there are interesting parallels between trying to apply my D&D-centric understanding to other games and trying to apply my Western worldview when learning about other cultures.

Trish

That is anything but specific. It's what you could possibly do with it. Each sphere has a more detailed general guidance. Correspondence 1 is:

> Immediate Spatial Perceptions/ Landscape of the Mind Basic spatial understanding allows a mage to sense things in her immediate vicinity even if she can’t perceive them with her normal senses. Using that perception, she can estimate the distances between objects; intuitively find a direction (North, South, East, West); notice hidden objects or characters; and spot spatial instabilities – warps, anomalies, wormholes, etc. – especially the ones caused by other Correspondence Effects.

That still is more a bubble than something that can be called spell at all.

Proper "Spells" (Rotes) exist, but rarely used. They are written akin to this:

> Black Card/Little Black Box (•• Correspondence/ •• Forces/ •• Mind) If you’ve watched an action thriller within the last decade or two, then you’ve seen this trick in action: The security expert/thief/ superspy takes out a little black box or card, hooks it into (or passes it through) some part of the security system, stands back, and lets the lights flash and the numbers blur by until the digital locks open and the system lets her in. ...

So in general, most questions about "Which spheres?" or "what spell" actually is a question that is more about the casting process that puts together the actual spell (the result wanted).

Which is either the metaphysical "This effect is in sphere X1 and that in Y3" - magic - or "You can do that by following these things" spellcasting

Thomas Markov

Off topic now, I need help with a SEDE query

Or searching

I want to search for bracketed text in questions and answers

Someone_Evil

Why?

Is there a particular thing you're looking for, because I would guess that throws up a bunch of unrelated things

You probably just get every link, which would be an awfully many posts

Thomas Markov

13:29

@Someone_Evil Searching for quotes from sources that have had pronouns changed using bracketed text.

Searching [their] brings up questions tagged their, which is obviously empty, and searching "[their]" brings up every post that has ever included the word "their"

Which is >44,000

Trish

maybe % or \ before the [?

Medix2

That's apparently what, quote: "\[spell\]" does

But the results weren't what you wanted :(

RevanantBacon

13:46

Spells would specifically be the correct tag for this question, because the question is asking what's needed to produce a specific effect eg. to cast a particular spell

Hot RPG Questions

4

Q: If I cast light on an arrow and hit a creature, then it becomes invisible, does it reveal where they are?

Spells like invisibility say the objects that the creature is carrying also become invisible, but does that mean the invisible object stops shedding light? Or will my embedded light arrow reveal their position by glowing?

dnd-5e vision-and-light invisibility

Medix2

@ThomasMarkov I assume you found these: meta.stackexchange.com/q/267937/390647

Thomas Markov

@Medix2 I hadnt, thanks

Medix2

Yeah, seems your only option is SEDE

Thomas Markov

14:10

@Medix2 SEDE isnt working either

oh well

KorvinStarmast

15:03

@NautArch I answer it as yes because it takes two actions. It took an action to cast light on the arrow, it took a successful hit to hit the target, and the arrow stays lit. I also rule that whomever it it stuck into can, on their turn, as a free object interaction break it off/pull it out and drop it ... to get the light to stay on the target (without an arrow) requires a touch action

Medix2

This question is making me want to put a feature request on MSE: No bounties on questions with four close votes

KorvinStarmast

@Medix2 seems an arbitrary desire. But I'd be interested to see what response you get on MSE. Let me know if you post that.

Medix2

Ah, found an ancient one about close voting bountied questions

Someone_Evil

@Medix2 I assume you wanted to VTC?

Medix2

@KorvinStarmast It's not arbitrary when people can add bounties onto questions thereby preventing them from being closed and potentially causing the close votes to expire

@Someone_Evil I'm not 100% sure. But I do think it needs more details. I may just leave a comment explaining that bountying such questions can disrupt and undermine the procedures of the site

Out shopping, will work on a clarification comment when I can

Someone_Evil

15:14

But close voting was otherwise done. Review and last close votes were two days ago and I don't think there's any outstanding clarifications requested? (I've opted not to clear out the comments for now)

Actually, you've already voted to close as opinion based so I don't think you can VTC it now

Medix2

Yeah that's probably the case. I'm trying to find related questions to link like things about Murder Hobos and My Guy and whatnot. I'll get to it in like... two hours

RevanantBacon

On a related note, what happens to your rep if you offer a bounty and don't award it to an answer before it expires? Does it just poof, or do you get it back?

bobble

poof

Someone_Evil

There's automatic awarding in some cases, otherwise it just goes into the sea

bobble

meta.stackexchange.com/help/bounty

Trish

15:26

@Medix2 Alert a mod. Bounty to evade closure is a reason they can use to close and revert the bounty.

@Medix2 also, it was reverted.

RevanantBacon

@bobble neat

bobble

guess which site I was anon-editing this morning ><

RevanantBacon

Additional question, regarding the daily rep cap and bounties: Does offering a bounty reduce my "earned rep for the day" and allow me to gain more? Like, if the rep cap were 500 and I had already earned 500 rep, then offered a 200 rep bounty, could I earn another 200 rep for that day?

Someone_Evil

I wouldn't think so

bobble

5

Q: How do bounties affect the rep cap?

Just curious. This is what my rep audit looks for today: 1 3436375 (15) 2 3481588 (10) 2 3481588 (10) 2 3481612 (10) 2 3481612 (10) 2 3481656 (10) 1 3481612 (15) 1 3468630 (2) 2 3481741 (10) 1 3481741 (15) 1 3481656 (15) 2 3481886 (10) 2 3481892 (10) 2 3...

discussion bounties daily-reputation-limit

('specially the first answer)

Thomas Markov

15:45

@RevanantBacon if bounties could be recouped I would be handing out bounties like crazy

Bounties would basically be free for me.

RevanantBacon

@ThomasMarkov LMAO I bet you would lol

AncientSwordRage

@RevanantBacon if there's a new answer with 2+ votes half of it gets awarded to the highest votes new answer

A. B.

I hand 'em out anyway, but I'm not sure what kind of thing they should be put on.

AncientSwordRage

@bobble ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

RevanantBacon

@AncientSwordRage Hey, it displayed right this time! Sweet

AncientSwordRage

15:53

@RevanantBacon got to escape that arm

Thomas Markov

@RevanantBacon which reminds me, i have a few to go start

Thomas Markov

17:31

I think this is an off topic alignment question.

Axoren

17:56

@ThomasMarkov It doesn't align with question guidelines?

rimshot

bobble

you will be escorted to pun jail now

Thomas Markov

@bobble As the self appointed rpg.se president of dad jokes, I grant Axoren a presidential pardon.

Axoren

I feel like pun jail would be a riot.

Those poor prison guards.

Someone_Evil

@ThomasMarkov I'm disappointed you didn't open up for a dad joke as a reply to that

Axoren

@Someone_Evil Hi, disappointed you didn't open up for a dad joke as a reply to that. I'm Dad.

@ThomasMarkov However, in serious response to this, the best take I've ever seen on this problem is a greentext from 2011 which discusses the progression of Lawful Good players. Warning, language probably

Lawful good simply being a direct rejection of Evil and Chaos allows the player free reign in both axes, as long as they reside entirely within the Law or Good alignments.

Whereas a lot of the problems people find is that they must reside entirely within the Law AND Good alignments.

A lot of the dilemma comes from trying to restrict all of your actions to one of the nine boxes on the alignment chart.

RevanantBacon

18:22

@Axoren That's generally how moral dilemmas are introduced to LG characters: do the good thing, or do the lawful thing. Do you A) free the slaves, because slavery is bad, or do you B) leave them, because slavery is legal? Obviously, the correct action is to work to make slavery illegal, but that doesn't happen in a day, and these salves are here right now

Thomas Markov

LG would be buying the slaves and freeing them, NG would be breaking them out, and CG would be killing their owner.

RevanantBacon

@ThomasMarkov The fun part of this is that generally, there's really no wrong answer, but it makes the player fight with themselves over what would elicit the best outcome both for themselves and the ~~salves~~ slaves

Incidentally, it's also pretty funny to pull the reverse of this on CE players: do you follow the letter of the law to screw someone over, or do you reject the law but allow something good to happen to someone else at your expense?

Thomas Markov

Ive always viewed Chaotic is ignorance or disregard for law, not necessarily breaking it on purpose.

Axoren

@ThomasMarkov LE would be buying the slaves and keeping them. NE would be ???. CE would be killing the slaves?

RevanantBacon

I've viewed it as deliberate aversion of the law and/or just plain old defiance of authority

Thomas Markov

18:29

@RevanantBacon I see this as a twist on lawful evil.

Axoren

@RevanantBacon What's Neutral then?

RevanantBacon

@ThomasMarkov Nah, LE would be strict adherence to the exact wording of the law so as to exploit and/or the enactment of laws that specifically benefit yourself.

@Axoren Neutral is mostly either deciding on a case-by-case basis, or being to uninformed to have a particular stance (which is why most commoners are statted out as TN)

Thomas Markov

@Axoren CE would be killing the slaves or killing their owner and keeping them, LE would be buying them, NE would be ignoring them maybe?

Axoren

@ThomasMarkov Ignoring them sounds like the TN option, though.

It's either do something Good about it, do something Evil about it, or don't do anything about it.

RevanantBacon

Nah, ignoring them would be any neutral or evil, because they're just slaves, and not especially something you're prone to actually care about unless you have need of them

Thomas Markov

18:34

Somewhere doing nothing has to count as evil.

RevanantBacon

@ThomasMarkov Doing nothing is only evil if there's something you can do about it

Thomas Markov

@RevanantBacon Yeah, I can cast fireball.

bobble

at?

RevanantBacon

Freeing slaves would also typically be a Chaotic action, since most of the time, laws would state specifically who can be owned as slaves and for how long

And since owning a slave is a lawful action, freeing them from slavery is usually gonna be chaotic by default for defiance of the laws

Although, if owning slaves is against the law, owning them is a chaotic act and freeing them is lawful. It's all based on context.

Medix2

Meanwhile, in campaigns I've been in, you can be perfectly Lawful and break the law constantly. You just have to follow some law set. Not necessarily the one the country you're in uses

Thomas Markov

18:49

@Medix2 Yeah, I've viewed Lawful as more about having a well defined internal moral code than about adherence to local ordinances.

Axoren

Like the Code of Thieves?

Medix2

@ThomasMarkov Yup, same

MikeQ

The only guaranteed way to be lawful is to find all written laws and eat them, thereby becoming law-full

Thomas Markov

In my own effort to understand alignment, I've tried to articulate the system as being setting agnostic.

Axoren

The big flaw in the Alignment Chart is that it's tuned to a moral system that no one has.

We should have Kant vs. Hegel charts instead.

Chaotic Hegel vs. True Kant.

Medix2

18:50

For me "Lawful" means you follow some set of laws. "Good" means you think you are doing good

Thomas Markov

@Axoren This is where my struggle is. It's easy to understand the lawful spectrum in a setting agnostic context, not so much the good-evil spectrum.

MikeQ

@Medix2 Perspective-based goodness immediately raises the issue of subjectivity, and villains who think their actions serve some ethical goal

Medix2

@MikeQ Yeah, they are good

The true villains are the ones who do bad because it is bad

Axoren

Morality and ethics blend together. The alignment chart is like oil and water.

RevanantBacon

Let's be honest here, the alignment chart is a complete dumpster-fire.

Axoren

18:53

Law and Chaos are really just an arbitrary axis that one would hope applies to ethics.

Thomas Markov

New site question: rpg.stackexchange.com/q/185806/62294

RevanantBacon

A Chaotic Evil dumpster-fire

Thomas Markov

So I think I can answer this somewhat generically, but Im not sure it would be appropriate

Basically "do the math and map the probabilities".

Would such an answer in general terms be okay?

MikeQ

It might be ok, but not lawful ok

Axoren

It doesn't account for the change in skill systems. @ThomasMarkov

Medix2

18:54

@ThomasMarkov Do we have an edition change tag?

Axoren

I would convert it from 2 to 3 to 3.5 to 5.

Thomas Markov

@Axoren I think that would be part of the mapping lol

@Medix2 conversion

RevanantBacon

I think that conversion from 2e to 5e boils down to "Do a complete rebuild of the thing using 5e rules"

Axoren

It's almost impossible to do so because certain options that were expected to exist no longer do and vice versa.

RevanantBacon

@Axoren Exactly

Medix2

18:55

@ThomasMarkov Doesn't feel helpful to me as an answer. You should do the math for then, not tell them to do it

Axoren

For example: In 3.5e, you were expected to have magic items that boosted your primary ability scores, which in turn made you better at those skill checks associated with those scores.

MikeQ

What is "the math" to do? It seems like the asker doesn't know what "the math" is, so saying "do the math" isn't really a substantial solution

Thomas Markov

@Axoren The sketch of the method is something like "set your baseline in 2e terms, calculate a range of probabilities, set a baseline in 5e terms, calculate a range of probabilities, then map the DCs that correspond"

Medix2

Unless it's a a much MUCH more helpful answer than "Use math, here's a rough outline of a method"

@ThomasMarkov This does assume probabilities can be mapped meaningfully and that what things would even have DCs would also have DCs in 5e

RevanantBacon

As a relevant note for your perusal in regards to this conversion question, we have the official 5e conversion pdf here

Thomas Markov

18:58

I dont know, I feel like we should be able to calculate a probability of success in 2e, then find the DC that most closely matches that probability of success in 5e.

RevanantBacon

For reference, a critters save DC is its 8 + HD/2 up to 20

MikeQ

@ThomasMarkov That seems intuitive, but it does assume that the expected probabilities are the same across editions, which may not be the case

RevanantBacon

@ThomasMarkov I don't remember how saves were calculated in 2e, so I can't help you there.

Medix2

@ThomasMarkov They probably map pretty well, but I think an example mapping would be the best proof of the concept actually working

Thomas Markov

@MikeQ I mean, a characters probability of succumbing to poison gas should be edition independent, assuming it's supposed to be the same character

At least, I see no a priori reason a character would be great at resisting poison in 2e and terrible at it in 5e.

I think the idea with the question is to seek similar outcomes using a different system.

MikeQ

19:02

Right, but why should the probabilities be edition independent? For example, what if one edition expects lower success probabilities but has smaller consequences, compared to a different edition?

Axoren

https://media.wizards.com/2015/downloads/dnd/DnD_Conversions_1.0.pdf
> To convert traps and damaging hazards, use the Trap Save DCs and Attack Bonuses
and Damage Severity by Level tables from that chapter.

RevanantBacon

The other option is to direct the asker to the 5e DMG and/or XGtE charts for calculating traps, since a cloud of poison is likely coming off of a trap

@Axoren Yeah, that

Axoren

Essentially, Wizard's guidelines are to just start fresh and pick a CR for it

Thomas Markov

@RevanantBacon now thats a good frame challenge. you should write that one.

Axoren

The hard part is deciding what CR the smog should be

Thomas Markov

19:04

@Axoren map the probabilities :P

Axoren

Nah, screw that. Rank the danger levels of each travel zone and cluster them into 3-4 CRs

"The smog here is thicker. Use bigger hazard DC."

"The smog here is very light. Free pass."

Thomas Markov

Frame Challenge: All characters are Warforged.

Axoren

More like Warframe challenge.

Thomas Markov

@Axoren Youre killing it today.

I VTC'd this for needs details:rpg.stackexchange.com/q/185730/62294

See comment

It cleared when linksassin reviewed it for leave open, but its attracted some poor answers.

I really think we should close it.

OP is an active member, so it is likely to get the revisions it needs to reopen,, if we closed it.

RevanantBacon

Does anyone know off hand what pages the trap rules are on in the DMG and XGtE?

Thomas Markov

19:12

@Medix2 your answer there is good, Im just not sure it actually answers what OP's question really is.

You assume OP is the worldbuilder, but we dont actually know that. If theyre the player, your answer is likely entirely useless to them.

MikeQ

I have an opinion question: As a GM, what are some good techniques for managing a new tag-along player who (1) you don't know well and (2) probably has little interest in the game mechanics? For context, I have a scheduled game (finally) and a player wants to bring along their spouse as an additional player.

Thomas Markov

@MikeQ Are they a temporary join?

Or a permanent fixture

NautArch

@MikeQ I'd talk to the spouse more about what they'd like to do first.

I don't think you can figure that out without a 'session zero' with them.

Thomas Markov

@NautArch Any thoughts on closing this?

MikeQ

It's for a short adventure, using prewritten material, expecting 1-3 sessions, where "session zero" would be combined with the 1st gameplay session.

NautArch

19:23

@ThomasMarkov This very much seems like a lore question that's answerable.

Thomas Markov

In its current state?

Lore about which setting?

RevanantBacon

@NautArch Agreed

NautArch

@ThomasMarkov I think we could ask to clarify setting, but 5e doesn't have too many settings. Answering for them all doesn't seem like a big ask? But I also don't know lore well enough to say if it's too broad.

RevanantBacon

@ThomasMarkov There is no 5e setting where NPC's are assumed to be unable to both read and write unless explicitly stated. Heck, I don't think there are any settings owned by WotC at all where that's the case

Thomas Markov

But do we know its a lore question?

RevanantBacon

19:26

But even lore aside, speaking a language always includes reading/writing it as well.

Thomas Markov

To me, it seems equally likely that its a DM facing lore question, and a player facing mechanics question.

But it doesnt tell us which.

RevanantBacon

All characters (player or otherwise) are assumed to be able to read

There are parts of the game which wouldn't function if they couldn't

And there's no reason to suspect that they wouldn't be able to

Thomas Markov

@RevanantBacon Do Giant Elk read and write Giant Elk?

RevanantBacon

@ThomasMarkov Yes, assuming they are capable of holding whatever implement is necessary to write in Giant Elk (which, of course, assumes that an implement is, in fact, necessary to write it, rather than say, their antlers)

Thomas Markov

@RevanantBacon dont make me write a main site question about writing giant elk

RevanantBacon

19:30

@ThomasMarkov Do it

Dooo eeet

Thomas Markov

Fine.

Q: Can the Giant Owl language be learned with the Linguist feat?

The Giant Owl can speak the language Giant Owl: Languages Giant Owl, [...] Notably, this language does not appear on any of the tables of languages in any sourcebook (e.g. the Languages tables in the PHB/basic rules), but it does appear on the statblock of the Giant Owl and the Skeletal Giant O...

dnd-5e feats languages

RevanantBacon

@ThomasMarkov Side note, I disagree with SomeoneEvil's answer and agree with Aaron

Medix2

@ThomasMarkov True, but at this point, if the OP is a player my answer is fundamentally wrong and should be deleted and if I make significant edits it would invalidate the votes thus far

Medix2

19:51

Welp, time to mentally prepare for my 8 hour shift

Thomas Markov

20:01

0

Q: Are bestial languages such as Giant Elk and Giant Owl written languages?

It seems that most languages are assumed to have a written component i.e. Common, Elvish, Dwarvish, etc. This general assumption should hold for any language inherited from the character's race. From the Player's Handbook regarding racial languages: By virtue of your race, your character can spe...

dnd-5e languages

A. B.

Historic example of Old Elkish script external-content.duckduckgo.com/iu/…

2

BESW

22:07

"A Game Without Players Can Still Be Played" by Linda H. Codega. On lyric games, ownership, and what makes up a game

Maria Mison wrote a twitter thread about "some solely AESTHETIC choices I’ve gone for in some of my projects."

"The best tabletop role-playing games are sold online, but not by Amazon" by Justin Joyce for Polygon. Five storefronts to help find your group’s next adventure (yes, a Polygon TRPG article that's actually decent reporting)

AncientSwordRage

23:49

Does this meet your approval @RevanantBacon ?

4

A: What locations do these Official Forgotten Realms inspired Magic the Gathering cards reference?

I'm not certain about most of these--most of the bottom text appears to be more in the vein of a Dungeon Master's introduction or response than a specific historical note. However, locations at least can be found that correlate to each description. Plains: Anauroch? The largest, most magical dese...

Transcript for