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.
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.
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.
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 )
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?
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.
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.
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.
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.
That doesn’t seem like the same thing at all. Can you elaborate?
Both are example of stubborn group members who need to be flexible and work well with others.
The fighter in my story is the rogue in your story? That makes sense.
Yes indeed!
Did you let him become chief trap finder? That’s a quick way to get the item back.
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
*not in immediate danger
Random VLDL that fits nicely: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=WKr7K6pe83w&pp=ygUWVmxkbCBmYWlsZWQgcGVyY2VwdGlvbg%3D%3D
TBF, that’s pretty much what every rogue I know would say
Make the lens also go above that rule, because that rule sucks if the dm is adding a lot of traps above 20.
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?
Yes, I see rogues doing that
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.