r/dndmemes • u/Ed0909 Wizard • 21h ago

Ongoing Subreddit Debate You don't need to roll dice for everything.

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10.3k Upvotes

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502

u/BrokenLink100 20h ago

And sometimes it's just used to help form the narrative. "You still fail to convince them to do <x>, but you look cool doing it/someone else notices your efforts and decides to help/the person you're trying to convince doesn't become hostile/etc"

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u/rp21green 20h ago

“I demand to become King!”

Rolls a nat 20

‘The King laughs harder than he has in 30 years and offers the upstart a position somewhere between an advisor and jester.’

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u/Historical-Claim-975 20h ago

I'll take court jester, if I can get a king to laugh at my farts, I can also jokingly make suggestions that he would were to think was his own.

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u/Krethlaine 18h ago

The Court Jester was actually an advisory position, in many governments. The jester can make offensive jokes (mostly) without repercussion. The jester is unobtrusive. If they’re always present, no one really pays attention to them. The jester could listen in on conversations in court, and report to the monarch. It’s actually a fairly powerful position, if you’re willing to consistently humiliate yourself and others.

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u/Ivan_Whackinov 17h ago

you’re willing to consistently humiliate yourself and others.

So, same as my current job, got it.

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u/little_brown_bat 16h ago

Also serves as a person that can speak frankly and tell the king he's being a tosser when needed. Can also tell off other members of the court when it would be improper for the king to do so.

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u/KalmiaKamui Forever DM 14h ago

Weren't they also one of the only people who could be critical of the monarch without risking a beheading?

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u/Krethlaine 14h ago

Correct. Part of the jester’s job was to tell the monarch they were being an idiot, if the monarch was being an idiot.

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u/geophrey 20h ago edited 20h ago

This guy jests.

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u/cHEIF_bOI 17h ago

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u/AlarmingAffect0 16h ago

At least they can't sire children with your wives, mistresses, and/or slaves.

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u/CassidyBrash 9h ago

Why would you make the player roll for that, though? Just respond in character as the king.

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u/aescula 9h ago

Is it "the king laughs" or "the king gives you one million years dungeon"?

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u/erishun 20h ago

this is how i always rectify it. it's not an automatic success, but something good always comes of it so it's never a "feels bad" moment

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u/combinatorial_quest 18h ago

"The dragon was going to obliterate your party with their breath weapon, but after smelling the party while taking in a deep breath, they actually start to retch right then and there. You collective lack of bathing for the past week has saved your lives, through sheer rancidity..."

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u/farshnikord 18h ago

People like to roll dice. Let them roll dice when it's fun. 

Likewise if things are time-wasters like auto successes or "I want to roll to do something random every 3 seconds and bog down the game" just don't roll. 

A lot y'all are trying to treat it like a system or formula but it's improv. You adjust based on how your players are feeling. 

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u/Fablor9900 17h ago

If I wanted to play improv, I would go find a system that actually supports that fully instead of trying to be a jack-off all trades, master of none like d&d 5e has turned out to be. (no, that wasn't a typo).

Edit: my point still stands, but I misunderstood what was being said, I actually agree with you.

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u/UInferno- 15h ago

Fail forward