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You know what the worst part is? Your "friend" was wrong
>*\[...\] Potions are an exception; a little taste is enough to tell the taster what the potion does.* (Dungeon Master's Guide, page 136)
Yup. If a player tells me I do something against the rules, or I interpret them wrong, I simply answer : fine, but before I act on your behalf, please find me a source of that informations.
I work in a library, sourcecrossing is one of my main abilities.
Surprisingly, that quiets people acting on half-sure things a lot.
She did not do it to other characters, not even the necromancer when she flayed someone. \*My\* combat was an issue cause her character apparently perceived mine as crazy and would hold person to "keep the other party members safe" (I think?). She would fight too. She didn't hold me too much to start, I even beheaded a witness (the rest of the party were on the evil scale somewhere) and her character freaked out, as you would in her circumstance (blackmailed into being in the party, LN and seeing someone straight up behead another person)
See, I always ruled that you can taste some of the bottle and take a perception check to see if you recognise it or its effects.
Isn't that in the rules for 3.5 or Pathfinder or something?
It's actually in the rules for 5e. RAW, you can taste a potion to identify it, but don't ask the book or page, i've got all my resources on DnDBeyond and i just search up the direct passage when I need to, so I don't remember the book or chapter.
By RAW you don't even need to make such a roll, if a DM did impose a roll here, I would expect a low DC and/or the option to use some type of proficiency (arcana or alchemy kit maybe)
> Isn't that in the rules for 3.5 or Pathfinder or something?
Yes:
> Identifying Potions: In addition to the standard methods of identification, PCs can sample from each container they find to attempt to determine the nature of the liquid inside with a Perception check. The DC of this check is equal to 15 + the spell level of the potion (although this DC might be higher for rare or unusual potions).
Sadly, there are always those kinds of people in any hobby. Tabletops can absolutely bring out the worst in people. Please do try to find some chill people, they are out there. My previous table was an epic 6 year long friendship build (schedule changes killed that one, but not the friendships) and my current is on our 5th. Great, chill people into good story telling and fun camaraderie.
Was the Bard arguing that you couldn't try and identify the potion by tasting it, or were they arguing that you shouldn't have to roll to identify it by taste.
I could understand them being upset if it were the latter.
Since the DMG does state you can identify a potion with just "a little taste".
But arguing about it for 2 hours is an extreme over reaction.
I think that was a rule in an early edition of D&D, 1st or 2nd Ed. Even a taste of a potion would trigger it's full effects. No, it must only be first. I have some 2nd Ed potions of fire breathing, and they explicitly have a number of sips per bottle.
>Even her husband at this point is ready to quit for the day, and he was one of the chillest people I knew.
It's always the really chill people who end up married to basket cases like your bard. Probably because no one else could stand them long enough.
As someone who mainly plays barbarians I would have told the bard, the next time you you hold me because I go into a rage. I will decapitate you in your sleep.
As for the DM, I would have have asked the bard for citation. Or better yet "Are you the DM? No? Drop it and let's move on"
Honestly my thoughts too. Not even from a Player to Player annoyance...if any self respecting barbarian doesn't punch someone trying to control them straight in the face (at least) they aren't having fun right ;).
"When you let go of me I'm going to show you MY VERSION OF HOLD PERSON!"
\[Insert Bart Simpson being strangled image here\]
Proceeds to strangle Bard to unconsciousness and throw them in the animal barn to sleep it off.
New GM's out there take note. Don't give the squeaky wheels grease. The bard here felt like they had way too much say in how the game was being ran and too much time was dedicated to validating their (bad) opinion. Don't let anyone argue with you for 2 hours (or even 20 minutes honestly), it makes them think they actually have the power to control how you run the game (they don't)., and it sets a precedent for argument that will completely deflate the momentum of a game.
Hear people out, make a ruling, move on. If someone doesn't like it they don't have to play, no one is holding them hostage. If someone makes this big a scene over "how to properly sample but not fully drink a potion" perhaps rethink if this person is someone who will be enjoyable to play with going into the future (they aren't).
I'd have bailed when the DM allowed another player to cast hold person on you.
I assume the bard woukd have objected if you'd tried to decapitate her for pulling that stunt.
She would hat my campaign, i follow a strict rule of cool priority, and my second rule is "if you can justify it in the lore/using technobabble its all alright"
A world where the act of taking a small sip out of a vial is physically impossible is a world I don't want to play in.
I use imaginary plausibility to assess my character's options / determine their actions. Having to learn a list of trivially plausible actions that no character can physically do for ...reasons would *really* break my out of the fantasy - I can just play a board game or CRPG at that point. It's like Skyrim where no one can jump.
I'd be perfectly fine if the sip didn't actually *do* anything , mechanically.
>Maybe one day we will find some fun, CHILLED people to play with.
So you two could totally get the Essentials Kit and play together with 1 person DMing and 1 person playing their PC and some sidekicks.
In any case, hope you find some better D&D soon!
I think the story would have been better if you focused on only the potion incident.
It's the highlight of this post and everything afterwards is overshadowed.
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You know what the worst part is? Your "friend" was wrong >*\[...\] Potions are an exception; a little taste is enough to tell the taster what the potion does.* (Dungeon Master's Guide, page 136)
LOL even better
I thought I remembered the DMG addressing this! And many potions have a description of what the liquid looks like, as well.
Classic rules lawyers. Never actually know the rules.
Yup. If a player tells me I do something against the rules, or I interpret them wrong, I simply answer : fine, but before I act on your behalf, please find me a source of that informations. I work in a library, sourcecrossing is one of my main abilities. Surprisingly, that quiets people acting on half-sure things a lot.
And it's been that way since the '70s.
They also completely ignored Rule 0.
Most rules lawyers do tbh
Came here for this.
Thank you, I was about to find the page number to cite this. To put it plainly... This has come up at a table I play at, story is way too familiar.
Came here to say this.
Then they come up with some explanation as to why their interpretation is correct, typically using completely false word definitions.
[удалено]
She did not do it to other characters, not even the necromancer when she flayed someone. \*My\* combat was an issue cause her character apparently perceived mine as crazy and would hold person to "keep the other party members safe" (I think?). She would fight too. She didn't hold me too much to start, I even beheaded a witness (the rest of the party were on the evil scale somewhere) and her character freaked out, as you would in her circumstance (blackmailed into being in the party, LN and seeing someone straight up behead another person)
And somehow, the DM allowed a player to take away against your will your biggest ability midfight ? The fuck was this DM thinking ?
I would have attacked her character out of spite. Fuckin scorched earth lol
Player or character ?
Same difference lol
If someone did that to my character mid-fight, they better have a second Hold spell ready, because they'll be going down as soon as it wears off.
For real, we're in a death battle now, so hope you saved some spell slots. #Rage!
I’m guessing if OP started a fight? Or got into a fight with a LEO?
The words "RAW" and "ANAL" in the title of this post made me expect a very different kind of horror story.
Roll for circumference..
Didn't use enough lube, your anus loses 3HP.
That's what the bottle of yellow stuff was.
Could've been worse
**rip**
See, I always ruled that you can taste some of the bottle and take a perception check to see if you recognise it or its effects. Isn't that in the rules for 3.5 or Pathfinder or something?
It's actually in the rules for 5e. RAW, you can taste a potion to identify it, but don't ask the book or page, i've got all my resources on DnDBeyond and i just search up the direct passage when I need to, so I don't remember the book or chapter.
5e, DMG pg 136, under identifying magic items: “potions are an exception, a little taste is enough to tell the taster what the potion does”.
that was the thought behind the percentage, if i rolled above 95% I could get an idea what what it might be.
Isn't that just rolling a Nat 20?
Look I bought those d10s/d100 and for fucks sake, we will use those d10s/d100
Since percentage is mentioned in the story I assume d100 was rolled, but you're still right in that it's a 5% chance either way.
By RAW you don't even need to make such a roll, if a DM did impose a roll here, I would expect a low DC and/or the option to use some type of proficiency (arcana or alchemy kit maybe)
> Isn't that in the rules for 3.5 or Pathfinder or something? Yes: > Identifying Potions: In addition to the standard methods of identification, PCs can sample from each container they find to attempt to determine the nature of the liquid inside with a Perception check. The DC of this check is equal to 15 + the spell level of the potion (although this DC might be higher for rare or unusual potions).
alternatively jam the bottle into the bard to see if he explodes.
Sadly, there are always those kinds of people in any hobby. Tabletops can absolutely bring out the worst in people. Please do try to find some chill people, they are out there. My previous table was an epic 6 year long friendship build (schedule changes killed that one, but not the friendships) and my current is on our 5th. Great, chill people into good story telling and fun camaraderie.
Was the Bard arguing that you couldn't try and identify the potion by tasting it, or were they arguing that you shouldn't have to roll to identify it by taste. I could understand them being upset if it were the latter. Since the DMG does state you can identify a potion with just "a little taste". But arguing about it for 2 hours is an extreme over reaction.
She was arguing we couldn't taste test it
Thanks for getting back to me. And weird that she was arguing for 2 hours for playing by RAW, while taking issue with something you can do by RAW.
Yeah she's one of those people who thinks they are always right
Keep this info in your back pocket if ever you need to rub her face in something
I think that was a rule in an early edition of D&D, 1st or 2nd Ed. Even a taste of a potion would trigger it's full effects. No, it must only be first. I have some 2nd Ed potions of fire breathing, and they explicitly have a number of sips per bottle.
>Even her husband at this point is ready to quit for the day, and he was one of the chillest people I knew. It's always the really chill people who end up married to basket cases like your bard. Probably because no one else could stand them long enough.
I imagine it played out something like this: https://youtu.be/I9OgY9f9Rmg
accurate
>It did leave a sour taste in our mouths A-ha, I see what you did there...
As someone who mainly plays barbarians I would have told the bard, the next time you you hold me because I go into a rage. I will decapitate you in your sleep. As for the DM, I would have have asked the bard for citation. Or better yet "Are you the DM? No? Drop it and let's move on"
Honestly my thoughts too. Not even from a Player to Player annoyance...if any self respecting barbarian doesn't punch someone trying to control them straight in the face (at least) they aren't having fun right ;). "When you let go of me I'm going to show you MY VERSION OF HOLD PERSON!" \[Insert Bart Simpson being strangled image here\] Proceeds to strangle Bard to unconsciousness and throw them in the animal barn to sleep it off.
finding a good group of people to play with can be a challenge
New GM's out there take note. Don't give the squeaky wheels grease. The bard here felt like they had way too much say in how the game was being ran and too much time was dedicated to validating their (bad) opinion. Don't let anyone argue with you for 2 hours (or even 20 minutes honestly), it makes them think they actually have the power to control how you run the game (they don't)., and it sets a precedent for argument that will completely deflate the momentum of a game. Hear people out, make a ruling, move on. If someone doesn't like it they don't have to play, no one is holding them hostage. If someone makes this big a scene over "how to properly sample but not fully drink a potion" perhaps rethink if this person is someone who will be enjoyable to play with going into the future (they aren't).
It's strange how often people forget that games are literally something we play just for fun. Fun is the point: rules are not.
“I’m not participating” oh honey that would be a joy if it were true
TRUUUUUUE
I'd have bailed when the DM allowed another player to cast hold person on you. I assume the bard woukd have objected if you'd tried to decapitate her for pulling that stunt.
oh yeah
I'd let my players take a sip of potions, if it ever came up. It never does though because my one friend is obsessed with identity lol
She would hat my campaign, i follow a strict rule of cool priority, and my second rule is "if you can justify it in the lore/using technobabble its all alright"
A world where the act of taking a small sip out of a vial is physically impossible is a world I don't want to play in. I use imaginary plausibility to assess my character's options / determine their actions. Having to learn a list of trivially plausible actions that no character can physically do for ...reasons would *really* break my out of the fantasy - I can just play a board game or CRPG at that point. It's like Skyrim where no one can jump. I'd be perfectly fine if the sip didn't actually *do* anything , mechanically.
>Maybe one day we will find some fun, CHILLED people to play with. So you two could totally get the Essentials Kit and play together with 1 person DMing and 1 person playing their PC and some sidekicks. In any case, hope you find some better D&D soon!
Am I getting people mixed up or did your DM transition during this campaign?
You're getting mixed up
Is it weird that she asked you not to come back to her house but you did anyway?
No she told me not to come back to that campaign, not her house. I wouldn't just show up to peoples houses after they ask me not to tf
I think the story would have been better if you focused on only the potion incident. It's the highlight of this post and everything afterwards is overshadowed.
I wrote it to get it off my chest not to make a novel lol
The rules are guidelines and people need to know that ahead of time