Respectfully, I can easily see a shared workplace at least encouraging screwing over customers. To me its an even more intense instance of the shareholder problem. Shareholders are obsessed with the money they’re getting back with no real work but the risk inherent in the bet they made. The workers are working, for a livelihood, and of course will want to improve their quality of life. They’re even more motivated to do so. And some of the best ways to do that, in the “make monkey brain happy” obvious short-term are the same policies the shareholders are already pushing. Will there be some pushback? Definitely, but you only have to sell a bunch of people on short-term easy money. And the lottery isn’t popular because people are smart about this stuff.

My players shall curse you for the fun you’ll have given me on their next trek out of the city. I’m think Yeth hound stats but I’m flexible atm. Maybe a shadow.

Have him stab the mayor who's evil because he's greedy and selfish and borderline abusive in trade-deals with neighboring regions but is otherwise beloved (and has rewards heaped on him) because he's so good at actually keeping order in the town and keeping their goodwill (although probably at least a little bit through some passive-aggressive blackmail). That's always fun.

No argument save that all of that shouldn't make you exemplary or unique in the way the rules present. It makes you motivated. Frankly even class levels shouldn't make you special because everyone should have them. (The NPC classes of 3.5 fell into this trap to for the Warrior and Adept, imo.)*

Johnny Haysee who had some training in the town guard only to lose his family when his village was murdered by a sudden zombie incursion, who then goes on a vengeance fueled life of adventure to gain the power to fight the necromancer that created them isn't any less of a Johnny Hayseed who signed up for basic training, washed out, and then decided to go adventuring. Either can fight but no better than any other guard at lvl 1, because all lvl 1 guards should be fighters (or some other class, not to go too deep down the rabbit hole of "what classes should have what skills in what jobs"). What makes the Adventurer special is their motivation, but their motivation shouldn't start them with super-powers. It should deliver those to them as they explore the world, themselves, and their abilities.

(*) I guess you could define class levels as adventurer only, but even then at lvl 1 I'm not sure you're "better" enough to qualify as meaningful, and in 5e at least its irrelevant because the divorced system between opponents - even npcs - and players means its all nonsensical to justify anyway because the town guard there isn't a Fighter lvl 5 by the rules its a Monster labeled Fighter and will be stated according to what would be a challenge for the DM's needs. Which demands a lot of world based hand waving but that's not what the conversation was on.

Or a one note one. But, while I like monstrous races as options, I dislike the trend of 5e to make our characters "special", unique, or noteworthy before the adventuring even begins. (If this is duplicated for some reason, I'm sorry. It tried editing and that didnt' seem to take, then I tried deleting my original message and reposting. Not sure what's up.)

deleted by creator

I need to watch that, I've heard good things but have never seen it.

Ah, the good ol' "I'm not, but actually am, but not enough that I should get a raise, but I really would like one and less work hours, but I really need to stay longer because I'm so slow at everything I do and am terrible at focusing so I should really be working harder to give you your money's worth, but you're probably not paying me as much as you should be for that work in hindsight" theoretical with yourself and your imagined boss.

I can't think of any media that explores its magic at any level where that isn't true though, tbh.

Unless there's a bug. Then it is my code and I have to fix it. Immediately. No, I don't want to discuss my thought process for "why I made that decision" I want to fix it. Why are we having a chat about milk pouring technique while it is dripping off the fucking table. Prod is burning and you want to fiddle! (Meanwhile this is a minor bug that nobody has ever actually complained about but just the knowledge that it was my fault…)

A joke that keeps being told with slight variation.

I wouldn't want Fallout 4's incongruous fps shooting or the terrible "perk" system tainting FNV, tbh. Frankly I'd be pleased with the arrangement that Bethesda never touches FNV or anything related to it again, but blue sky thinking's just that.

Save we're discussing mechanics for a game that's job is to simulate a real life (albeit not this one) to the best of its abilities, because that's what role-playing is. Living through a character, another person, in a world. The entire structure of the game's supposed to support that conceit. And counting arrows is part of that because your character would have to count and track their arrows. I guess you can break it if the entire table wants to but if that keeps happening I venture to guess the table's not actually playing the right system. I censor myself from harsher critique because I am old and bitter, but I really don't like the concept that "less tedious is more fun" since the tedious stuff is normally the investment that leads to the moments of fun. That last tense shot, the drama of dwindling supply, and the excitement at looting the enemy and finding what you neat. But I also think a lot of the modern convenience items for spell-casters are what helped to destabilize the game and would like to see the "tedium" of them come back.

I mean you can be unconscious for more than head trauma. My thought was in line with heart issues and if the differences in sex played any part there, due to the differences in the appearance of problems with them between men and women, but maybe that's not really relevant until they hit the hospital.(Since EMTs are stabilizing focused) Just having it on the card - avoiding the time needed to check especially if they've had surgery - seems helpful, if that was relevant. If its not of course it doesn't need to be there but if there's EMTs around chime in because obviously I don't know.

I'd also add the consideration that a photo ID also serves the purpose of some base level medical information (or else our listing organ donor status on them is super weird) so having sex on there if you're unconscious and the EMTs pick you up and need to check makes some sense. No reason both couldn't work.

Yes and no.

If he'd gotten powers from the divine oath-giver he'd be a Warlock or Cleric, dependent upon the nature of their relationship and the being's powers.

If he got the powers himself from his absolute rigid dedication to his oath, then he'd be a 5e Paladin (I prefer "Dedicant" or "Crusader" for which Paladin should be a specific Oath but that's a different conversation).

Otherwise in older editions he'd probably just be a devout warrior.

For those older editions he'd only be a Paladin if the oath he held to was far more specific and arguably he and several of the other hobbits were a bit too quick and dirty for. Particularly during the era of Racial restrictions to classes which didn't allow halfling Paladins. (Assuming halflings to hobbits is 1:1 in all settings, which is far less consistent over time.)

For how a generous DM might work around that in older editions sometimes, I'd look to BG2's Mazzy Fentan: https://baldursgate.fandom.com/wiki/Mazzy_Fentan

I'm a little shocked. Normally its Hines caught with his foot that deep in his own mouth.

…I miss when Time Stop let you cast attack spells…

I mean, that's probably why he would make the push. The bait's in the mouth (people have the game), then comes the pull of the hook (they have to upgrade to try and handle its poor optimization, fulfilling the benefit of AMD backing them). And Beth doesn't lose anything if its too frustrating and people stop playing over it because they already have the money.

EDIT: Admittedly I keep forgetting that game-pass is a thing, but maybe even that doesn't really matter to Microsoft if it got people to get on gamepass or something? That makes my earlier point a bit shakier.

Have you considered an anti-magic field area of considerable size? That’s hardly a good continual response but it may allow a more challenging encounter, especially if the field can be briefly turned off by characters expending spell slots into a single dangerous spot while being attacked. Since it prevents Divine smites and the bonuses. (Someone could 5e-argue that probably, since its pretty nonsensical with class abilities at times but I’d just overrule it.) You can even use it with Mindflayers or other psionic aberrations, since arguably their abilities can still work if you rule they can. (Psionics don’t necessarily equal magic unless you set some other precedent.)

Other concepts are to add hazards and chaos causers to battlefields. Floating clouds of glittering fog that reflect spells to random other targets, negative-energy/undead quicksand bogs that leech endurance instead of doing damage (and whose saves are to avoid getting stuck not to avoid the drain), unsteady floors to drop out and separate parts of the party, or lair effects that randomly teleport characters back to earlier areas of a dungeon, forcing them to run back through to get back into the fight (don’t overuse that one but if there are traps earlier its a great way to force them to ignore traps in their rush).

Also just tasks to do while being attacked. The paladins + cleric can defend well together but force them to be separated into different regions doing a task and you up the tension (even if you don’t up the danger).

You can also try bringing forward older monsters that undercut benefits/items. Black Puddings, Rust Monsters (Or their papa Annihilators), or port over other monsters like Magerippers or Spellweavers from 3.5.

Traps can also be good, since they may be taking 1/4 damage on a save, but if the traps also cause inconveniences or force them through alternate, and slowly more damaging paths (like crawling through a stone brambled tunnel instead of taking the other tunnel because it caved in and almost crushed them), they can still build up and be valuable.

Also if they’re incredibly proficient in combat, the enemies probably know that by this level. So you might have to start attacking them legally or socially, depending on the situation. Or just start having foes avoid them. Make them burn resources to set up engagements where foes can’t run or attack them when they’re on their back foot relaxing with assassins in the bathrooms, poisons in the bar bread, false accusers of horrible crimes on the streets and in court. (Depending on who their foes are of course.) You do that so that their character get paranoid. Start trading things like spell slots, the benefits of sleep, or close allies to try and defend themselves, so that they’re weakened before they even touch something like a dungeon. If they party is just too invincible in combat as it is, don’t just attack them there, let them know that existence is sortof a threat. (And as before, how much you use it is important an should be informed by session 0. You want them tense and excited, not miserable, and “the world as the DM’s weapon” isn’t necessarily the right way to approach it but its a nice tool to have in the chest. Hammer finds nail and all that.)