D&D 5.5E: More details about fortress system revealed

Being an “opt-in” ruleset, the Bastion system in the 5.5E Dungeon Master’s Guide certainly seems well-detailed. Here’s what we know: The Bastion system was a big focus at last week’s Dungeon Master’s Guide premiere. It’s even weirder because the rules are “opt-in” according to various videos about it. But technically, Feats were an opt-in part of D&D 5E. And really, if you want to get existential, D&D is all about opt-in. No one is going to kick down your door and demand you use mandatory rules (which is said to be a crime). However, the important thing is that for something that is positioned as an option, people seem to intend to use it. Especially since more details have surfaced since the new video premiered. What are the details? Well… The Bastion System – Details and Dungeons Beyond D&D, the WotC team has taken players through even more details about the rules of Bastion. Of course, we’ll have to wait until the DMG is actually released before we can find out what bonuses the various facilities will give. But it seems like the spirit of what we saw in the Unearthed Arcana previews still rings true, warts and all. This is great. Don’t get me wrong. I love the idea of ​​these rules. There are lots of fun ideas here. If you think about it, a fortress is basically a dungeon that players can build themselves. You choose the layout and decide on the style of the room. It’s not just saying you can choose them, it’s an integral part of the rules. “When a character acquires a Bastion at level 5, they can determine its initial layout, including the basic and special facilities it contains. There are three sizes of facility space available: narrow facility, spacious facility, and expansive facility. Each type of facility space has a maximum area of ​​5 feet square. The maximum area for Cramped Spaces is 4 square meters, the maximum area for Roomy is 16 square meters, and the maximum area for Vast is 36 square meters. These squares can be spread across multiple floors of a building. ?This is written in the rules. Let’s plan the fortress in a square etc. And there is a Bastion for each character. Each character has their own fortress that can be obtained at level 5. You can also combine them. Each Bastion has its own set of rooms, and you can also spend gold and time to buy basic facilities that add functionality to your fortress. Special facilities often add some in-game perk to your character, but these are limited by level.For me, this is one place where the Bastion system stumbles. Everything feels very locked in because everything is level dependent. Maybe in 5.5E the game will last long enough to actually see high level stuff. There’s nothing stopping you from doing what you want, but basically some special facilities come with certain requirements, for example you need to be level 13 to use Reliquary. Yes, and must be able to use Holy Symbol or Druidic Focus as a spellcasting focus. This is a nice way of saying you have to be a cleric or druid, but multiclassing allows you to play together at home. Special Facilities and You – The Good Ones Naturally, special facilities have the most rules. can be given special commands to execute (whenever he feels like it), which can cause strange events in Bastion. We toured three: Demiplane, Meditation Chamber, and Pub. Demiplane: You must be level 17 to use this facility. This is a secret pocket dimension hidden somewhere in Bastion. It’s an extradimensional space where all sorts of strange and magical things can happen. Specifically, if you take a long rest in the demiplane while the facility has the Empower Order, your temporary hit points will be 5 times your level. You can also use a magical action to create something nonmagical out of nothing, as long as it is no larger than 5 feet in any dimension and is worth more than 5 gold coins. Meditation Room: Another place where you can be empowered with special commands. This level 13 facility grants you and your employer the Inner Peace buff. While under the influence of inner peace, you roll with the punches. Specifically, roll on the Bastion event, roll twice on the table, and choose the outcome you want. You can personally meditate in the meditation chamber (shocking, I know) for an amazing benefit of advantage on two different saving throws. This effect lasts for the next 7 days. If you’re lucky, saving Dex for a week might give you an advantage. However, as a result of Intelligence’s save, all meditation can be wasted. Or very little. Pub: An adventurer’s dream. Why wait until you retire from adventures when you can open a pub at level 13? Whatever the reason, you can’t open a pub at any earlier level. But this is a fantasy dream place, like a tavern, an inn, or a coffee shop. You can get a cool bartender or barista who is also secretly your spymaster. If you give them a “gather” command, they will give you information about important events within 10 miles of the area, as well as information about the location and movement of familiar creatures within 50 miles. Additionally, drinking a special beer will grant you magical effects such as zoom in/out and night vision for 24 hours. Finally, like any business, corporation, or large corporation, Bastion cannot exist without its employees. Your player character is essentially the CEO, existing solely to harvest resources and occasionally granting you funds to expand Bastion according to your vision, regardless of what the people working there want. I will cast. That’s why employers have rules. Your employer is an NPC who works at your facility. They follow the orders you give them. Special facility resources pay the salaries, so there are no additional maintenance costs. However, we recommend giving your name, face, and backstory. It’s an NPC that players can start dreaming up, like the coffee shop barista. You can fully enjoy the atmosphere of The Sims. However, be careful as Bastion may be attacked. But don’t worry. The worst that can happen is that Bastion is stopped for one turn. Perhaps this is why they say the rules are arbitrary. You don’t have to rely on investing in Bastion to get good characters. This is just another set of tools in your toolbox for designing and expressing your character, and ultimately yourself. For more information on the Bastion system, check out the D&D 5.5E Dungeon Master Guide. Subscribe to our newsletter! Get tabletop, RPG, and pop culture news delivered straight to your inbox. A staff writer and DM for Bell of Lost Souls, JR covers all kinds of RPGs and occasionally eats a sandwich. You can ask him about both (email protected) Read Comments (0)