Bounded Accuracy Explained [DnD 5e]

I break down bounded accuracy in DnD 5e, an essential design principle that's behind the game's math and mechanics.

2:28 5e's Bounds
5:02 How Does Bounded Accuracy Affect Combat?
6:55 What Breaks Bounded Accuracy?
10:15 Extreme Example of Breaking Bounded Accuracy

The following music was used for this media project:
Music: Fantasy Motion [loop ready] by Alexander Nakarada

[dndlounge]

I made a mistake in the video -- nat 20s/1s are only an auto success/auto failure for attack rolls -- not ability checks or saving throws. Apologies for the incorrect info!

[NLGriffin]

For that lockpicking example at the end of the episode. As a DM with all that build-up...."I got a 54" "ok as you go to pick the lock with all your tools and skills, you realize that the door is a pull not a push and wasn't locked at all"

[StanjeBrojila]

This video should be pinned to the top of the YouTubes's DnD page by a +3 longbow of accuracy.🏹

[zenith]

This has helped me reevaluate my approach to encounter design and loot

[horusemerald]

This is some good stuff. Simple but effective breakdown. Sent to all of my players, since some of them have expessed interest in learning more about the design mechanics of the game

[kailenmitchell]

As 30 year DM I HATE Bounded Accuracy.

[ChapterGrim]

You've jumped to the top of my go to D&D YTs... 😅

[probablyapomegranate]

found this trying to show a new DM what the core of the numbers game to what 5e really is. For a new dm balancing homebrew can be a struggle and bounded accuracy is a great guideline for getting started. It will help you understand what the game is, outside roleplaying and taking that sweet sweet loot. That doesnt mean it isnt fun to break the rules. At the end of the day the game is up to the table. There are so many ttrpgs now with their own rules and incredibly good homebrew by the 5e community, you can make the world whatever you like it to be and if you want big numbers for the players, match that to the enemies.
My favorite monster stat block edits are to keep the HP and AC the same and just increase damage numbers. Effectively turning my players and monsters into glass cannons. It lets us do More combat and eliminates bullet sponging. Its also the only way i can make my burly friends afraid of anything lol "yeah the monster attacks you twice, he misses once (normal percents to hit) but the other attack deals 42 bludgeoning"

[xornxenophon]

Short answer:
It does not! Bounded accuracy would work IF there were no magic items (like that girdle of giant strength) and no special abilities that utterly trash it! It is not even that difficult to get an AC of 22 at first level without any magic item at all!

[SIZModig]

11:45 Pick up Lucky or be a Halfling and you can up the percentage even more.

[Voxridian]

Thanks for the breakdown! It was easy to follow and makes a lot of sense. As a DM, I have to be careful what I give my players. But as a player, I am gonna be comboing this stuff, ohoho.

[KaiserDragoon]

As a DM, this was very helpful breakdown.

I do have a question, what are your thoughts about a player who wants to use a +3 Bow using +3 ammunition?

[logan]

Well done. This will help a lot of people.

[FireSparq]

I really loved this. Great job in explaining a heap of associated concepts with bounded accuracy. Definitely will be keeping an eye on your channel :)

[robjob]

7:56 The nat 1/nat 20 rule only applies to attack roles - not skill checks or saving throws

[mikedickens]

Thank you. This video helps immensely.

[Sentinel]

I tinkered with a build for a while, never had the chance to bust it out, partially because it's 100% MAD.

Fighter 5 (Battle Master), Paladin 3 (Devotion), Cleric 1 (Peace), Wizard 1.

take Archery Style, and Find Familiar, have your peace cleric bond with it, then use your Devotion channel divinity to empower your bow, and concentrate on Bless
between Dex, Charisma, proficiency, archery style, peace bond, and bless, with your familiar giving you advantage from Help, you have (assuming decent stats or magic items setting them to be decent) a 16+2d4 to hit.
the problem is it takes a few actions (bless, channel divinity, and peace bond are each actions) to set up, but if you're only blowing one or two of them per fight, that's potentially doable with action surge without delaying everything too much.

[chillinon]

I like bounded accuracy until the older 5e summon spells get involved; having more bodies on the field is just so strong as the higher number of attacks being made is going to translate into more damage in a system where AC doesn't climb that high.

I think bounded accuracy's greatest strength is that it allows monsters to potentially stay relevant longer and thus allows greater freedom in encounter design, and on the flip side, its main weakness is that it's a crapshoot whether a higher level monster will actually be a challenge to players.

[not-a-theist]

Nat 20s aren't automatical successes on skill checks only on attacks btw.

[ninf]

Yaaay! The video about bounded accuracy that I asked for some time ago! So glad to see you actually made it!

Tradidtional points:
1. There are no links in the description
3. I really like the thumbnail. I understand that the background hasn't changed, but the text colour and white picture border as well as a general color scheme for me personally result in a very nice look!