yeather

Obviously they don’t need them. But the prevalence of wheelchairs is because of out modern world and architecture. I did research on the history of wherlchairs. The first self propelled chair was invented in 1655 in Germany. Before this point you had to be carted around. No afventurer is going to be carted around, wheelchairs simply did not exist during the typical dnd time period. Besides, the early wheelchairs were only for the wealthy, those who did not have to labor and could pursue other interests. Paved roads as we know them came into existence in the 18th century, and around this time hospitals began using them to cart patients around. Then wheelchairs became more widespread.

https://www.britannica.com/technology/history-of-the-wheelchair

You’re trying to fit something that has no place being in the setting. Just pick the infinitely cooler options that do fit or don’t have your character have this particular disability.

Then it is no longer a wheelchair, it’s a magical floating chair which is acceptable.

So your fantasy world has asphalt roads and uniform sidewalks and paved connections between every village? If your 99.9% of dnd games you are playing in the mideaval era world with magic. So just use the fucking magic items.

Exactly! You’re in the magic setting where most people can do magic or have access to magical things. Wheelchairs become even more useless than they were in ancient times, especially for an adventurer who presumably will be on unpaved and akward roads.

But why would anyone do any of this when there are objectively better options for representing the disability and having a fun whimsical option. Magic carpet or magic chair and now you can fly where bring a different set of skills. As a Druid, Growths of trees and roots could form spider like appendages. A warlock can use his patrons power to create a new set of magical legs or always be floating. Warforged legs could be used in place of your own. An artificers leg armor would be able to keep cripples person walking. Many many options and you choose the blue shirt basic human fighter battlemaster.

Because this is a FANTASY WORLD with MAGIC and BETTER ALTERNATIVES.

Just be a magic carpet at that point. Or a flying chair.

At that point just enchant your legs, or make warforged legs, or be a druid and attach roots to your legs like spider legs, or use the same thing but also provides other utility, A MAGIC CARPET.

1. Though better than the alternative it would still be terrible on any uphill.

2. Roots bonding to the lower body would not form a wheelchair, more like darth maul spider legs.

3. That’s a leg, not a wheelchair.

In every scenario, using any magic would circumvent the disability in a way that ends up mimicking walking while not being a liability.

Wheelchairs only work because of modern paving and asphalt. Cobblestone and dirt roads would never accommodate a wheelchair. Magic carpets are right there.

Main issue is the wheelchair itself. No adventurer would ever use a wheelchair, the only reason we can use wheelchairs now are uniform roads and ada mandated ramps. Magic carpets exist and are cheap in game and don’t make you a liability.