D&D 5E What Rules do you see people mistake or misapply?

SubDude · May 4, 2017

My FLGS has a large number of new players, particularly in Adventures League. It really took off after I ran Vault of the Dracolich last year. Unfortunately, I'm seeing a general lack of knowledge of the rules. Everyone is just playing, which is great; but even the new DM's don't seem to have read some of the rules. One example, I was confidently told last week that the ASI / Feats go with your total level, not your class level. I explained, perhaps not too politely, that this was exactly the opposite of correct and why it was so.

Anyway, with this background in mind, I am planning on doing a "RAW Talk" (exact title to be determined) where I'd like to go over some common errors and misconceptions and hopefully show some folks how a lot of these errors actually matter (where they do, of course). I'll probably go over the RAW for a given topic and may offer up some common adjustments that experienced DM's use in their home games.

So, what rules would you suggest that I ought to highlight? I have the Ameron blog post "10 Most Common Mistakes DMs and Players make in 5e D&D," and I'll certainly use this as a starting point. But what else would the collected wisdom here recommend?

I very much appreciate your input.

======= Edited to Add 6/16/2017 =======

Here's what I have put together. (I was not able to upload the actual PowerPoint file.)

Discussion is tomorrow, for Free RPG Day. I'll let you know how I think it went.

View attachment RAW Talk for EN World.pdf

Leatherhead · May 4, 2017

Bonus Actions.

You only get one of them, and you can't use a bonus action spell and a normal spell (other than a cantrip) on the same turn.

Prakriti · May 4, 2017

Here are some surprisingly common mistakes that I rarely see on the "Common Mistakes" lists:

1. Goblins have an AC of 13. Seriously, don't believe what the Monster Manual says. Goblins only have an AC of 15 if they have a shield equipped, and if they are shooting a bow, then they do not have a shield equipped.

2. It takes an action to equip and unequip a shield. If a goblin drops its bow, pulls out a scimitar, and charges the players, then... its AC is still 13. Until it spends an action to equip a shield, its AC will always be 13.

3. Hobgoblins and gnolls also have shields. See 1 and 2 above.

4. Hex gives disadvantage to ability checks, not saving throws.

5. Even if someone isn't wielding a melee weapon, they can still make an opportunity attack (by making an unarmed attack).

6. If you roll for wealth, you do not get the items from your background.

7. Backgrounds are completely customizable. By the default rules, players do not need a DM's permission to change a background's proficiencies.

8. Darkvision only changes darkness to dim light.

9. Dim light grants disadvantage to Perception checks (and passive Perception).

MiraMels · May 4, 2017

You know the exact location of an invisible creature until said creature takes the Hide action and beats your passive perception.

You can only make opportunity attacks against a creature that you can see.

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Rya.Reisender · May 4, 2017

Pretty much everything involving stealth is not handled as RAW/RAI by many DMs. Many make hiding harder than it was intended it to be. Also how surprise works is not done correctly by many. Also many DMs did not allow getting advantage from attacking from hiding because they claimed you would be revealed before being able to do the attack (was recently clarified by Jeremy that you stay hidden until after the attack hit or missed - maybe it gets better now).

All the stuff that involves changing equips during combat is also not handled correctly by pretty much everyone. But that's usually due to "Rule is too annoying" rather than people not understanding RAW.

Shiroiken · May 4, 2017

There is no Surprise Round. Surprised is a condition you might have at the start of combat that ends at the end of your first turn.

Players cannot call for an ability check. Ever. The DM determines when/if a roll is required.

If you cast a Bonus Action spell, the only other spell you can cast is a Cantrip.

Readying to cast a spell requires Concentration, as does casting a spell with a Casting Time of >1 action.

That's pretty much it IME. There may be more, but we've played so long that I no longer see any of the others and have forgotten them. Stealth & Invisibility might want to be skipped (or done during a separate discussion), because it's meant to be determined by individual DMs. For example, I found the recent podcast to be very insightful and totally irrelevant for my game.

CydKnight · May 4, 2017

Metagaming

thethain · May 4, 2017

Passive perception is pretty much ignored by many.

Cover. A creature in between an attacker and their target provides 1/2 cover or +2 armor, this even includes melee attacks with reach weapons, pretty much ignored by many.

Interaction. You get to mess with your inventory or environment once per turn for free, many DMs forget the environment aspect of this.

Spellcasting. Many people are just allowed to cast regardless of if their current situation actually allows it.

Extra Saves. I have seen on more than one occasion DMs allow for some kind of save to prevent forced movement when there really isn't one available. 4e had a kind of ledge grab reaction built into the rules, but in 5e, if a grappler pushes you off a cliff, or an eldritch blast knocks you into lava, your chance to avoid the effect was the opposed grapple or the attack roll, not afterwards.

CONCENTRATION. This one is avoided for convenience an absurd amount. If there is a paladin in your game, or anyone who uses concentration and is in melee range, they have probably ignored one concentration check every single game. Also in high level play its important that the DC is 10 OR 1/2 damage taken, whichever is higher.

Warmaster Horus · May 4, 2017

Inspiration provides ADVANTAGE, not a reroll.

hejtmane · May 4, 2017

thethain said:
Passive perception is pretty much ignored by many.

Cover. A creature in between an attacker and their target provides 1/2 cover or +2 armor, this even includes melee attacks with reach weapons, pretty much ignored by many.

Interaction. You get to mess with your inventory or environment once per turn for free, many DMs forget the environment aspect of this.

Spellcasting. Many people are just allowed to cast regardless of if their current situation actually allows it.

Extra Saves. I have seen on more than one occasion DMs allow for some kind of save to prevent forced movement when there really isn't one available. 4e had a kind of ledge grab reaction built into the rules, but in 5e, if a grappler pushes you off a cliff, or an eldritch blast knocks you into lava, your chance to avoid the effect was the opposed grapple or the attack roll, not afterwards.

CONCENTRATION. This one is avoided for convenience an absurd amount. If there is a paladin in your game, or anyone who uses concentration and is in melee range, they have probably ignored one concentration check every single game. Also in high level play its important that the DC is 10 OR 1/2 damage taken, whichever is higher.

I find 1/2 acover hard to keep track of since I do not use miniatures or boards and it would bog down the game since I do not have minatures so I ony use full cover. That is also why I would never use the optional flanking rules. I understand why most people ignore it unless they have minatures, etc.

Spell casting I do not beilieve in material compontents so none are in my game (one exception would be to resurection) I do enforce the rest