D&D 5E 5e - Just Missing the Mark

[Sadras]

Funny enough, I'm just now making my own custom panels for a screen (a little late I know). It has actually been fun and it is good a refresher on the rules. I definitely recommend it.

I certainly agree they could do with a better DM screen.

It's not rules light, and it doesn't give the DM the freedom, flexibility, or guidelines to make judgements.

You must have not heard Rulings not Rules or missed all the RAW vs RAI threads.

 

[mortwatcher]

I don't know about your setting, but underwater combat does not come up often (I can't think of the last time it did, if ever)
the index definitely could use work

 

[Mercurius]

The most useful D&D book for table use that I've every owned was the 4E Rules Compendium. Great index, all the rules you needed. The book was literally designed as a table reference.

I'd love to see WotC do something similar for 5E. Maybe they wait until the next Unearthed Arcana-type book or major rules expansion (2020?), but a thin mass market paperback sized reference book would be nifty.

 

[CapnZapp]

It's the heat of battle. You need to quickly look up the rules for jumping. You look in the index. The entry for jumping says "see movement, jumping." So you have to cross reference, look at another section, go to the movement chapter, etc.
Why in the holy hell can't you just list a page number? It would take less text to put a page number than "see movement, jumping." Then you have underwater combat in three areas, no indexed rules for downing. Etc.

Yeah, this is obviously some nasty trolling on the part of some designer. Nobody could have ever thought this was useful.

 

[Seramus]

Yeah, this is obviously some nasty trolling on the part of some designer. Nobody could have ever thought this was useful.

D&D is not the only RPG famous for having a terrible index. I can rattle off more than two dozen with really bad ones, including White Wolf/Onyx Path and Shadowrun. And I will never understand why. At this point there are tons of eager and dedicated fans willing to make good ones for pennies.

 

[Shiroiken]

They did a DM Screen Reincarnated which was much more useful than the first. Still not useful enough for me, because I want a lot more space, so I use a binder with all the notes I need (including homebrew, house rules, and setting information) organized in a fashion that makes sense to me.

Oh, and count me in for the index being totally trash.

 

[5ekyu]

Yeah. I was hoping to avoid repurchasing them. And I'm always hesitant to write in books. But honestly they feel really not user friendly.
I suppose a custom DM Screen would improve things. But why? I mean, shouldn't there be something made that's more useful?

Well, for me I cannot read the print in the regular books so DDB was godsend.

For GM screens, honestly, been doing my own inserts for RPGs for no telling how many systems now... can't recall.

You as GM know what references you need more than anybody else can. Doing your own inserts not only let's you have a page of KEY PC STUFF but also swap in and out to suit the current situation. Need the arctics cold environment hazards and wandering encounters? Done. Later need underdark... done. Need underwater rules...bam.

Whrn I used screens they were usually one page of PC stuff, one page of current events rules and one page of session specific hooks.

The player facing pages were more stock - usually maps and visuals.

 

[Krachek]

It's the heat of battle. You need to quickly look up the rules for jumping. You look in the index. The entry for jumping says "see movement, jumping." So you have to cross reference, look at another section, go to the movement chapter, etc.
Why in the holy hell can't you just list a page number? It would take less text to put a page number than "see movement, jumping." Then you have underwater combat in three areas, no indexed rules for downing. Etc.
These are rules I have used in the past three sessions I've run. They aren't obscure rules.
The original DM screen devotes a panel and a half to random NPC generation and ideas for random things to happen. No movement rules. No sample DCs.
The quality of 5e seems to be "just enough." But it's this strange middle ground of milquetoast where it doesn't seem to do anything well. It's not rules light, and it doesn't give the DM the freedom, flexibility, or guidelines to make judgements. Nor does it provide tactical richness and definitive rules to support most situations.

In the heat of the battle you assign a DC and ask for for check.
No books are require.
And don’t hesitate. Your assigned DC is just the right one for the situation.
There is enough guideline everywhere in the Dm guide to give all the freedom and flexibility you need.

 

[200orcs]

Just go to page 193 in the PhB.

I know that sounds random but page 193 is in the middle of the combat section so I can locate what I am looking for faster. Oh and don't be surprised if what you are looking for is on page 193...

 

[Ovinomancer]

It's the heat of battle. You need to quickly look up the rules for jumping. You look in the index. The entry for jumping says "see movement, jumping." So you have to cross reference, look at another section, go to the movement chapter, etc.
Why in the holy hell can't you just list a page number? It would take less text to put a page number than "see movement, jumping." Then you have underwater combat in three areas, no indexed rules for downing. Etc.
These are rules I have used in the past three sessions I've run. They aren't obscure rules.
The original DM screen devotes a panel and a half to random NPC generation and ideas for random things to happen. No movement rules. No sample DCs.
The quality of 5e seems to be "just enough." But it's this strange middle ground of milquetoast where it doesn't seem to do anything well. It's not rules light, and it doesn't give the DM the freedom, flexibility, or guidelines to make judgements. Nor does it provide tactical richness and definitive rules to support most situations.

Your conclusion doesn't really flow from a complaint about the index or about a DM screen. Care to fill in step 2, there?

1. Complain abour index
2. ???
3. 5e is bad, mmkay