D&D 5E What houserules do we assume is common in the community?

[Seramus]

I assume most tables are NOT sticklers about holding torches, taking an action to equip shields, etc.

I generally assume when combat starts that you stow or secure stuff and draw the appropriate weapon/shield.

 

[Umbran]

According to the rules you hold the shield in one hand, which is true of many types of shield.

According to the rules you USE the shield with one hand. The rules don't actually specify how many things you can grip, without using them. I think you will find that you can grasp, say, two broomsticks or two flashlights in one hand. You aren't agile in maneuvering them when you do that, but you can hold them that way for a moment pretty easily.

Do we need to bring out pictures of Octoberfest servers with many steins in hand to prove the point?

But, if you don't like that version, there are others - use the free interaction to sheathe the weapon, then cast a spell. Next turn, you can draw and attack as part of the attack action.

In addition, it means you can't have your paladin do things like cast a bonus action spell and then attack.

If you plan a round ahead, you can. Round 1 - attack, then use free interaction to put shift grip or sheathe the weapon. Round 2, cast bonus action spell, draw weapon with attack action or shift grip with free interaction.

Like I said, I ignore it personally ...

Then maybe spend less effort arguing against it?

 

[ECMO3]

Flanking is one that a lot of players seem to assume is in play.

I usually see the opposite. Most campaigns do not use flanking IME. The ones that do it tends to get tedious and often combats devolve into a line with everyone trying to flank everyone else.

 

[ECMO3]

The one I see most often hand waived is hand switching stuff, pulling out a spell component for example when you are holding a weapon and a shield, or attacking with a bow while holding a sword. RAW you either need to drop the weapon to do this, in play though it usually gets sheathed and is there again when you need it.

The irony most tables don't state this as an exception so you are in a wierd place where other players are not doing it (maybe because they don't realize), and you don't want to be a jerk and point it out. But at the same time my character ends a battle with weapons strewn all over the place that he dropped while fishing something else out.

 

[Greg K]

I don't assume that any house rules are so common that I do not need to ask the DM for their house rules.

 

[Greg K]

I would also like to ask:

How would you, as a DM, feel if a player was upset that you weren't using a certain common houserule?

It is not my problem. I tell players my house rules before the game. It is up for them to decide if it is a game in which they want to play.

And how would you feel as a player if a DM doesn't use a houserule that you were used to?

I may or not play depending upon the house rules the DM uses. However, it is, imo, the DM's perogative to use the house rules they choose to run the best game they can.

 

[Plaguescarred]

Common 5E houserules include drinking potion of healing as a bonus action and free Feat at level 1,
The rest are less common. Mines include making Contest checks such as Dexterity (Stealth) check or Charisma (Disguise) check only when a creature is there to contest it and fall damage being exponential 10 ft = 1d6, 20 ft = 3d6, 30 ft = 6d6 etc

 

[Paul Farquhar]

I tend to ask the players what house rules they want to use.

 

[Hussar]

Flanking is one that a lot of players seem to assume is in play.

It’s funny you mention this. I’ve run into that a bunch recently. It’s weird.

 

[Oofta]

The logic I have seen is as follows - the typical shield has a strap of the forearm, and a handle for the hand, and that hand can also grasp (but not wield) the sword at need. You use your free interaction with an object to shift the weapon to that shield hand.

Neither the sword or shield are useful for that round, mind you. When your next turn comes around, you use that free interaction to take the sword back into your weapon hand.

Umm, I'm not the one arguing about it. I said that most DMs ignore it because work-arounds are clunky. In addition the PHB states (emphasis added) that "A shield is made from wood or metal and is carried in one hand."

Whether or not you could hold any and all weapons in the same hand as your shield is a question that many DMs would answer "no" to after seeing images like these.

Are there workarounds? Sure! Drop your weapon and pick it up after casting your spell is another one. Heck you can always stow your weapon if all you're doing is casting a spell. But that means your paladin can't cast bonus action spells like Divine Favor and then attack if they use a shield which does not seem to be in the spirit of the rule.

But all I'm saying is that every DM I've played with over the past several years ignored it completely because it's just not worth making players jump through hoops.