5e combat system too simple / boring?

[Jefe Bergenstein]

I find stat point buys and standard arrays also tend to churn out cookie cutter PCs. One reason even though I do use the 4d6 drop method (because my players would never allow 3d6 in order), I would never assent to a standard array or point buy...because there are too many optimal allocations for each class and you end up seeing the same dump stats over and over and over and over again.

We have everyone roll 4d6, drop lowest, in order. This generates a number of stat arrays usable by anyone at the table. No jealousy over someone else's scores, because if someone rolls well you could use those stats too if you want.

Edit - dammit ,saw this was necrod from 2016 lol.

 

[Jer]

We have everyone roll 4d6, drop lowest, in order. This generates a number of stat arrays usable by anyone at the table. No jealousy over someone else's scores, because if someone rolls well you could use those stats too if you want.

Edit - dammit ,saw this was necrod from 2016 lol.

This does bring up a larger discussion though, even though the original poster might be gone. Do stats really matter for character differentiation anymore? It seems at my tables choice of subclass, race and background as well as the skills that player pick for the characters drive how they run their characters more than the stats themselves do.

Prior to 3e stats mattered a lot for creating an image for a character because you didn't have much more than that to work with. 3e and 4e stats mattered more because the game was built around mechanical bonuses and a lot of optimization for specific builds would be going on. After playing 5e for a number of years I'm not sure that ability stats matter all that much for defining a character beyond the "sticking the highest score into the ability their class dictates they should" element that has been around forever, and there's really not much to optimize with stats beyond that. So two fighters at the same table are going to be differentiated more often by the choices their players make around subclass and background than by the stat array they assign.

 

[S'mon]

I perma*-killed 2 level 17 PCs last Tuesday (fight continues this afternoon), albeit the group did split the party and have all the casters fly up and meet the BBEG & his eldritch minions 200' up on the Tower of Evil's balcony, leaving all the party tanks down below....

*One PC burned to ash by lambent witchfyre, one PC killed by moon nymphs, then her body meteor-swarmed by the PC Wizard. The latter may be Reincarnated as an animal, though (player has erased her PC sheet so no coming back for the PC).

Played again today - no one else died, thought the Wizard was on 0 hp & 2 failed death saves vs lambet witchfyre (which burns you to ash on death) when he used Inspiration & rolled a 20.

 

[clearstream]

Played again today - no one else died, thought the Wizard was on 0 hp & 2 failed death saves vs lambet witchfyre (which burns you to ash on death) when he used Inspiration & rolled a 20.

Did the party include anyone with healing word?

 

[clearstream]

If you start fighting with an account on a necro thread that hasn't posted any activity in 6 years is that like fighting zombies?

I'll be able to tell you how it looks from both sides in 2028.

 

[S'mon]

Did the party include anyone with healing word?

Yes but they were still split up... I let the Druid use healing word on the dying wizard without line of sight, which helped.

 

[CaptainSam]

Simply put. A good DM can work with any system but characters need to feel special. It is their story in the making. If characters want rinse and repeat— they should stick to video games. If a DM is demanding their story— they should write a book. 5th edition is easy with bland characters. 3rd edition was superior to this but it required planning by all involved. The experience is only as good as what is invested…. Combat should be fun and challenging or play a different game. It is called Dungeons and Dragons after all .

 

[AnotherGuy]

The real question is, after 1D&D is released are we going to have to change the terminology from necroing a thread to abjurating it?

 

[pogre]

Some of the guys in my regular 5e group are becoming a bit bored with the simplicity of 5th edition combat. Not having played through 4th (oldschool returning 2e guy) I don't really have much of a point of reference.Do any other people in here share this problem, and have you any examples of house rules or other methods you use to spice up combats which might otherwise me a bit ploddy?

I'll come at it from the opposite angle: My table is full of veteran players who LOVE combat. I have been trying to consider why - when many folks find 5th edition combat dull or boring. I'm not sure I have a great answer (except, maybe, my players are just different), but here are some characteristics of our combats/game:

1. The combats are very high paced and I do use scenery and miniatures. My players are miniature and terrain enthusiasts - so well-painted and constructed minis and terrain are a big part of the game for us;

2. I re-skin a lot of monsters. Many times players don't know what they are facing.

3. Monsters come in waves. As others have said, D&D is a game of attrition.

4. Monsters come from lots of different angles. Monsters fly in, teleport, come up through the ground, and approach from multiple directions.

5. As I referenced above, I use lots of terrain and incorporate a lot of vertical terrain these days.

6. We do not use a ton of description for every combat action. Too much description slows things down.

7. Monsters run away and warn others. Sometimes the monsters' offensive weapons are not the threat - their ability to warn others is a threat. See using waves above.

I fully realize none of these are necessarily "fixes" for your players. However, because you asked in the O.P. for methods and house rules - this is my list.

Good luck!