D&D 5E Why does 5E SUCK?

Josiah Stoll · Oct 1, 2018

The math is really opaque, which hurts the homebrewing community. It’s easier to make rulings if the designers TELL US WHAT THEY’RE THINKING.

The way subclasses work, you don’t feel like you’re playing your character concept until 3rd level at least. Looking at Bladelock here, especially.

No viable pet options, which is something that a lot of new players want to play with. I just started giving my players a choice between the Servo Crafting feat (UA Kaladesh) or an extra cantrip at first level.

The emphasis on reflavoring is nice, but eventually all the fights feel the same. Tons of HP and almost no focus on Out-of-Combat encounters mean that those same-y feeling fights take up most of the screentime.

Tallifer · Oct 1, 2018

Josiah Stoll said:
The emphasis on reflavoring is nice, but eventually all the fights feel the same. Tons of HP and almost no focus on Out-of-Combat encounters mean that those same-y feeling fights take up most of the screentime.

I do not see what that has to do with the 5E rules. That sounds like the adventures a dungeon master chooses to create OR the personality of the players. Does the dungeon master provide NPCs to talk to and interesting cultures to explore? Do the players talk to new NPCs and take time to explore, or do they just kill everything and take their stuff?

BookBarbarian · Oct 2, 2018

Josiah Stoll said:
Tons of HP and almost no focus on Out-of-Combat encounters mean that those same-y feeling fights take up most of the screentime.

The big HP criticism is valid. I think that influenced a number of MtoF monsters.

Now I've only played in 5e Official published adventures, but I've always had lots of non-combat encounters, in fact, combat can be avoided entirely in a lot of cases.

Even my current brutal Barbarian in SKT is shrewd enough to know if you fight you might die, so make sure you've got a good reason to fight first.

Josiah Stoll · Oct 2, 2018

Edit: doublepost

Josiah Stoll · Oct 2, 2018

Tallifer said:
I do not see what that has to do with the 5E rules. That sounds like the adventures a dungeon master chooses to create OR the personality of the players. Does the dungeon master provide NPCs to talk to and interesting cultures to explore? Do the players talk to new NPCs and take time to explore, or do they just kill everything and take their stuff?

I am our group’s DM most of the time, but I’m new to the hobby (senior in high school, started playing as an 8th grader, never had the opportunity to play under an experienced DM) and it’s been hard to create encounters that are interesting, different, and provide everyone a good opportunity to contribute in a meaningful way.
If I play disallowing metagame social skills, the Bards/Sorcs/Warlocks are the only ones who get to do stuff; and if I allow out of game social skills to influence events, the most charismatic player hogs screentime.

I’ve looked online for advice on how to make the game more interesting in and out of combat (phb and dmg are kinda worthless at giving DM advice) but the responses that I’ve gotten have been:
Do funny voices out of combat
(My voice is kinda raspy, so everyone sounds kinda like Batman)
Vary monster tactics in combat
(Do you mean monster attack descriptions? Most low level monsters only have one or two viable combat strategies)
Figure out how to put the Fighter’s piss-poor skills to use
(The amount of doors this poor guy has to push open...)
Add little details that make the world more fleshed out
(This one’s actually pretty good, unfortunately it’s something I picked up from reading 1d4 chan, 4e stuff, and the Pathfinder Bestiary. All of which can be found for less than $40)
WotC seems to think that random tables are the best way to do worldbuilding, but every English/Writing/Drama course I’ve taken suggests otherwise.
I’ll start a thread dedicated to advice-getting, but I can’t find the button to do so.

Josiah Stoll · Oct 2, 2018

Sorry about the double post.

Tallifer · Oct 2, 2018

Josiah Stoll said:
I’ll start a thread dedicated to advice-getting, but I can’t find the button to do so.

Go to D&D 5th Edition Forum. There is a button that says Post New Thread. It is right above the block of text that says
Forum: *D&D 5th Edition Discuss D&D 5E rules and products or post your own creations for others to share. Also for discussion about the D&D Adventurers league (DDAL). Character builds and NPCs belong in the Character Builds & Optimization forum.

Josiah Stoll · Oct 2, 2018

Tallifer said:
Go to D&D 5th Edition Forum. There is a button that says Post New Thread. It is right above the block of text that says [h=1]Forum: *D&D 5th Edition[/h]Discuss D&D 5E rules and products or post your own creations for others to share. Also for discussion about the D&D Adventurers league (DDAL). Character builds and NPCs belong in the Character Builds & Optimization forum.

Thank you!

cmad1977 · Oct 2, 2018

Josiah Stoll said:
I am our group’s DM most of the time, but I’m new to the hobby (senior in high school, started playing as an 8th grader, never had the opportunity to play under an experienced DM) and it’s been hard to create encounters that are interesting, different, and provide everyone a good opportunity to contribute in a meaningful way.
If I play disallowing metagame social skills, the Bards/Sorcs/Warlocks are the only ones who get to do stuff; and if I allow out of game social skills to influence events, the most charismatic player hogs screentime.

I’ve looked online for advice on how to make the game more interesting in and out of combat (phb and dmg are kinda worthless at giving DM advice) but the responses that I’ve gotten have been:
Do funny voices out of combat
(My voice is kinda raspy, so everyone sounds kinda like Batman)
Vary monster tactics in combat
(Do you mean monster attack descriptions? Most low level monsters only have one or two viable combat strategies)
Figure out how to put the Fighter’s piss-poor skills to use
(The amount of doors this poor guy has to push open...)
Add little details that make the world more fleshed out
(This one’s actually pretty good, unfortunately it’s something I picked up from reading 1d4 chan, 4e stuff, and the Pathfinder Bestiary. All of which can be found for less than $40)
WotC seems to think that random tables are the best way to do worldbuilding, but every English/Writing/Drama course I’ve taken suggests otherwise.
I’ll start a thread dedicated to advice-getting, but I can’t find the button to do so.

You have been receiving some reaaaaallllllyyyy bad advice.

Josiah Stoll · Oct 2, 2018

cmad1977 said:
You have been receiving some reaaaaallllllyyyy bad advice.

I pretty much figured that out.
Could you point me towards some better stuff?

D&D 5E Why does 5E SUCK?

Josiah Stoll

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Tallifer

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BookBarbarian

Expert Long Rester

Josiah Stoll

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Josiah Stoll

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Josiah Stoll

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Tallifer

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Josiah Stoll

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cmad1977

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Josiah Stoll

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