Sorcerers Apprentice
Hero
Anyone who voted "rules-light" has no experience with what a rules-light system is actually like.
D&D 5E Would you define the current edition of D&D rules-light or rules-heavy?
Raith5
Adventurer
For me, it comes down to preferences and experiences with regards to how significantly the rules affect play rather than page counts etc. I dont feel that 5e rules are any where near as mechanically crunchy or as impactful as in 4e (especially how complicated monsters and powers in 4e are compared to 5e).
I think some of it comes down to class options. In 5e I play a barbarian and it all feels pretty rules light to me! To rage or not to rage is the complexity I have to face. I havent seen the inside of the PHB for months. If I played a cleric I may feel differently.
I think some of it comes down to class options. In 5e I play a barbarian and it all feels pretty rules light to me! To rage or not to rage is the complexity I have to face. I havent seen the inside of the PHB for months. If I played a cleric I may feel differently.
redrick
First Post
The MC from our Apocalypse World game came to the D&D game I ran the other weekend, and I would get a little embarrassed every time I had to explain one of the finer points of the character sheet to somebody.
(Well, you see, your Strength bonus, that's the big number with a +3, not the 16. Oh, it's the small number on your sheet? Right, anyway, yeah, so that's your Strength bonus. It's actually your (Strength score - 10) / 2. Anyway, you didn't actually need to know that, but you should have seen the way we calculated strength bonuses in the 90s. Right. So, yeah, when you attack, you get to add that and this other bonus here, your proficiency bonus. And in 5th Edition, your proficiency bonus is actually always the same. Well, almost. But, you should have seen the weapons tables in the '90s. Anyway, right, so, now, when you hit, now you get to roll your damage. And then you add your Strength bonus, but just your Strength bonus. Not your proficiency. Because your proficiency only gets added to "checks", whereas your ability bonus also gets added to "outcomes." Well, most of the time. Unless you are a caster, in which case, you don't get to add your ability bonus to your spell damage. Well, unless you are a Warlock who has this feature that lets them add their Charisma bonus to their spell damage, but that isn't at first level I don't think.)
No, really, Mr. Apocalypse, but it's gotten so much better!
ad_hoc
(they/them)
I haven't experienced this.
Every new player I've introduced to the game has picked up right away on what the different classes, races, and backgrounds are. There are a few exceptions for the classes that have overlap like the Warlock, Ranger, and Druid. Even still, it just takes a sentence or two from me and they are able to make a decision.
The most complicated aspect I've found are the stats. Even this is solved easily enough by using the standard array and giving the player some simple advice. Each class description even has this advice in it.
cbwjm
Seb-wejem
Maybe not, but there are only two options and I've seen some RPGs over the years that seemed a lot heavier than 5e. Because of that, I chose rules light.
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redrick
First Post
First of all, I'm speaking about working with a group, which makes things more complicated. With a single player, it's a little easier, because I can move along the decision tree with that individual player (especially if I do the work and just ask them questions at "key" decision points), but with a group, I have to be able to move in the direction of several players at the same time. Also, without a copy of the PHB for everybody, it's hard to present information to all of the players at once. There are a few tables that I can snap a picture and print, but too much of the information is spread out through dozens of pages.
I had a group the other weekend. I gave them a quick run-down on what the abilities were, what a class was, what the options for races were, then answered some questions about different kinds of casters and paladin vs cleric, and then, after 45-50 minutes, everybody just grabbed one of the pregens.
cbwjm
Seb-wejem
I've introduced new players the same way, really wasn't that difficult for them to figure out character creation.
Having said that, I've had some players who sometimes weren't sure when to add proficiency bonus.
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Gradine
The Elephant in the Room (she/her)
I voted based on past editions; 5e is arguably the most rules-light edition of the game since at least its earliest days, so I voted rules-light. Though reading through the rest of the thread, I prefer the classification of "elegant".
Obviously, nobody would confuse any edition of D&D as being a "rules-light" game, but 5e's probably the easiest edition of D&D to pick up and run and play without a firm grasp of every incidental rule; I make allowances for nitty detail rules if ignoring them has absolutely no bearing on the game (donning/doffing armor, for instance). 4e had an elegance all of its own in terms of character creation, but actually playing? You need a much stronger grasp on the rules and terminology within actual play than you do in 5e. 4e had a much more complex taxonomy than 5e, and gameplay required better knowledge of said taxonomy as well.
Also, a reminder, but the basic rules of D&D is a 111 page document; around 80 if you discount the appendices and spells.
Obviously, nobody would confuse any edition of D&D as being a "rules-light" game, but 5e's probably the easiest edition of D&D to pick up and run and play without a firm grasp of every incidental rule; I make allowances for nitty detail rules if ignoring them has absolutely no bearing on the game (donning/doffing armor, for instance). 4e had an elegance all of its own in terms of character creation, but actually playing? You need a much stronger grasp on the rules and terminology within actual play than you do in 5e. 4e had a much more complex taxonomy than 5e, and gameplay required better knowledge of said taxonomy as well.
Also, a reminder, but the basic rules of D&D is a 111 page document; around 80 if you discount the appendices and spells.
Its even better then that if you put it in 6 point font with no spacing.
ad_hoc
(they/them)
I've also had no problems with groups. I think a lot depends on how you present the information. I tell players to just pick whatever they think is cool and assure them that if they stumble on one of the few options that don't play as it reads I will let them know.
Of course, having 3 PHBs definitely helps the process.
Oh sure, there are other things that come up. Proficiency bonus on damage is a common one. It also usually takes a session or so before I can get players to roll their damage with the d20 to speed up the game.
Spells are the big time sink in character creation. I just tell players that they can have a redo in the first couple levels as they learn the spells and it speeds the process along.
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