D&D 2E Tips? Haven't DMed D&D since 2E

dave2008 said:

You can only use a bonus action if you have some feature or ability (certain spells or class features) that allows you to use them as a bonus action.

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Theoretically, sure, but one of those conditions is "own two knives"; or possibly just "has two arms".

With dual-wielding as a baseline ability of everyone in the game, everyone needs to know how bonus actions work, because it's often the best course of action at low levels. Even for wizards. Even for goblins.

Saelorn said:

..everyone needs to know how bonus actions work,...

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Yes, that is why I clarified how they work.

I'm about to go to bed, so a single important tip:

Backgrounds are super important in 5e, almost as much as your character race. They provide you with additional skills and perks.

You can soft multi class this way. Your paladin could be an Outlander and know his way in the wilderness, or grew up as a street urchin and know how to sneak.

I mention this because more than one player I know glossed over that chapter...

Ancalagon said:

I'm about to go to bed, so a single important tip:

Backgrounds are super important in 5e, almost as much as your character race. They provide you with additional skills and perks.

You can soft multi class this way. Your paladin could be an Outlander and know his way in the wilderness, or grew up as a street urchin and know how to sneak.

I mention this because more than one player I know glossed over that chapter...

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Also don't forget the optional rule of making up a background that makes sense. Handy for those times when you have a story in mind that has a logical skill set/minor benefit but don't want to hunt through all of the published options.

Oofta said:

Also don't forget the optional rule of making up a background that makes sense. Handy for those times when you have a story in mind that has a logical skill set/minor benefit but don't want to hunt through all of the published options.

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Actually that is no optional rule. That is a standard rule. Backgrounds provided are just samples. Double checked. The onyl thing you need approval of your DM is when you want to create a backround feature. Everything else is the player's choice.

UngeheuerLich said:

Actually that is no optional rule. That is a standard rule. Backgrounds provided are just samples. Double checked. The onyl thing you need approval of your DM is when you want to create a backround feature. Everything else is the player's choice.

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Good grief. Let me rephrase to be syntactically correct: "Read over the rules on backgrounds, you can create your own background. The ones listed are simply suggestions." Is that better?

Oofta said:

Good grief. Let me rephrase to be syntactically correct: "Read over the rules on backgrounds, you can create your own background. The ones listed are simply suggestions." Is that better?

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Yes.
I clarified this, because it is totally easy to overread. Many people are surprised about that and I think sticking to the few listed backgrounds strictly limits character creation more than needed.

eh, I would still talk to the DM. The background you come up with may not fit with the campaign *at all*.

Ancalagon said:

eh, I would still talk to the DM. The background you come up with may not fit with the campaign *at all*.

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That might happen with the suggested backgrounds too or amy race or class, so yes, that is what you always do.

I only have experience coming from 3e/4e. My only advice is to look at things from a fresh approach, and don't read restrictions that aren't there.

5e is very intentionally an exceptions-based rules design. There's very little to no hidden subsystems that require knowledge of other subsystems in order to properly use player abilities. Things normally happen as per the basic rules, as presented in the Basic Rules, as a player handout in LMoP, or in the SRD. Class abilities, including spells, count as exceptions to those rules, and are self-contained. To quote a phrase popular in another WotC game, Magic the Gathering: "Reading the card explains the card." Rather than glancing at an ability or spell and guessing what it does or how it interacts with something, just actually read the very short paragraph explaining what it does. For mechanical effects, this wording is chosen very deliberately. You can always make exceptions if you want, but exceptions made deliberately to enhance the game are much better than exceptions made accidentally that might unbalance the game.

If anyone plays a spellcaster, make sure they have access to full descriptions of what their spells do. If they say they want to cast a spell, ask what it does, and if they say they don't know, then *someone* look it up and read its entry out loud in full. It will explain if the effect just happens, requires an attack roll, or saving throw. It'll explain how far away the effect is, and how big it is, whether it affects a single target, multiple, everyone in an area, or if you can exclude people. It'll explain how long the effect lasts, if it's just instantaneous, or sticks around for a while, and whether the spellcaster has to maintain concentration to keep it going.

This includes monster stats. Don't accidentally give monsters resistance or vulnerability to damage that they don't have. 5e zombies, or example, don't take extra damage from holy sources (unless that ability says it does), nor do they take reduced damage from bludgeoning weapons, and a rogue's Sneak Attack damage can apply to them. Again, you can make exceptions if you want to make a custom zombie that's particularly vulnerable to (or resistant to!) Sacred Flame, but knowing what's baseline and rules-as-written I believe can make you better informed to make those exceptions in a way to enhance your game.