CapnZapp
Legend
Sure. I just tend to ignore the existing Stealth rules, running the game as I've always done.I've seen these rulings cause some dramatic shifts in the power of various strategies and builds. Generous stealth rules and permissive surprise make ambushes really good, and emphasize DEX and light armor, weakening the heavier melee characters. Using Perception more than Investigation during exploration similarly privileges WIS over INT and can skew characters to dump INT. Hand-juggling rulings can lead to crippling the action economy for various gish builds. These are pretty significant things that DM adjudication can make or break!
I'm sure its possible for a newbie DM to find herself in the unenviable situation where a player says "but the rules says I can".
I don't know what you mean by "permissive surprise". My impression is that surprise is neatly contained in this edition - there isn't even a surprise round. Could you expand on why you feel 5th edition "breaks" ambushes (more than other editions)?
I agree INT is a bit of a dump stat in this edition. Still, not sure that qualifies as a game-breaker. I mean, dumping INT is equally beneficial to all classes... (except Wizard I guess )
Hand-juggling rules is a great term! I really need to start using it. Yes, if you mean the way the hand-juggling rules can make a character try to pull off execrable stunts like "i drop my weapon on the floor to cast my spell, then the first thing I do next round is pick it up to attack..." you're right. I guess I just can't take sequences like that seriously. Yes, if you run it by the book, things like that can happen. I guess I just deny it, so I don't have to think about it.