D&D 5E Things I like and dislike about 5e...

[CapnZapp]

I will say that I think if you are going to have feats you need to also have point buy. Even without feats with bounded accuracy it is probably a good idea.

Qft.

Yes, the PHB could have made more clear how incredibly unbalanced it is with rolling stats and feats.

If you roll an 18 that means you just got yourself two feats more than the guy who only rolled the regular 15.

Normally (w/o feats) that's a +2 bonus which is nice an all, but not game wrecking like "I get two more feats than you"

 

[Psikerlord#]

You can't play an "on demand" summoner. You can still play a summoner in 5E using Planar Binding.

Druids are the summoners in 5e, call woodland beings, etc

 

[Psikerlord#]

There isn't a problem by itself. Combine all the pieces together and it neuters casters. A 50% chance to save against spell durations that allow a save on a round to round basis or a save against the damage for a 6th level resource you get two of per day is a big deal. It's not like 3E where you have four or five six level slots, a bunch of magic items, and scrolls for additional magic. It's two 6th level slots a day that only have a roughly 50% chance to work for one round. If they happen to miss that save that works for 1 round, they can use legendary resistance.

The average legendary creature has 3 uses of legendary resistance. The average high level caster has a total of 6 spells level 6 to 9. 50% chance save chance from base saves combined with three chances to automatically save, you're looking at effectively being able to completely resist a high level caster's best spells 100% of the time on average. Add in magic resistance, you have a worse chance. Throw in the concentration mechanic, you have fewer spells on your list you can use. It all adds up to very neutered capabilities against legendary creatures.

It's not a problem from a party perspective. It sure is boring from a player perspective for caster.

As I stated, you're better off playing an Eldritch Knight archer or rogue archer with some spell casting to have the ability to be effective in nearly every scenario within the game.

I think Legendary Resistance is one of the best parts of the game, allowing solos to survive and thrive! (with legendary and lair actions, too). I have houseruled it further, in fact - legendary resistance also gives a normal save against spells that don't normally allow saves (eg: forcecage, etc). Basically casters either have to draw out those legendary saves, or use other tactics - buffs, summons, straight up blasting. Lots of choices.

 

[Derren]

I'm actually rather fond of this, it keeps untrained people "in the game" when they inevitably have to try some skillwork.

And why should someone who has no idea what he is doing be kept "in the game"?
Imo this "everyone can do everything" philosophy which survived 4E hurts the chatacterization and devalues skills in general.

 

[Celtavian]

I think Legendary Resistance is one of the best parts of the game, allowing solos to survive and thrive! (with legendary and lair actions, too). I have houseruled it further, in fact - legendary resistance also gives a normal save against spells that don't normally allow saves (eg: forcecage, etc). Basically casters either have to draw out those legendary saves, or use other tactics - buffs, summons, straight up blasting. Lots of choices.

Why was it necessary to house rule? Using forcecage on a legendary creature is a waste of time and often not possible. Not sure why you felt it was necessary.

There aren't lots of choices. Blasting is a bad expenditure of spells given the current list of choices. A martial will motor through the creature's hit points before your blasting does much. Summoning spells help, but you won't do much if the creature has damage resistance against physical attacks from a non-magical source, which many legendary creatures have. Do your casters have fun sitting around not doing much against such creatures? Or do they not have much experience against high level legendary creatures? If you're further neutering casters, are you also neutering martials?

 

[Leatherhead]

And why should someone who has no idea what he is doing be kept "in the game"?

Because "keeping them in the game" with skills, actually keeps them in the game at the table. Or, in short, player engagement.
This is a group based game, nobody really likes it when they are forced to the sidelines. This is just enough of an edge to have some kind of "Revolving Quarterback" balance rather than a full-fledged Revolving Spotlight balance that games suffer from when they invest too heavily in niche protection.

It is also the "necessary evil" (read as: good design) which allows for more character concepts than just rogues with high dex to invest in lockpicking without being borderline useless, or situations where the party isn't totally screwed when the dedicated skill monkey is knocked out from combat.

 

[Hussar]

You can't play an "on demand" summoner. You can still play a summoner in 5E using Planar Binding.

Not really interested in waiting to 9th level just to start playing the character I want to play.

 

[Celtavian]

Not really interested in waiting to 9th level just to start playing the character I want to play.

I hope they never bring back a class like the summoner in Pathfinder. "On demand" armies were a broken mechanic and irritating time sync at the table. I would like to see a summoner class with a powerful summoned creature. I imagine they could do that in 5E without breaking the game. I hope it's in the plan down the line.

 

[Psikerlord#]

Why was it necessary to house rule? Using forcecage on a legendary creature is a waste of time and often not possible. Not sure why you felt it was necessary.

There aren't lots of choices. Blasting is a bad expenditure of spells given the current list of choices. A martial will motor through the creature's hit points before your blasting does much. Summoning spells help, but you won't do much if the creature has damage resistance against physical attacks from a non-magical source, which many legendary creatures have. Do your casters have fun sitting around not doing much against such creatures? Or do they not have much experience against high level legendary creatures? If you're further neutering casters, are you also neutering martials?

I've "neutered" martials a touch - no -5/+10 mechanic for those two feats. I dont find casters nerfed at all this edition. They are very strong. All the classes are.

 

[Jeff Albertson]

I've "neutered" martials a touch - no -5/+10 mechanic for those two feats.

Some have gone with -3/+6.