D&D 5E Why are Derro weapons so stupid?

[Tony Vargas]

Ah. "It's not a bug -- it's a feature!"

Yep

I'm inclined to retroactively give them normal light crossbows and short swords. OR let them use their short spears as finesse weapons (they already do 1d4 damage).

See, you just used the feature. ;P

 

[FormerlyHemlock]

Well their equipment reflect that. If you want to make them have more optimized equipment, you should also rise their cr (and thus grant more exp). Goblins are a ½ CR right? Their stuff is more in line with their statistics.

Goblins are CR 1/4 in 5E.

 

[Shasarak]

5e really is designed with the idea that you'll change what you don't like or fill in what's missing, though.

It's not a poor design choice to focus less on mechanical design and more on story or feel (well, it is, for a certain sense of 'poor'), it's just a different emphasis.

So, yes, if, as a DM, you find there's a detail missing, fill it in, out of place, move it, sub-optimal, tune it up, broke, fix it. It's part of your job as an Empowered 5e DM.

Is there not a certain design philosophy that terrible rules make for better roleplaying?

 

[PnPgamer]

Goblins are CR 1/4 in 5E.

well then the derro designers were either drunk, on drugs or derro.

 

[Tony Vargas]

Is there not a certain design philosophy that terrible rules make for better roleplaying?

There is. And, while it may seem like it's a short leap from 5e's design philosophy to that one, it is a leap. 5e is designed with the assumption that different DMs will want different things out of the game and use it differently. That's not quite the same thing as intentionally designing a system so bad that players & GMs will just try to avoid it as much as possible, pushing them into 'better' freestyle RP.