D&D 5E Rules you ignore

[koga305]

While reading a thread that mentioned the Athlete feat today, I realized that my group doesn't use the rules for jumping distances at all. That led me to wonder - what are some rules your group ignores completely? Here are some of mine:

• Jump distances - Usually I will either allow a character to make a jump or ask for an Athletics check if it seems sketchy. I rarely have exact distances available.
• Switching weapons - I allow characters to do this at any the time, even if they want to drop their sword + shield and switch to a bow (which by the rules should take an action).
• Expensive material components for spells - I've never seen a character abuse a spell like identify or chromatic orb so I see no reason to require material components. Most clerics in my main campaign can't cast revivify or raise dead so that's not an issue.
• When you can hide - A lot of people seem to dislike the way this works in the rules. I'm not sure how the official rules do it. I just make a call based on whether I think the character can reasonably hide or not.

 

[LarryD]

I've been playing a ranger in HotDQ and the DM's been forgetting about the drop-shield-grab-bow action - the DM is going to start enforcing it next session. Which is fine because my ranger's MC'd as a cleric, so I'll cast Shield as a bonus action as required.

But as far as ignoring rules - no, we try to do RAW as much as possible.

 

[Shiroiken]

I don't know if I "ignore" rules, so much that I have a bunch of house rules. For example, while I'm still a stickler for item interactions, I've removed the Action requirement for Shields (reducing it to an item interaction).

As for your rules, I'd be careful of ignoring consumed spell components. Certain spells, such as Stoneskin, are balanced by the cost attached to it.

 

[Yunru]

Before we switched to self-updating player sheets, encumberance. Just too much minutiae.
(Costless) Material components, for the same reason.

Travel times, mostly because our adventures tend not leave a small area. If they do, the DM just decides something that seems appropriate.

 

[Satyrn]

Encumbrance.

We also don't worry about what actions are required for swapping weapons, dropping shields, and the like. Nor do we worry if a character has a free hand when trying to do something, like casting spells while using a sword and shield, or grappling, or whatever.

When DMing, I ignore all the skill rules beyond the one that says that modifiers are added to the d20, and that the check is compared to a DC or opposed check.

 

[Yunru]

Speaking from experience, encumberance is actually really fun. At least, if you don't give away Bags of Holding and the likes.

While low levels I was in a party where we spent a while planning out how we'd carry our currency. Too high a denomination and it'd be both hard to spend and easy to steal, whilst too low makes it cumbersome and easy to steal in its own way. Then there's retrieving loot and the likes (which wasn't help by the barbarian dragging around the dead thirteen headed hydra).

 

[flametitan]

The very specific stipulation that the Beastmaster (PHB, have not had an opportunity to use the UA BM) animal companion's save proficiency bonus only applies to saves in which they are already proficient in. Just apply your proficiency bonus to their saves.

Otherwise, nothing really. I play pretty closely to RAW, assuming that RAW hiding is just a really muddled means of saying "if it makes sense for them to hide, they can make the hide action".

EDIT: On the likes of encumbrance, I'm currently ignoring it in my LMoP game, but I will be following it for a West Marches game. (And especially the limits as to what a container can reasonably carry.)

 

[slightlyprime]

stay pretty close to raw, except using the 5 minute rest variant for short rests as an hour seems too long,.
Also changed the barbarians frenzy to not cause exhaustion and their intimidating ability to be based off strength rather than charisma. Also homebrew is welcomed.

 

[Oofta]

I have a couple of simple house rules, but while I'm not a stickler for the rules I don't ignore much. There are gray areas, of course.

For example I use 3.5's rules for ability enhancement (add, don't replace) but the rules for hiding since the errata to me is "if the DM thinks you can hide, you can".

I'll also let people occasionally get away with things that bend the rules as well with a dramatic action or appropriate ability check and possible failure. The action and flow of the game is the most important thing as long as I'm reasonably consistent.

 

[Satyrn]

Speaking from experience, encumberance is actually really fun. At least, if you don't give away Bags of Holding and the likes.

While low levels I was in a party where we spent a while planning out how we'd carry our currency. Too high a denomination and it'd be both hard to spend and easy to steal, whilst too low makes it cumbersome and easy to steal in its own way. Then there's retrieving loot and the likes (which wasn't help by the barbarian dragging around the dead thirteen headed hydra).

That has never been fun for me. Or not enough to justify the good stuff like your hydra story.