D&D 5E what are your top three "$#%#@$ stop forgetting this rule" annoyances?

[tetrasodium]

Every edition has them. Rules that are obscure & forgotten to rules that may as well be written with invisible ink given how often players just ignore them. What are your big 5e serial offender rules?

• Dancing lights & other concentration spells that have the concentration stipulation ignored. IME the number one offender is people who could take the 1 hour non concentration light cantrip but instead take the 1 minute concentration dancing lights spell because it can be flown around & they can ignore the concentration flag on it.
• PHB195 covers Two Weapon Fighting, PHB165 the dual wielder feat, PHB72/91 the two weapon fighting fighting style. No you can not dual wield rapiers and add your dex bonus off hand without all three... also why the heck do so many people who are dual wield builds need to ask "how does the offhand attack work?"
• You only get half your hit dice back on a long rest(phb186), why does bob seem to spend all his hit dice every long rest despite dumping con?

 

[DND_Reborn]

New players not taking the time to really know what their characters are capable of and often forgetting things that could have made the difference in a battle. (I know, not a "rule" per se, but MAN is it annoying!)

Yeah, concentration on a lot of spells seems to slip through the cracks. It is one of the most annoying things about 5E IMO and I prefer spell duration from earlier editions for every spell.

Finally, one of our players has two characters: a barbarian and a sorcerer. He continually believes his rages and sorcery points are restored on a short or long rest, when it is just on a long rest. So, he spends them too quickly and then is annoyed when we can't take a long rest for him to get them back.

 

[Nebulous]

We've had so much trouble remembering or implementing Inspiration that it no longer exists as a thing in our games.

 

[DND_Reborn]

We've had so much trouble remembering or implementing Inspiration that it no longer exists as a thing in our games.

We simplified it. When you level, you get inspiration points equal to your new level and can spend them anytime before you reach your next level. They aren't there as a reward for good play, etc. more for players to help off-set an unlucky roll from time-to-time when it is really needed.

Used this way, we remember it all the time LOL!

Prior to this change, yeah I completely agree. We forgot to award it and because it was so limited in amount, we hoarded it when we had it.

 

[Nebulous]

We simplified it. When you level, you get inspiration points equal to your new level and can spend them anytime before you reach your next level. They aren't there as a reward for good play, etc. more for players to help off-set an unlucky roll from time-to-time when it is really needed.

Used this way, we remember it all the time LOL!

Prior to this change, yeah I completely agree. We forgot to award it and because it was so limited in amount, we hoarded it when we had it.

That would be easier to remember for sure.

 

[Umbran]

• PHB195 covers Two Weapon Fighting, PHB165 the dual wielder feat, PHB72/91 the two weapon fighting fighting style. No you can not dual wield rapiers and add your dex bonus off hand without all three... also why the heck do so many people who are dual wield builds need to ask "how does the offhand attack work?"

You kind of answer your own question - the information is spread in three bits across a hundred pages of rulebook.

Biggest annoyance for me is... just remembering that Inspiration exists. Both players and GMs. It is a fine mechanic, often of use in critical situations, but soooo easy to forget.

 

[Umbran]

We simplified it. When you level, you get inspiration points equal to your new level and can spend them anytime before you reach your next level.

So, like d20 Star Wars force points? Clever approach. Doesn't do the job of encouraging certain kinds of play, but still clever.

 

[Nebulous]

We simplified it. When you level, you get inspiration points equal to your new level and can spend them anytime before you reach your next level. They aren't there as a reward for good play, etc. more for players to help off-set an unlucky roll from time-to-time when it is really needed.

Used this way, we remember it all the time LOL!

Prior to this change, yeah I completely agree. We forgot to award it and because it was so limited in amount, we hoarded it when we had it.

But does it get abused? Say, when the 8th level party is close to leveling to 9th, they spam all their hoarded Inspirations because they know they'll reset to 9 new ones the next day?

 

[tetrasodium]

You kind of answer your own question - the information is spread in three bits across a hundred pages of rulebook.

Biggest annoyance for me is... just remembering that Inspiration exists. Both players and GMs. It is a fine mechanic, often of use in critical situations, but soooo easy to forget.

No I disagree, phb193-195 covers making attacks, the rules for off hand attacks are in that section alongside ranged attacks/ranged attacks in close combat/melee attacks/etc. The fighting style & feat only apply if you have them. People don't get confused about adding +1 for archery & defense fighting style or regularly ask if they apply mage slayer/spell sniper when they don't have it.

 

[DND_Reborn]

So, like d20 Star Wars force points? Clever approach. Doesn't do the job of encouraging certain kinds of play, but still clever.

In a sense, yes. Our DM (and myself when I run the game) award good play with XP as in the old days.

But does it get abused? Say, when the 8th level party is close to leveling to 9th, they spam all their hoarded Inspirations because they know they'll reset to 9 new ones the next day?

No, because the DM tracks XP. The players never know when they will level next. For example, I know my character is 11th level, and I think I should be close to 12th... but it might be in the next session or even 3-4 sessions from now. I just don't know.

We also never level until we finish a long rest. So, if you spam your points because you think you are close to leveling, nothing says you'll get in a long rest before you need them again!

However, even if the players knew the XP and they would level soon, it doesn't really affect play much if they blow any remaining inspiration in an encounter. We would just play it that the character had a very lucky day. It also means they probably didn't spend them before when doing so might really have been a better idea.

If you like the idea, I suggest you try it. It works well for us and if you don't like it, you can always drop it.