D&D (2024) Command is the Perfect Encapsulation of Everything I Don't Like About 5.5e

[TiQuinn]

Same here. They are quicker reads, less to remember and not as fiddly. 2014 5E is just a slog to read, and hard to remember a lot of things, at least for me. Prepping and running games and even being a player seemed more like work to me after while than a fun hobby. And I don't think I've ever run a strictly 5E game, it was always an amalgamation of 3.x, and 5E, and this wasn't intentional.

Yeah, I’ve found that the more I play D&D, the more I have to check whether I’m remembering a rule from 2e or 3e versus 5e. I haven’t nearly had that problem with 5e and have enjoyed it, but we’re pretty flexible on the rules and assume no one’s trying to play “gotcha” with rulings.

 

[R_J_K75]

just because the official version isn't to your tastes doesn't mean you can't have fun with one of the MANY MANY versions of the rules out there.

I have Shadowdark and backed Nimble 5E so hopefully we'll end up with something we like between the two. I'm a little hesitant to switch systems too frequently just because we don't play as much as we'd like, and switching to another system just when we're getting the hang of another can get a little frustrating for the players. None of us spend nearly as much time on the hobby that we did in the 90's and 2000s.

 

[Vaalingrade]

The whole 'flavor isn't free' deal feels like the opposite of what the rest of the arguments present; locking down the spell to one specific interpretation, largely to allow the DM to shut down players trying to have fun and do something off the wall.

Just like the 'tripping an ooze' example: 'trip and prone MUST mean this, ignore that the point of the action and condition is temporary incapacitation, it HAS to mean the EXACT WORDS.

 

[TiQuinn]

The whole 'flavor isn't free' deal feels like the opposite of what the rest of the arguments present; locking down the spell to one specific interpretation, largely to allow the DM to shut down players trying to have fun and do something off the wall.

Just like the 'tripping an ooze' example: 'trip and prone MUST mean this, ignore that the point of the action and condition is temporary incapacitation, it HAS to mean the EXACT WORDS.

Must have missed the tripping an ooze example but doesn’t that at least have a clear rule - oozes can’t be knocked prone (in their description?)

 

[R_J_K75]

it's just that 5.5e has to be a clear upgrade from 5e to be worth the hassle of getting my brain to remember all of the hundred little differences.

I don't have the new PHB nor do I plan to buy it. Never say never but it's extremely unlikely. I could be wrong and I'm sure some will argue that each change was a calculated decision on the parts of the designers, but I'm getting the impression that they made some changes just to justify this revision so they could say look we made all these changes so its worth buying. I wonder how many of the revisions were needed and actually improved the game. Obviously, this a matter of opinion. some will like them; others will hate them and yet some people will be neutral on the subject.

 

[aco175]

Yup TSR-D&D, 3e, and 5e have open-ended Command spells. 3.5e, 4e, and 5.5e have lock-down versions of Command where only certain verbs are allowed.

I was looking forward to using Google and FaceBook on the PCs, just so the bad guys could know their location and overhear all their plans.

 

[Vaalingrade]

Must have missed the tripping an ooze example but doesn’t that at least have a clear rule - oozes can’t be knocked prone (in their description?)

OP said gelatinous cube and in reference to 4e where flavor text and narrative control was largely left in the hands of the player using it. You know, encouraging creativity.

 

[mellored]

Must have missed the tripping an ooze example but doesn’t that at least have a clear rule - oozes can’t be knocked prone (in their description?)

Yes.
But that wasn't always the case.

 

[R_J_K75]

Yeah, I’ve found that the more I play D&D, the more I have to check whether I’m remembering a rule from 2e or 3e versus 5e. I haven’t nearly had that problem with 5e and have enjoyed it, but we’re pretty flexible on the rules and assume no one’s trying to play “gotcha” with rulings.

Yeah, I was pretty upfront with my players when we started a 5E game in 2018 that I will probably mix up rules from previous editions and had no interest in slowing the game down to look up rules unless it was extremely necessary, everyone was fine with it.

One example that comes to mind as an unnecessary change IMO from 3E-5E was the term for Attack of Opportunity (3E), then it went to Opportunity Attack in 4E I believe and then back to Attack of Opportunity in 5E, or is it a third term in 2014? I can only imagine what it's called now in the 2024 revision.

 

[TiQuinn]

Yeah, I was pretty upfront with my players when we started a 5E game in 2018 that I will probably mix up rules from previous editions and had no interest in slowing the game down to look up rules unless it was extremely necessary, everyone was fine with it.

One example that comes to mind as an unnecessary change IMO from 3E-5E was the term for Attack of Opportunity (3E), then it went to Opportunity Attack in 4E I believe and then back to Attack of Opportunity in 5E, or is it a third term in 2014? I can only imagine what it's called now in the 2024 revision.

I got to admit I’m hearing about d20 Tests in the new edition now and I’m like “the what now?”