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

[SableWyvern]

I just find it more fun to have a narrow definition of directly harmful or lot better yet cut that part from the spell altogether but then again I like 33,000 cubic foot fireballs. I know that is not to everyone’s taste.

It sounds like we disagree on Command, but I will die beside you on the hill of the "expands to fill volume, 33,000cu' " fireball.

 

[Minigiant]

Plenty of folks who've been playing 5e since it started are out there, and they all have...checks watch...about 10 years under their belts, at least.

Can you clarify what you're saying here? It sounds like you are suggesting that experienced GMs should have played and taught games they didn't enjoy out of some sense of responsibility to a wider community of new gamers?

I meant 5e was designed with the expectation that DMs from older editions would DM the game and teach the new players how to become DMs for5e.

For the most part that did not happen. Most loudly ran back to 1e, 2e, PF1, or some OSR clone. Only some 3e and 4e DMs stayed really.

This is why 5e skews young and as the first edition for most of its playerbase.

 

[Remathilis]

Traditionally, the target falls down catatonic for one round.

Right, so it's not doing what's it's been told to do. Instead, the DM/game has ruled a far more appropriate effect. However, I suspect Lanefan might be grumpy his first level cleric didn't just cast Power Word: Kill because "If I can't damage someone with a combat spell why am I casting it?"

 

[Micah Sweet]

I meant 5e was designed with the expectation that DMs from older editions would DM the game and teach the new players how to become DMs for5e.

For the most part that did not happen. Most loudly ran back to 1e, 2e, PF1, or some OSR clone. Only some 3e and 4e DMs stayed really.

This is why 5e skews young and as the first edition for most of its playerbase.

So who's running all those 5e games I've heard about?

 

[Minigiant]

So who's running all those 5e games I've heard about?

New DMs

 

[jayoungr]

Only some 3e and 4e DMs stayed really.

Even assuming that's accurate (it doesn't match my experience), are you saying those DMs were not "experienced" enough to teach 5E?

 

[Micah Sweet]

New DMs

5e's been out for a decade though. What happened?

Edit: and please define what "new" means to you.

 

[SableWyvern]

I meant 5e was designed with the expectation that DMs from older editions would DM the game and teach the new players how to become DMs for5e.

For the most part that did not happen. Most loudly ran back to 1e, 2e, PF1, or some OSR clone. Only some 3e and 4e DMs stayed really.

This is why 5e skews young and as the first edition for most of its playerbase.

"Most loudly ran back to..."

Your overall point seems mostly reasonable but, again, you're phrasing this in a way that seems to imply some kind of moral failing by those GMs who weren't interested in 5e, and I'm not sure why you'd do that.

 

[jayoungr]

Your overall point seems mostly reasonable but, again, you're phrasing this in a way that seems to imply some kind of moral failing by those GMs who weren't interested in 5e, and I'm not sure why you'd do that.

Actually, I thought he was implying a moral failing on the part of 5E, that it (supposedly) didn't manage to keep the majority of pre-3E DMs in the game.

 

[Minigiant]

Even assuming that's accurate (it doesn't match my experience), are you saying those DMs were not "experienced" enough to teach 5E?

Not enough of them.

5e's been out for a decade though. What happened?

Edit: and please define what "new" means to you.

New to D&D.

The majority of 5e players and DMs started with 5e
The majority of 5e's veteran DMs are DMs who learned on their own or via YT by "trial by fire".

That's why they want to lock down rules. They had to learn to DM as noobs with rules lawyers, munchkins, silly geese, and problematics with little help and a terribly organized DMG.

"Most loudly ran back to..."

Your overall point seems mostly reasonable but, again, you're phrasing this in a way that seems to imply some kind of moral failing by those GMs who weren't interested in 5e, and I'm not sure why you'd do that.

You got it backwards.

WOTC designed 5e to attract 1e, 2e, and 3e fans. They failed. So 5e DMs had to teach themselves.

This why 5e has a rep of being terrible to DM.