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  1. DrJawaPhD

    D&D 5E (2024) Not loving weapon mastery with beginners

    To be honest the only one I even like is Nick because two-weapon fighting desperately needed a buff, but that could've been handled with the Light property itself I'd totally buy the argument that the rest are just change for the sake of change and don't really add anything to the game. I just...
  2. DrJawaPhD

    D&D 5E (2024) Not loving weapon mastery with beginners

    Because if you don't think Weapon Mastery is a worthwhile addition to the game (totally reasonable stance to take, I'm on the fence about it), then pretending like it is super complicated and slows down the game is the fashionable thing to do. It's impossible to know how long combat takes at...
  3. DrJawaPhD

    D&D 5E (2014) ADHD friendly character sheet design

    No ADHD myself but I have worked with players who potentially did (all I know for sure is they had trouble remembering what their character did, which dice were which even after months, etc), and one technique I've seen help is a combat flowchart. For example for the Open Hand Monk: 1) pick...
  4. DrJawaPhD

    D&D 5E (2024) Not loving weapon mastery with beginners

    Yeah really. Even in this thread several people have asked which specific weapon mastery properties were slowing things down, but no answer was given. It honestly just feels like complaining about weapon mastery "slowing things down" is a convenient scapegoat for people who just didn't want...
  5. DrJawaPhD

    D&D 5E (2024) Not loving weapon mastery with beginners

    I love the thought process that it's perfectly fine for casters to slow down the game choosing between their dozen spells, but heaven forbid a fighter take up a couple extra seconds to roll a d20 to try to knock someone prone. However will the smooth-brained martial players handle such...
  6. DrJawaPhD

    D&D 5E (2024) Not loving weapon mastery with beginners

    An extra feat is way more powerful than weapon mastery, and could end up being just as much additional complexity (depending on what you pick). Could still be worth considering though if you really want to get rid of weapon mastery but are afraid players will complain about it
  7. DrJawaPhD

    D&D 5E (2024) Can I get Armor of Agathys without being a Warlock?

    If your table allows older subclasses that were not re-printed in 2024 (which seems to the default), then Paladin Oath of Conquest can cast Armor of Agathys at level 3. Mark of Warding Dwarf also can cast it if that sub-species is allowed at your table. Also Rune Shaper feat can cast it once...
  8. DrJawaPhD

    D&D 5E (2024) Not loving weapon mastery with beginners

    Yeah, except that it is completely is. Spell casters have always had far more complexity than this and no one bats an eye, because "it's magic". As soon as Martial classes get a very watered down tactical choice that adds a tiny additional amount of complexity, there are many people (far more...
  9. DrJawaPhD

    D&D 5E (2024) Older Adventure Compatibility?

    All published 5e adventure modules have always required re-balancing by the DM if you want them to be remotely challenging. That was the case with 2014 rules and it's still the case with 2024 rules. So they're just as backwards compatible as they ever were "compatible" with anything in the...
  10. DrJawaPhD

    D&D 5E (2024) Not loving weapon mastery with beginners

    Yeah if only they were spells, then no one would mind if they were even more complicated.
  11. DrJawaPhD

    D&D 5E (2024) Not loving weapon mastery with beginners

    It's really not. Weapon Mastery isn't complicated at all but it does add something new to the pile of rules to know. It also doesn't actually add all that much to the game - similar homebrew rules have existed as third party content since forever and were never all that popular. Some people...
  12. DrJawaPhD

    D&D 5E (2024) Not loving weapon mastery with beginners

    Because it's new and change is scary
  13. DrJawaPhD

    D&D 5E (2024) Not loving weapon mastery with beginners

    Well yeah, as a player I wouldn't join a table with a DM who thinks Weapon Mastery rules are too complicated to use. That doesn't mean the DM is somehow forced to change their rules to suit me, it's their table and they make the rules. If you want a simple table then go ahead and simplify...
  14. DrJawaPhD

    D&D 5E (2024) Not loving weapon mastery with beginners

    You can't opt out of complexity? Who is stopping you? Everything is optional, it's not like WotC sends Pinkertons after you for tweaking the rules
  15. DrJawaPhD

    D&D 5E (2024) Not loving weapon mastery with beginners

    There's no way weapon mastery is more complicated for a brand new player than spells. You only have one weapon, there isn't even a decision to make so it really only slows things down as being another step in the process that needs to be explained. Spells are far more complicated in terms of...
  16. DrJawaPhD

    D&D 5E (2024) Not loving weapon mastery with beginners

    Everything is optional when teaching new players the game. With brand new players, I always try to simplify their combat options until they fully understand the basics, then start informing them more and more about what they can do
  17. DrJawaPhD

    D&D 5E (2024) What classes have improved the most from 2014 to 2024? (+)

    Agreed, also by adding Path of the World Tree to give a support / battlefield control option instead of just damage damage damage. I hate though how Brutal Critical was such an awful ability and they arguably made it even worse. Brutal Strike could be good in certain scenarios but giving up...
  18. DrJawaPhD

    D&D 5E (2024) What classes have improved the most from 2014 to 2024? (+)

    In addition to the obvious ones Monk, Sorcerer, Fighter, and Warlock - I think people are sleeping on Druid (so much better scaling for moon druid) and Rogue (subclasses are actually useful now, and reliable talent comes online much earlier). Ranger is technically the most improved by FAR if...
  19. DrJawaPhD

    D&D 5E (2024) Thief Rogue / True Strike

    This is not an oversight or "almost too good" combo, or even anything remotely new. Securing a reliable method for two Sneak Attacks per round has been a staple of any good powergaming optimized Rogue build since forever. Between held action shenanigans or support from a teammate (dissonant...
  20. DrJawaPhD

    D&D 5E (2024) Thief Rogue / True Strike

    Good call, yeah that's a way to make two attacks on a Bonus Action. I actually had never even heard of this spell before, you don't see Level 5 Ranger spells in action often (or ever, in my case)
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