D&D General 5.5 and making the game easier for players and harder for DMs

[mamba]

What it means is we understand you don’t like us, but your attempts to shut us up (like your post!) won’t succeed.

I do not care whether you shut up or not, I only commented on the slogan not being appropriate if you don’t

 

[tetrasodium]

This wouldn't be the first time that I've disagreed with Slyflourish. I think he's got good and valuable insights, but he tends to be overly reactionary IMO. He spends too much time worrying about "What if this thing someday becomes a problem?" for my taste. To me, if it's not a problem NOW, then it's not worth worrying about. I have enough things to worry about.


I wasn't suggesting that the DMG would be errata for the PHB. I don't think that's needed. The DMG should just be a tool to empower DMs to do what they do, and do it well.

You suggested

If anything, with a much better DMG (which I expect) and MM (which I also expect) I think we're very likely to be in very good shape going forward.

How do you expect the DMG to fix a subclass or the fact that every player at the table could be adding status effects multiple times every round for the GM to track if not by using it as an errata to correct the lack of dm advocate in the UAs & stuff wotc has been previewing?

 

[haakon1]

I have to admit that I'm never sure what the issue really is, 5E is fairly flexible and with a few tweaks and restrictions can give quite a different play experience.

At least part of the issue is I memorized tons of rules from AD&D 1e and 3/3.5e.

For 5e, I get it enough to play, but not to DM it accurately without having to look things up. And 5.24 throws in doubt what I know of 5e. New editions = new cognitive load from a changed UI.

Edition changes typically annoy me - feels like a waste of my time to learn yet another variant, and another sundering of the D&D community. Oddly, I was enthusiastic for 4e - I went to the launch party - but it’s now my least favorite variant.

Maybe WotC going to a subscription digital model could get them off reprinting “new and improved” rule sets. 5e is probably good enough to be a forever edition.

 

[FitzTheRuke]

You suggested

How do you expect the DMG to fix a subclass or the fact that every player at the table could be adding status effects multiple times every round for the GM to track if not by using it as an errata to correct the lack of dm advocate in the UAs & stuff wotc has been previewing?

I don't expect it to do that, because I don't think that is necessary. What I expect it to do is to help to make the DM's job "easier" in other ways.

It's possible that I'll find condition tracking to be a PitA (I certainly did in 3.5 and sometimes in 4e) but I haven't found that to be an issue while playtesting, so I'm not sure why I should expect it to become one. It's really not that bad, from what I've seen.

 

[UngeheuerLich]

It won’t happen over night. It’s a long game. Make things more and more enticing to get more and more to go digital.

People who say “it will never happen” are not looking at the long game.

So you do. Because you are what? Better at looking into the future? Maybe people see the same facts and draw different conclusions.

The next major step which is years and years away will probably print to order physical books.

I’m honestly surprised they aren’t doing few DDB versions with every physical copy sold.

 

[UngeheuerLich]

At least part of the issue is I memorized tons of rules from AD&D 1e and 3/3.5e.

For 5e, I get it enough to play, but not to DM it accurately without having to look things up. And 5.24 throws in doubt what I know of 5e. New editions = new cognitive load from a changed UI.

Yes. Knowing 3.5 rules seems to be block memorizing 5e rules. The person I game with is constantly overcomplicating stuff where 5e rules are just that easy.

Edition changes typically annoy me - feels like a waste of my time to learn yet another variant, and another sundering of the D&D community. Oddly, I was enthusiastic for 4e - I went to the launch party - but it’s now my least favorite variant.

Maybe WotC going to a subscription digital model could get them off reprinting “new and improved” rule sets. 5e is probably good enough to be a forever edition.

It is what they was aiming for since 2012. Having an evergreen version.

It is just now getting some minor enhancements. A bit of relearning is needed. But you shouldnbe able to manage.

 

[Quickleaf]

Who'd have thought that giving players everything they want without limits, risk, or real challenge could possibly be bad for a game?

"19 out of 20 toddlers polled wanted more candy. You should see the candy options we're including! Polls don't lie!"

 

[DarkCrisis]

So you do. Because you are what? Better at looking into the future? Maybe people see the same facts and draw different conclusions.

The future is digital. Been looking that way more and more more with each passing year. From books to music to movies etc.

Not to mention what ends up being more cost effective. If physical books makes them more money they will keep printing them, but I think that is finite. Cheaper to make and sale a digital good then a dead tree version. I’d be happy to be wrong.

 

[UngeheuerLich]

The future is digital. Been looking that way more and more more with each passing year. From books to music to movies etc.

Not to mention what ends up being more cost effective. If physical books makes them more money they will keep printing them, but I think that is finite. Cheaper to make and sale a digital good then a dead tree version. I’d be happy to be wrong.

Until something changes and server capacity becomes more expensive (CO2 production) . And suddenly paper becomes comparatively cheaper again (as it only costs a certain amount of CO2 once instead of constantly).

 

[FitzTheRuke]

At least part of the issue is I memorized tons of rules from AD&D 1e and 3/3.5e.

For 5e, I get it enough to play, but not to DM it accurately without having to look things up. And 5.24 throws in doubt what I know of 5e. New editions = new cognitive load from a changed UI.

Edition changes typically annoy me - feels like a waste of my time to learn yet another variant, and another sundering of the D&D community. Oddly, I was enthusiastic for 4e - I went to the launch party - but it’s now my least favorite variant.

Maybe WotC going to a subscription digital model could get them off reprinting “new and improved” rule sets. 5e is probably good enough to be a forever edition.

I like to compartmentalize. You shouldn't need to know ALL the rules. The core is pretty tight, and isn't changing by much - just a few QoL things. You don't need to know what all the PCs can do. (You do need to trust that your players know what their characters can do, well enough to explain it if it comes up). You don't need to know what all the monsters can do. (You only need to know what the ones you're running right now can do). Concentrate on the core.