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Message: <blockquote data-quote="40below" data-source="post: 7161301" data-attributes="member: 6878241">"Wait, which one is the d8 again?”“What do I have to roll to make an Investigation check?”“I rolled a 5 damage.” “Did you add your Strength bonus?” “What’s a Strength bonus?"—5e is a very welcoming game! With so many available pre-generated characters, a new player can sit down at a gaming table and get started with no preparation whatsoever. And that’s wonderful!But after a session or two, while some players eagerly devour the rulebooks, others can’t be bothered to remember even the most basic concepts. To some extent, that’s just the way it is. Not all players are the same, and their differences should be welcome. Some players just want to describe what their characters do and find out the consequences. Some just want to participate in the story. Others just want the pleasure of hanging out with their friends and doing a common activity.I think D&D 5e is pretty tolerant of that. As long as a player understands how to respond when a roll is called for, this works in most situations.Still, it would be nice if combat didn’t grind to a halt every time the wizard had to look up the rules for casting Magic Missile? I’m really not a rule-oriented gamer. Character-based collaborative storytelling is my favorite mode. But with a heroic setting as a backdrop, the rules can facilitate that, especially if the participants know the ones they need to pretty well.—With that in mind, what rules is it reasonable to simply expect players to know and understand? Which ones should be priorities for them to learn? What is a player's responsibility with regard to learning the rules?I took a stab at this thought experiment below, but I’d love to hear others’ thoughts! I’m assuming a lazy but well-intentioned player—one who enjoys the game and wants the others at the table to enjoy it, but who really isn’t going to read the rulebooks three times for pleasure. These players need to concern themselves mostly with the rules that directly affect their character, but they won’t be motivated to learn rules beyond those that come up in play and involve them.I think this is a discussion of an “ideal.” I have players who seem stuck only halfway through the SUPER-BASIC KNOWLEDGE section literally months after starting to play. I understand they don’t particularly enjoy the mechanics. (One of them calls it the “math,” although honestly the arithmetic is pretty simple.) But I also admit that I and other players get a little tired of explaining how to do such basic things as make an attack roll or skill check. But I’ll keep playing with people like these if they bring something else to the game, and I think most people have the potential to do that. This is just examining the question from the perspective of ideal rules knowledge.SUPER-BASIC RULES KNOWLEDGEThese are rules that everyone really should know. They might not know them when they first sit down to a gaming table, but they probably should by the time their first session is over.<ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Which die is which and the basic language of die-rolling (like what 2d8+3 means and how to roll percentile dice).</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">How to make any ability check, skill check, initiative roll, saving throw, attack roll, or damage roll called for by the DM (but it’s not necessary to know when these will be called for).</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">That combat takes place in turns governed by initiative.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">What hit points are.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">A general sense of the layout of the character sheet, and a sense of what the key terms on the sheet mean.</li> </ul>BASIC RULES KNOWLEDGEThese are the rules players should learn over the first few sessions of play. They’re probably rules they can pick up by playing at a table with a reasonably knowledgeable DM and other players. Players may not always remember all the details, here, but they should know the rules exist, understand the terminology, and even have a sense of where to find out more.<ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">The general mechanics behind their key class abilities, including how often they can be used and a general sense of the benefit. (For instance, a first-level can rage twice before taking a long rest and can really take a beating while raging.) Some of the subtle mechanics may still need to be looked up, but the gist is there. (For instance, a rogue player may not know all the circumstances in which sneak attack damage applies, but is looking for opportunities to use it.)</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">The general mechanics behind their key racial characteristics as they relate to play (but not necessarily character creation).</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">The breakdown of a turn in combat (that is, Move + Action), and a good idea of the key possible Actions (but they probably won’t remember them all).</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">What bonus actions and reactions are (although players who don’t have such things at first level may not get a feel for these for a while).</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">How to spend hit dice during a rest.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">The benefits to them individually from the two types of rest.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">That falling to zero hit points doesn’t mean you’re dead.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Broadly, how to level up.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">For spellcasters: What spells they know, what spells they have prepared, how many they can cast in which circumstances, and the gist of what their spells do. They should understand the basics of spellcasting as it relates to the spells they use—for instance, that spells have range, that they have a Spell save DC, how to make spell attack rolls—but mechanics can absolutely be checked.</li> </ul>CORE RULES KNOWLEDGEIf all the players at the table have the level of familiarity described here, the rules can support and facilitate fantastic interactive storytelling rather than getting its way. Acquiring this level of knowledge may take some minor effort on the part of the players. That is, they may have to actually read some of the rules—in some cases more than once! And if they have a question that comes up at the table, they should remember the answer so it won’t come up and stop the flow again.<ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">A real understanding of their character’s individual abilities, and how they affect actions in combat and play out of combat. For instance, a player whose character dual-wields should know that the off-hand attack is a bonus action that doesn’t benefit from the attribute bonus (unless, of course, the character has another ability that affects that). A monk should know how Flurry of Blows works. A warlock should understand the benefits of his chosen Eldirtch Invocations. Looking up certain mechanics will be necessary from time to time, but the DM shouldn’t have to remind players of their abilities or explain the general way they work. Notes on complex mechanics that come up often should be on hand.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">How death saves work.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">All ten actions available in combat.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">What opportunity attacks are.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">That knocking a creature out is an option.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">For spellcasters: How concentration works.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">For spellcasters: How bonus-action spells work.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">For spellcasters: The mechanics of the spells they use. At least, the mechanics should be on hand for rapid check when needed.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">A willingness to think ahead to their turn even when it isn’t their turn.</li> </ul>So are my first thoughts, ultimately, about players really ought to know when playing D&D, especially after they’re more than a handful of sessions into the game. A lot of this knowledge can come simply through attentive play, but some does indeed require reading a few pages of the rules. A side thought:CHARACTER CREATION KNOWLEDGEPlayers may well create characters before mastering what’s in the Core Rules Knowledge section. Making frequent use of rulebooks while creating characters is fine. It certainly doesn’t slow play down. In fact, creating characters maybe one tool that does a lot toward helping players acquire some of the basic knowledge they need to get beyond the super-basic level! The degree to which individual players master character creation depends, on think, on the degree to which those players enjoy it, but it is certain that characters with more general rules knowledge will see the benefit of choices made during character creation more than those who know only the minimum.This applies to leveling characters up, too. (And of course, what happens when leveling up can affect choices even at a character’s initial creation.) The niceties of multi-classing, of feats, and other optional or esoteric choices are there for the taking for those who look for them, but they’re not mandatory for anyone.</blockquote>

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