D&D General "I'm glad to be back playing D&D."

[Reynard]

That’s the problem. It doesn’t feel dangerous.


Where’s the danger when you are invisible 99% of the time in an underdark campaign? Or
Can bypass most simple traps with a cantrip spell?

When any ill you receive is gone after a nights sleep? That’s not danger that’s a walk in the park.

Paralysis is nerfed because players missing turns does not feel good. I understand that. there are a couple solutions:

Instead of paralysis, you could have ongoing damage plus disadvantage or maybe even a slow effect. PCs still get to act but the ghoul effect is still dangerous and bad.

Alternatively, this is one we have toyed with and is meta but also fun: allow PLAYERS to perform the AID action when their character is not otherwise available (down, not in the combat, paralyzed, etc...) The player gets to describe a scene element that would benefit the acting PC and the acting PC in turn gets advantage. We have discussed but not implemented expanding the idea to allowing scene elements that emulate basic attacks and cantrip effects as long as the player justifies it.

 

[overgeeked]

That’s the problem. It doesn’t feel dangerous.


Where’s the danger when you are invisible 99% of the time in an underdark campaign? Or
Can bypass most simple traps with a cantrip spell?

When any ill you receive is gone after a nights sleep? That’s not danger that’s a walk in the park.

Exactly. There’s no mechanical challenge in 5E. You have to either go wild with the mechanics and house rule the hell out of it to achieve mechanical challenges, or you go the other way and do only story, RP, diegetic, etc challenges.

 

[DarkCrisis]

Exactly. There’s no mechanical challenge in 5E. You have to either go wild with the mechanics and house rule the hell out of it to achieve mechanical challenges, or you go the other way and do only story, RP, diegetic, etc challenges.

To be fair, my 2 examples (the Arcane trickster and Gloomstalker) may just be extremes. Gloomstalker in an underdark campaign? Yeah I should have said no, but it didn't occur to me that it might be broken. Im not really up my OP classes/sub classes. Arcane Trickster again I could have said no but I dont want to be that guy plus again I wasnt really thinking about how problematic a class can be.

I guess that's why I like OSR more. I don't really have to research what might be overpowered for the campaign. People have to think their way around a problem (or rely on a save) instead of just "I mage hand the door!" over and over.

I hate having to "be mean" when DMing. I shouldn't have to throw crazy monsters and overly devious traps at the party to make it an adventure, but 5E pretty much requires it. It feels more like Im telling them a story with occasional player input instead of playing a game. "You get into a fight and easily win, you loot a magic sword. Next is a door, you easily bypass the trap and move on."

I'm glad they are having fun. Especially the new player. Next campaign though I may Research before hand and outlaw certain things so they actually have to play instead of just walk through it.

 

[jayoungr]

It doesn’t feel dangerous.

There’s no mechanical challenge in 5E.

I think it would be more accurate to say that D&D 5E doesn't model a specific type of danger or challenge that some players really want from their games.

 

[overgeeked]

I'm glad they are having fun. Especially the new player. Next campaign though I may Research before hand and outlaw certain things so they actually have to play instead of just walk through it.

Best of luck with that. To my eyes 5E is designed so the players can “just walk through it.”

 

[overgeeked]

I think it would be more accurate to say that D&D 5E doesn't model a specific type of danger or challenge that some players really want from their games.

Not to derail the thread, but where exactly are the mechanical challenges in 5E? What dangers and challenges does 5E model? There are none in traps, exploration, outdoor survival, food & water, light sources, encumbrance, resource management, or default combat. So everything most people expect to be a challenge or at least an obstacle in a D&D game simply is not.

 

[Clint_L]

I'm not having problems creating challenges for players in 5e. It doesn't feel that different from earlier editions, though my challenges tend to be more complex and puzzle oriented. But that's mostly because I've been playing for a long time, so I have more stuff in my arsenal.

 

[Micah Sweet]

Or just don’t play it.

Or lean into what it’s trying to do.

It really seems like 5E wants to be a power fantasy / fantasy superhero game, but it’s bound by tradition to include a lot of stuff even the basic class features obviate. Have someone with a decent WIS, no worries about outdoor survival. Even less of a worry with someone with the survival skill or a ranger or outlander.

Focus on the story and the RP instead of the old-school stuff like monsters and traps. So weird to say that about a D&D game. But 5E just doesn’t handle the old-school stuff well.

Yup. But if you want the old school stuff but have a bunch of 5e players...you have to make adjustments.

 

[Micah Sweet]

Welcome to the club!!!

Membership is free and comes with a dice bag, the D&D 5E "Hack It to Hell!" poster, and subscription to the website's blog!

Member meetings are Tuesdays and Thursdays at 7 PM EST on the website.

See you then!

I think I can make that schedule work...

 

[Micah Sweet]

I think it would be more accurate to say that D&D 5E doesn't model a specific type of danger or challenge that some players really want from their games.

What sort of danger or challenge does it model?