D&D 5E Is 5e the Least-Challenging Edition of D&D?

[Zardnaar]

Next game Healing Spirits banned.

 

[S'mon]

I'd say It's the easiest after 4th level. Levels 1-4 aren't super easy. My son raised on Mentzer BECMI does complain 5e is too easy.

 

[Zardnaar]

I'd say It's the easiest after 4th level. Levels 1-4 aren't super easy. My son raised on Mentzer BECMI does complain 5e is too easy.

Yeah I kind of want to play OSR next game.

 

[Garthanos]

I’d say 4e puts lethality more in the hands of the DM, with less of a learning curve for determining how lethal a fight or adventure will be, compared to any other DnD or DnD-like RPG I’ve ever seen.

It’s not actually hard to TPK in 4e, it’s just hard to do it accidentally.

Mostly this... and I knew many DMs who said because they felt the edition kept things fair they could go all out without pulling any punches and could apply there skills and killed more pcs than they had in any edition before.

 

[Garthanos]

Except that 4E had Healing Surges, not Hit Dice, so each use of Second Wind typically restored one quarter of the character's hit points, regardless of level.

which that enemy you arent attacking could deliver in one attack fairly often.

 

[Zardnaar]

Mostly this... and I knew many DMs who said because they felt the edition kept things fair they could go all out without pulling any punches and could apply there skills and killed more pcs than they had in any edition before.

Not really indicative of 4E. Do that in AD&D I bet the kill count us going to be a lot higher.

Or 3E. 5E is high damage, high healing, 4E low damage higher healing.

3E depends on if the players know about healing sticks aka wands if clw. Our group used them most I saw did not ymmv.

OSR was moderate to low damage, low healing, nasty effects which bypassed attrition.

4E and 5E it's mostly attrition based, 3E still had ways of getting around hit points.

Tonight I had a level 8 wizard flunk a finger of death spell. Didn't kill him unbuffed 57/58 hp down but another PC gave him an extra 32 hp. 8th level wizzie with 90hp.

 

[Garthanos]

Not really indicative of 4E. Do that in AD&D I bet the kill count us going to be a lot higher.

Extremely swingy random chance (or in 3e rocket tag) didnt seem fair to DO THAT it was about their inclination to do it and the fact that they got to let their hair down and try to do the bad guys aggressively etc. DMing got more fun for them because of it.

The comments seemed to imply that people wanted better ideas of what was within reach of the players in order to feel like they could try to actually challenge them instead of NUMBERING them to death.
In game theory numbering someone to death is called a false challenge.

 

[Garthanos]

3E depends on if the players know about healing sticks aka wands if clw. Our group used them most I saw did not ymmv.

I met 1e players whose dms had allowed access to massive amounts of potions.... blink blink.

 

[atanakar]

No. 4e was the least challenging for characters.

If you find 5e too easy, first make sure you are following the 6-8 encounters per day. If you want less encounters use the slower healing options of the DMG.

 

[dave2008]

I was having a discussion with a player recently about how he was concerned that the party was going to get destroyed in the adventure I'm running - when the only real challenge happened when they split the party in four directions (no kidding - literally, the six characters went in four different rooms). I told him that among their six characters, four of them had access to magical healing (including Healing Spirits - which is like a 2nd level "maximize the party's HP" after every encounter). Monsters do a paltry amount of damage, death save failures don't carry over, healing is abundant, tactics aren't really essential, etc.

Which brings me to the topic of the thread: Is 5e the easiest edition of D&D? Are you less likely to lose a character?

I feel like in the editions I've played, it's easily the less threatening edition. 4e was pretty hard to die in, but it required some sharp tactical play. 5e, conversely, seems to be the very forgiving, training wheels edition. Especially after 3rd level.

Probably, be it might also be the easiest to make really tough without breaking the game.