D&D 5E Little rules changes that still trip you up

[Mouseferatu]

5E's been out for a while now, and I find there are still a few sneaky/hidden changes from earlier editions that still trip me (or my players) up. Small details that really aren't that complicated, but simply because they're different, I have a hard time remembering. Things like

*Natural 20 and natural 1 are no longer auto-success or auto-failure on saving throws.

*Casting a spell or firing a ranged weapon in melee range no longer draw opportunity attacks.

I'm sure I can't be the only one, so I'm curious what other tiny little rules details like this still make you guys stumble.

 

[Morrus]

That second one caught me just last week.

 

[ad_hoc]

My players (and myself occaisionally) have a problem with the dynamic of ability checks.

I have trouble getting across that they don't have to declare skill use anymore. They just need to tell me what they're doing and I may or may not call for a check at some point.

I am looking forward to the time when we fully adjust and the game becomes more fluid. The major difference in design to me is that 3.x is simulationist whereas 5e is narrative.

 

[I'm A Banana]

It happens a lot at my table with the Ready action.

It took like a dozen tries to ingrain the idea of "you ready a specific action in response to a specific trigger, and if it's an attack, you only get one."

Recently, it happened with the Ready action + spellcasting. You "cast the spell" on your Ready action, but hold it in concentration until the trigger, so readying a high-level spell is costly if that trigger never happens.

There's a lot of things that crop up on the reg, constantly reminding me that though 5e is probably the simplest form of the game in over a decade, it's still got a lot of complexity in it.

 

[KahlessNestor]

Wait, no nat 1s and 20s on saves? Whoa. I missed that, too...

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[pukunui]

Surprise. I know that there's technically no such thing as a surprise round anymore. Everyone's supposed to roll initiative no matter what. Being surprised just means you lose your first turn. I know all that. Yet I still find myself calling for initiative rolls *after* I've resolved any surprise attacks.

 

[J.L. Duncan]

Well, I suppose it's a little less difficult for me. I played up to 2e pretty regular. Then jumped off at 3e. I've read pretty much all the editions but it's a big difference playing them.

I play a lot of old school stuff (retro and neo clone) the toughest adjustment I've had to make is in relation to the power of casters (cantrips) for 5e. The natural 20 and 1 rolls was something I just noticed right off. We had a break recently and so our core players are currently tweaking the system.

 

[l0lzero]

Tool based ability checks - I never can remember to ask for specific instrument checks, and always ask for a performance check, or I'll ask for spot checks, or listen checks instead of perception checks. Basically, if there's a 3rd edition skill check to do something, I have a 50/50 chance of asking for the 3rd edition skill check... Makes me feel dumb too.

Also, spells. Can't remember what all spells got removed, so I'll go to look a spell up and not be able to find it (I miss tenser's transformation... like so much...).

 

[pukunui]

My friend who's DMing us through Curse of Strahd at the moment still asks for Reflex and Will saves.

 

[l0lzero]

My friend who's DMing us through Curse of Strahd at the moment still asks for Reflex and Will saves.

I totally forgot that I still do that, like all the time. "Fireball! Gimme those reflex... I mean dexterity saves!"