D&D (2024) Not loving weapon mastery with beginners

[ezo]

The party tempest cleric, who's been playing the same character for 40 sessions (2-3 hours) since level 1, has NEVER used his "deal damage to someone who hit me" ability without being reminded of it. Most of the times he's used his CD to maximize lightning damage, it's been because I (the DM) have asked "Hey, do you want to maximize that?". It took several sessions for him to remember to add the +1d8 thunder damage to his melee attacks. He regularly will roll a dice to hit and say "11" because he rolled an 11, and has to be prompted to add his modifier (PB 4 + 2 str +2 weapon = 8) which he then has to find on his character sheet.

It seems like there is one in every group...

I saw him making a clean copy last night so maybe things will improve a bit.

Good luck! At least it seems he's trying.

 

[cbwjm]

Because it trains them to spend valuable time thinking through whether they’ve done all on their turn. Now instead of a I’m done, it’s pause and double check to make sure there wasn’t anything you forgot before the ‘I’m done’.

I actually think that's okay, because it'll reinforce what they can do on their turn. I also find that it's largely the action economy of move, action, bonus action, that already trains them to think that way anyway. This will primarily train them to think if they've included the appropriate riders with their weapon masteries or other class abilities and even if it takes a bit longer, it will be less disruptive than interrupting someone elses turn because they forgot to include an effect.

 

[DarkCrisis]

I love the thought process that some have that because a caster has options that can slow down the game so should a fighter. More slow down = net positive.

 

[Horwath]

I would as well. The party tempest cleric, who's been playing the same character for 40 sessions (2-3 hours) since level 1, has NEVER used his "deal damage to someone who hit me" ability without being reminded of it. Most of the times he's used his CD to maximize lightning damage, it's been because I (the DM) have asked "Hey, do you want to maximize that?". It took several sessions for him to remember to add the +1d8 thunder damage to his melee attacks. He regularly will roll a dice to hit and say "11" because he rolled an 11, and has to be prompted to add his modifier (PB 4 + 2 str +2 weapon = 8) which he then has to find on his character sheet.

I saw him making a clean copy last night so maybe things will improve a bit.

You play with the players you have, and accept that optimized play with everyone knowing everything their characters can do is something that only happens online. Excessive complexity is definitely a barrier for some people.

had several people like that over years, this is simply bad manners and disrespect to others around the table.

yes, anyone can forget rule here and there, we all do it, but to not know simple mechanics of your character after 40 sessions? you simply do not care about the game.

maybe some are at the game just for a good time with friends and D&D is just a focus for gathering, but it is simply tiring after a while.

 

[DrJawaPhD]

I love the thought process that some have that because a caster has options that can slow down the game so should a fighter. More slow down = net positive.

I love the thought process that it's perfectly fine for casters to slow down the game choosing between their dozen spells, but heaven forbid a fighter take up a couple extra seconds to roll a d20 to try to knock someone prone. However will the smooth-brained martial players handle such complexity?

edit to be serious: Yes having more parity in class options IS a net positive for many people, this isn't complicated

 

[ECMO3]

had several people like that over years, this is simply bad manners and disrespect to others around the table.

yes, anyone can forget rule here and there, we all do it, but to not know simple mechanics of your character after 40 sessions? you simply do not care about the game.

maybe some are at the game just for a good time with friends and D&D is just a focus for gathering, but it is simply tiring after a while.

There are many people who really can't do it, most of them that I play with are military or ex military guys that were shot overseas. This may seem simple, but it is not always so. It can be trying and sometimes you have to balance being inclusive and allowing someone with a disability to play with the fun for the rest of the players, but I assure you people that can't actually keep track of this stuff do exist.

In one game we were playing some of the other players were getting frustrated at one player becuase he couldn't do his stuff and keep track of his stuff and on top of that he had difficulty speaking. But he loved playing and was great as long as mechanics weren't involved and you gave him time to get out his words. After a session the DM pulled me and the player aside separately and asked if I could help him at the table. We sat next to each other every session after that and I helped him, to include keeping track of his hit points, giving him suggestions, telling him what dice to use etc. This worked a lot better for everyone at the table.

 

[ECMO3]

Edit to be serious: Yes having more parity in class options IS a net positive for many people, this isn't complicated

Perhaps, but I don't think weapon masteries provide parity. Single class non-casters are further behind than ever before and Weapon Masteries combined with Truestrike have actually made the multiclass Bladesingers, Sorcadins and similar even better than they were before.

 

[Vaalingrade]

I love the thought process that some have that because a caster has options that can slow down the game so should a fighter. More slow down = net positive.

So we're going to start asking for the removal of the wizard, right?

To speed up combat? To make sure we're spending as little time as possible interacting with what should be a fun part of the game?

 

[Belen]

So we're going to start asking for the removal of the wizard, right?

To speed up combat? To make sure we're spending as little time as possible interacting with what should be a fun part of the game?

The last time I saw someone play a wizard was in 2006.

I rarely see anyone play full casters.

The last full caster in one of my games was a cleric.

 

[Zardnaar]

I would as well. The party tempest cleric, who's been playing the same character for 40 sessions (2-3 hours) since level 1, has NEVER used his "deal damage to someone who hit me" ability without being reminded of it. Most of the times he's used his CD to maximize lightning damage, it's been because I (the DM) have asked "Hey, do you want to maximize that?". It took several sessions for him to remember to add the +1d8 thunder damage to his melee attacks. He regularly will roll a dice to hit and say "11" because he rolled an 11, and has to be prompted to add his modifier (PB 4 + 2 str +2 weapon = 8) which he then has to find on his character sheet.

I saw him making a clean copy last night so maybe things will improve a bit.

You play with the players you have, and accept that optimized play with everyone knowing everything their characters can do is something that only happens online. Excessive complexity is definitely a barrier for some people.

I've been doing that as well. Completely newbies. Knocks someone prone "do you want to action surge now. You get advantage to hit".