D&D 5E Please understand your spells

[Sunseeker]

I have three people playing casters at my table atm, well, one died, so now it's two casters and a half-caster. One of them knows their spells, what they do, exactly what their limitations are, how to use them, their costs, etc... One of them knows their spells, but doesn't understand what their limitations are. One of them seems to know the names of their spells and nothing else.

These are all adults at my table, the latter doesn't even seem to be making an effort to understand how their spells work and I'm a hairs breadth from telling him he isn't allowed to play a caster until he reads his spells. I don't care if he needs the PHB at the table and has to read each one before using it, because it would certainly go a lot further than what he's doing now. However, I'm certain that saying "you can't play a caster until you actually know how to play a caster" is going to cause trouble.

Anyone have any good advice for how to deal with this? I'm tired of having to read every spell for every class and attempt to memorize what they do, then educate my players on how that works and shut down the game in the process while I look the spell up, tell them how it works and make sure they use it properly. I've got enough on my plate as DM that I shouldn't have to run my player's characters as well.

 

[pukunui]

I know how you feel!

Maybe encourage him to invest in a pack of GF9 spell cards?

 

[FormerlyHemlock]

Anyone have any good advice for how to deal with this? I'm tired of having to read every spell for every class and attempt to memorize what they do, then educate my players on how that works and shut down the game in the process while I look the spell up, tell them how it works and make sure they use it properly. I've got enough on my plate as DM that I shouldn't have to run my player's characters as well.

It depends upon what the clueless guy does, but the evil side of me is tempted to just fiat the results, based on my knowledge of the spells if necessary and otherwise based on whatever I feel like.

Player: "I cast Hypnotic Pattern."
DM: "You wave your hands and a sparkling pattern appears in the air. Two of the wolves suddenly stop moving; the other two keep charging towards you."

If the problem is more that the player doesn't know what to cast, and so refuses to make a decision, then that problem is harder and easier at the same time: in that case it's not really about spells at all, it's about a player not being ready to make a decision.

I think we need more details.

 

[Sunseeker]

If the problem is more that the player doesn't know what to cast, and so refuses to make a decision, then that problem is harder and easier at the same time: in that case it's not really about spells at all, it's about a player not being ready to make a decision.

I think we need more details.

No, it's not that he doesn't know what to cast, I suspect it's because its his first foray into being a Warlock last session, though we had plenty of downtime for him to read up. He's played wizards before and is fairly good at it, so it may just be that he thought it worked the same and didn't bother to read up. Still, it was a rather absurd use of Arms of Hadar (which the hald-caster player used frequently in another game with both of us) to literally conjure up a pair of arms with which to do things.

 

[DeathMutant]

This is one reason that I stopped DMing or playing public Adventurers League games: Too many tier 2 characters being run by tier 1 players.

This issue is not really limited to AL but the "catch-up" rule allowing characters to instantly jump tiers (from 4th to 5th level) is a contributing factor.

 

[FormerlyHemlock]

No, it's not that he doesn't know what to cast, I suspect it's because its his first foray into being a Warlock last session, though we had plenty of downtime for him to read up. He's played wizards before and is fairly good at it, so it may just be that he thought it worked the same and didn't bother to read up. Still, it was a rather absurd use of Arms of Hadar (which the hald-caster player used frequently in another game with both of us) to literally conjure up a pair of arms with which to do things.

Awkward.

I see two ways forward: you can either insist that he play by the rules, and just impose them when he casts (so that Arms of Hadar generates its normal effect--AoE damage IIRC), or you can have fun with it and award him a class feature that distorts all of his spells into whatever you feel like at the time. Something like this thread here:

http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?479918-Misspelled-spells-)

("Tasha's Hideous Daughter" is my personal favorite.)

Call this feature "Chaotic Casting". The result is that the only thing he gets to choose about the spell is the name and spell slot. When he casts Arms of Hadar, the DM decides everything else about it. It could give someone very impressive illusionary biceps, or it could grab a random creature and hold them until they make a DC 15 Acrobatics/Athletics check to escape, or it could create mundane crossbows with "Made By Hadar" stamped on the stock.

When he gets tired of Chaotic Casting, you can let it be removed via Remove Curse... subject to spontaneous remission if he is insufficiently prepared.

 

[Horwath]

Pretty simple. Make the requirement that they have to know the spells if they have them memorised. It's not alot of spells.

If the players cant be bothered by memorising mechanics of their spells by 2nd session, 1st is always a trial and error, let them make a simpler character.

Sorcerer and ranger are good options for entry level spellcasters, few spells, less to work with

 

[Eis]

and people wonder why they put a simplistic fighter class in the game

 

[Sacrosanct]

This is one reason that I stopped DMing or playing public Adventurers League games: Too many tier 2 characters being run by tier 1 players.

This issue is not really limited to AL but the "catch-up" rule allowing characters to instantly jump tiers (from 4th to 5th level) is a contributing factor.

Tier 1 players? You gotta be kidding me. D&D isn't a competitive sport...

 

[Shadowdweller00]

Oy. I occasionally play in Adventurer's league with a (non-Asperger's but reasonably high-functioning) autistic individual. Aside from flat-out lying about what he understands or does not actually have written on his character sheet, the gentleman will occasionally get numbers and other things wrong that you have already previously explained (in language he appears to understand) and/or given specific numbers for earlier in the session. He gets and deserves some sympathy and patience due to his condition...but just oy.

For those without such justification - I'd personally be inclined to talk with them first. Presuming you've done that and they're still being lazy, start introducing some penalties on spell effects when they get things egregiously wrong (that is, incentives to get things right). Warn the players before-hand and explain WHY you're doing it. And don't completely negate the spells or make them useless, but nerf their effects or provide advantage on saving throws. "It appears that you've failed to cast the spell correctly". If that fails...drop the player. As far as I'm concerned this is as much a courtesy and responsibility issue as showing up for sessions consistently and reasonably on time. Or not deliberately griefing other players.