D&D 5E (2014) Rate Your 5E Rules Expertise

[Clint_L]

If that’s the scale, 1.

I don’t know every rule in 5e by heart but that also wouldn’t stop me from modifying it.

As it should be!

 

[billd91]

What does "50% mastery" look like, for you?

I know the rules on all of the odd-numbered pages, but not the even-numbered ones.

 

[CleverNickName]

I know the rules on all of the odd-numbered pages, but not the even-numbered ones.

I only know the rules for combat, so that would be what? 90 percent? or maybe 95%?

 

[GreyLord]

Publishing your own rules in no way means you've mastered the existing ones.

Yes, that created a difficulty for me as I have written rules for 5e but I wouldn't say I know the 5e rules by heart (for example, how many can recreate the futuristic weapons table found in the DMs guide by heart, while at the same time also being able to recite all the Greyhawk info from the new DMs guide by heart)? in any way, shape, or form.

I put an 8 as my selection, but wasn't quite confident that is a good reflection of my 5e knowledge. Probably more around the lines of average (would that be a 5 or 7?), or what an average DM probably knows. I obviously can make rules on the fly and other rulings, but I wouldn't call myself a master of 5e by anyshot.

 

[SteveC]

This is a really interesting question. I know the core rules of the edition by heart but there are a lot of tiny fiddly bits that I just don't. I've run games, play in a couple of different games, and am a rules reference guy for them. But some of the small and very specific rules and how they all work together? No way. That's why I'll comment on questions about 5E rules but it's always with a sense that there may be something I'm missing. And I can live with it.

 

[Stormonu]

Always more to learn, but the books I've been putting together for my own Frankenstein version has got me pretty familiar with the rules - at least in theorycraft. Actual play/DM experience is a lot lower, but I'm getting there. Still, several hundred hours of messing with this stuff in one fashion or another.

 

[LordEntrails]

I put myself at a 5...I'm familiar with the rules and the supplements,

But... that's not your own scale. #2 says you know the rules by heart. That's nowhere near "familiar with"

Sorry, but your scale is pretty bad. Here's why...

Let's see, I would have to say I'm a 1 because I do not know the core rules by heart. But I'm familiar with all the pre-24 supplements. So is that a 4? And I'm comfortable making rules for my own game, so am I a 6? And would publish them if it was worth my time, which it isn't, so does that edge me towards an 8?

And is this about legacy rules or 2024? What about previous editions, cause I'm familiar with all those too...

 

[R_J_K75]

I don't think it matters because Mike Mearls told me D&D isn't cool anymore....

Seriously though, I chose 1. At this point as a DM or player of D&D, the editions for me kind of run together after 40-some years. I have a passing familiarity with 5.x, enough to competently and fairly run games but maybe not consistently. I certainly don't have the rules memorized, not even close. My players don't seem to mind and trust me to make a ruling and keep the game moving. The older I get, when I try to read the core books it's such a chore to read and comprehend what I've read, let alone retain it. We try and play at least once a week but there's usually one week out of the month we end up cancelling. If we played more, I'd be motivated to read more and retain rules better as a result.

 

[LordEntrails]

So, what might a better scale be? (because I want to build up, not just point out flaws)...

1 - What's D&D?
10 - I can quote any rule, know all the Sage Advice articles and other developer comments about rules. Understand where the rules and advice conflict and can debate the intricacies of any conflict.

That's puts a 6 maybe at... (because 5 is below average and 6 is above, we should all be above average!)
6 - I can play my character and know the rules for 80% of what I do as a player or DM.
The an 8 might be:
8 - I know all the rules pertaining to whatever comes up in our adventures. There might be a few things here and their that I have to look up out of session after a ruling is made to confirm or change the ruling for our next session (or discuss offline with the DM)
And that would mean...
2 - I can roll attacks and saves, but I have to look up what abilities, spells and conditions or anything more complicated
4- I've got most of combat down but still have to lookup new abilties and sometimes reference things not used very often. And always have to look up things that we haven't used in a session or three.

 

[R_J_K75]

10 - I can quote any rule, know all the Sage Advice articles and other developer comments about rules. Understand where the rules and advice conflict and can debate the intricacies of any conflict.

There was a guy in high school that had an eidetic memory, he could quote any 1E AD&D rule, page number and all. Needless to say, he wasn't anyone's favorite DM.