D&D 5E (2024) Representing afflictions in D&D 5e - which do you think work best/least dislike.

[TheSword]

Back in 3e and Pathfinder 1 the many varied afflictions: poisons, diseases, curses, life draining, aging etc were generally handled though ability score damage either temporary or permanent. Purple worm poison will reduce your Constitution score, filth fever reduces your Dex and so on.

5e has largely moved away from this towards other methods of representing ongoing penalty. A reduction in Max hp, the poisoned condition or exhaustion for instance.

As a DM which work for you? Which do you like to inflict on your players?

As a player which do you least-dislike? Which are your preferred methods of representing ongoing injury/curse/poison/disease etc.

Explain your reasons below. Also if I’ve missed any key ones out let me know and I’ll add them in.

 

[Gorck]

I’m sure I’m not the only one here who despises Ability Score reduction. As a concept, it’s sound. But in practice, it’s a real PITA to have to adjust everything on your sheet that relies on the ability affected. Constitution wasn’t too bad because it only affected your Hit Points and Constitution/Fortitude Saving Throw. But gods help you if you had your Dexterity drained

Nowadays with online character generators it’s probably easier, but I’m an old school pencil and paper type of guy.

 

[Gimby]

4e's disease tracks - lots more customisable and was an extensible framework for a lot of different effects

 

[Charlaquin]

Pretty much anything but ability score damage. So many numbers are derived from a character’s ability scores, so ability score drain is an enormous bookkeeping headache. And making the ability score drain temporary only makes it worse, because now you have to adjust all those derived numbers twice in opposite directions, which greatly increases the chance of making mistakes and ending up accidentally permanently decreasing some random thing like the number of times per day you can do a certain special attack and/or permanently increasing something else.

 

[TiQuinn]

I'm actually pretty agnostic to this but I like it when it's varied, and has an impact on the game. I don't even mind the bookkeeping aspect of ability score drains because in the course of doing the calculation, you realize how nasty the affliction really is, and as a player it motivated me to find ways to get rid of it. By the same token, I don't like it when every affliction is easily dealt with by a long rest or a lesser restoration. It's my old school nature that remembers stuff like Mummy Rot giving you X days before you withered up and died unless you found a cleric of X level type stuff.

I think my least favorite is exhaustion largely because of how it escalates and it's kind of boring at the same time.

 

[payn]

I’m sure I’m not the only one here who despises Ability Score reduction. As a concept, it’s sound. But in practice, it’s a real PITA to have to adjust everything on your sheet that relies on the ability affected. Constitution wasn’t too bad because it only affected your Hit Points and Constitution/Fortitude Saving Throw. But gods help you if you had your Dexterity drained

Nowadays with online character generators it’s probably easier, but I’m an old school pencil and paper type of guy.

Pretty much anything but ability score damage. So many numbers are derived from a character’s ability scores, so ability score drain is an enormous bookkeeping headache. And making the ability score drain temporary only makes it worse, because now you have to adjust all those derived numbers twice in opposite directions, which greatly increases the chance of making mistakes and ending up accidentally permanently decreasing some random thing like the number of times per day you can do a certain special attack and/or permanently increasing something else.

The PF2 approach is pretty sound. The condition just inflicts a -1 on certain mechanical aspects. Unlike 3E/PF1 thats a big deal in the PF2 system. No recalculating attribute numbers or bonuses etc.. A pretty solid approach to things.

 

[renbot]

I regularly use Poisoned or Incapacitated for a number of rounds dependent on the severity of the affliction and/or "save ends." I plan to start using the 2024 Exhaustion rules more. Not terribly imaginative but each is quick and easy to implement in the moment and all are definitely things the players want to avoid.

 

[Corinnguard]

Disadvantage on a Specific Type of Check is my least dislike because you still can succeed at that check even with the lower roll, or you can cancel it out with the right Advantage (ex. Steady Aim).

 

[Shiroiken]

I like actually detailing out the effect, like in AD&D. Some effects might be easily replicated by the simple conditions of 5E, or even the use of Disadvantage, but trying to pigeonhole things into them does a disservice.

For example, in an upcoming adventure (Danger at Darkshelf Quarry) there's a custom monster that can magnetize stuff. I haven't decided how to inflict it yet (probably a Con Save), but the actual effect is that your metal weapons and armor become magnetized for 1 minute. Wearing magnetized metal armor halves your speed, because it pulls you about randomly. Wielding a magnetized weapon has Disadvantage, as it gets pulled about randomly. If you have both, the weapon becomes stuck to the armor, becoming useless instead.

 

[Zaukrie]

4e's disease tracks - lots more customisable and was an extensible framework for a lot of different effects

This. I really should release my PDFs about poison and disease. But the tracks work great.