D&D 5E (2024) Rules that annoy you

[Bacon Bits]

It's more the 80% there that bothers me, rather than the 20%.

Way, WAY too much emphasis on over-the-top heroics at character levels where such things should only be a pipe dream.

But level 4 is Hero and level 8 is Superhero!

 

[jmartkdr2]

When something can only be countered or cured by a specific spell. I hate it. The spell should just be the easy way out, but a hard way should always be possible.

Or the inverse, when a simple spell just solves a range of problems with no further effort (remove curse is the big culprit)

 

[Undrave]

Or the inverse, when a simple spell just solves a range of problems with no further effort (remove curse is the big culprit)

Remove Curse is the major culprit in both our scenarios. Or Greater Restoration.

 

[Ruin Explorer]

Or the inverse, when a simple spell just solves a range of problems with no further effort (remove curse is the big culprit)

Yeah I feel like a lot of D&D's primarily non-combat spells were developed very much as "cheat codes" in many cases (Remove X, Passwall, Goodberry, etc. etc.). Like, with the Remove X spells, DMs wanted to inflict conditions and curses on parties, which is absolutely a thing from fantasy fiction and mythology, but I think over time there was a bit of a lack of imagination/failure of imagination as to how to undo these effects - where in mythology/fiction they almost always require specific solutions, not generic spells/blessings.

All through D&D there's been a very inconsistent and often-broken thread of more interesting solutions - for example, in 4E, the blood of a medusa can cure petrification in medusa victims. But inexplicably 5E drops that. That's in no way an improvement or more interesting design, it's just dropped for no reason, and we're forced to use ultra-generic and annoying-to-get Greater Restoration.

I think 4E had to think about this a bit harder, because it had a wild proliferation of classes, and you couldn't rely on certain spells or abilities being available (except role-based ones, which this would not be), and I think it's a real pity 5E wimped out so hard here. There are tons of cases where there should be a narrative cure, but instead we're just forced to use Cleric spells (which in most cases are also available to other Full Caster classes, but basically they're Cleric spells, and you're absolutely turbo-screwed if you don't have the right Full Caster on hand, god forbid you have a party that doesn't include a Cleric or Druid).

This is one of the things about D&D I would consider "purely lame". It's actively uncool. Because it means no interesting or narratively-cool solutions, nor complex solutions, and parties forced to have access to certain things to just "not die", and if you do have the right spell, fixing the problem is just totally trivial and meaningless and forgettable. That the only narrative about saving Throknar from the Doom-Curse is just "Oh yeah we did a Long Rest and then cast Remove Curse on him", rather than anything remotely interesting.

 

[mellored]

Monk not getting anything remotely close to Weapon Mastery

You don't thing Dex grapples and punches are close to a weapon mastery?

It literally paints the image where Barbarian, whose whole thing is swinging so wildly he opens himself to counterattack, is now well-versed in tactics and techniques to provide a versitile arsenal,

Typical barbarian weapons swing so hard they deal damage though armor, or swing so wide they hit multiple enemies, or knock enemies down.

All of which can easily be run as swinging without thinking.

 

[Blue]

It's more the 80% there that bothers me, rather than the 20%.

Way, WAY too much emphasis on over-the-top heroics at character levels where such things should only be a pipe dream.

A level 1 character is still a main character of the heroic fantasy genre. They aren't over-the-top for their genre. And it's not like they can fight an ogre or do things like that at 1st level.

It sounds like you don't want that genre. There are other fantasy subgenres that are a lot more gritty, or need more build up. That's not what D&D is emulating, so I can understand how that annoys you.

However if you want it not to annoy you, realistically it is not likely that D&D stops being Heroic Fantasy. D&D won't change to satisfy you, so you either need to accept your annoyance (perhaps with house rules for your table), embrace what D&D is and let go your annoyance, or find an RPG that supports what you are looking for.

 

[FrozenNorth]

You know, actually, I can really just say "I hate how the game designers super duper don't care about realism except when they do." The game is abstract about a lot of things because, well, it's a game, not a simulation.

While I 100% agree with you and would probably select something similar as my pet peeve with the game, I can’t help but notice that a lot of others posters’ pet peeve can be described as “the game does not care about simulation in this one respect”.

 

[mellored]

While I 100% agree with you and would probably select something similar as my pet peeve with the game, I can’t help but notice that a lot of others posters’ pet peeve can be described as “the game does not care about simulation in this respect”.

Something that annoys me is how much of a pass people give "magic".


An action to mend a wound breaks realism.

A bonus action to mend a wound "with magic" and people wonder why they can't also cast fireball on the same turn.

 

[Xamnam]

That you can only hold one instance of inspiration.

 

[TiQuinn]

Thought of another bone of contention for me: Force Damage. Either shouldn't exist, spells and abilities that use it should do less damage with it or there should be more monsters resistant to it.