D&D 5E Starter Set Command Spell

[Ruin Explorer]

Oh, sorry--my mistake. I should pay more attention when catching up on a thread I haven't read in a while.

Not your fault, Mistwell and I were talking at cross-purposes (some others just didn't get the concept). I was pointing out that 4E took a different approach to structuring this aspect of the game to all other editions, and didn't want or need you to memorize stuff (for better or worse - you appear to concur with this in your post), and on that basis, claims that 4E's Command was "better" or "worse" were not helpful (it's like saying a hang-glider is better at flying than a bicycle), and by extension, that comparing 4E and other edition approaches on a better/worse basis (rather than "different ways" or "which do you prefer" basis) was pretty fruitless. Whereas comparing 5E and non-4E versions of the spell was more fruitful.

Mistwell was arguing across that to say that 5E's approach was better if you considered memorize-ability, which obviously, I actually agree with, 5E's one is more memorize-able, but doesn't speak to what I was discussing.

So there's no need to apologise.

 

[Ruin Explorer]

In my own case, for instance, I don't find that texty formatting particularly links the rules and fiction, if there is no actual clear link.

Indeed. I think it's a small minority of spells that suffer this issue, but they are there, and Cleric spells seem particularly prone to it, because they're often a bit vague/nebulous. One example is Aura of Vitality, which seems every bit as artificial and rules-y as any of the more game-y 4E powers, and has exactly as much flavour text (or slightly less!) as one, too. There isn't a particularly natural idea behind it (rather it seems very computer game-y) - unlike, say, Fireball. Fireball has the fiction and the rules in-tune - you use magic to make a fire-y explosion, which in the rules, explodes for fire damage in an area. Perfect. Aura of Vitality, though? You apparently magically link yourself to people nearby who are somehow determined to be your friends (by what process, we shall never know!), and for unclear reason, once a turn when you "deal damage" to an enemy, you can heal them all for 1d6.

That spell really does have every problem of the worse 4E offenders in rules/fiction separation or artificiality or however one wants to put it.

(Total tangent - Man, Barkskin appears to kind of blow! 2nd level and all it does is give +2 to AC for one person for up to an hour AND it requires Concentration? Bless is 1st level and I'm pretty sure that'll have much more impact on the outcome of any combat... Hope they've improved Barkskin for release)

 

[Cyberen]

If you want someone to drop what s/he is holding, you say "Drop it" or "Let it go".)

At my table, the first one is a Command to ragequit, and the second one a command to lose your round dancing like a teenage princess

By the way, I think Mistwell has Magic Jarred Mearls (or is it the reverse ?), as proven by his oh-so-timely remark about Errata coming just before the L&L.