D&D General Things That Bug You

[dave2008]

Not that you can dodge an arrow in the first place, but dex and AC is a separate issue.

Actually, it can be easy to dodge an arrow - depending on the distance it is traveling. It takes an arrow about 2 seconds to travel 600 feet. That is pretty easy to dodge if I see it coming (but with my poor eyesight that can be an issue). I even remember a MythBusters were they "proved" you could deflect an arrow with a sword. I don't remember the distance, but it was a lot less than 600 feet.

 

[Stormonu]

delve?

It was used in adventures in late 3.5 and 4E. It was a format that used a full page to set up a single area for combat. Way too detailed and ballooned to eat up pages out of adventure modules that might have otherwise taken up a couple sentances. Also had the side effect that it contributed to writers making combats overly complex to justify using it and the poorly thought out design of "no empty rooms", which led to PCs buffing up before busting in every door because they knew there was an encounter on the other side.

 

[Mind of tempest]

It was used in adventures in late 3.5 and 4E. It was a format that used a full page to set up a single area for combat. Way too detailed and ballooned to eat up pages out of adventure modules that might have otherwise taken up a couple sentances. Also had the side effect that it contributed to writers making combats overly complex to justify using it and the poorly thought out design of "no empty rooms", which led to PCs buffing up before busting in every door because they knew there was an encounter on the other side.

yeah, I get your dislike of that.

 

[Oofta]

Tell that to the monk and the ninja

Actually, it can be easy to dodge an arrow - depending on the distance it is traveling. It takes an arrow about 2 seconds to travel 600 feet. That is pretty easy to dodge if I see it coming (but with my poor eyesight that can be an issue). I even remember a MythBusters were they "proved" you could deflect an arrow with a sword. I don't remember the distance, but it was a lot less than 600 feet.

Spider-Man and PCs with supernatural abilities and get a pass when it comes to dodging. Everyone else needs to rely on physics and the fact that you are probably doing more in combat than just waiting there to dodge an arrow that's going to be fired as a timed event while also dodging being hit by a sword, diving out of the way of a scorching ray and so on.

There are some scenarios where it could be done, but they're pretty limited to one-on-one combat. Have multiple opponents? Non-ideal conditions? I'd rather have a steel cocoon.

 

[Mind of tempest]

Spider-Man and PCs with supernatural abilities and get a pass when it comes to dodging. Everyone else needs to rely on physics and the fact that you are probably doing more in combat than just waiting there to dodge an arrow that's going to be fired as a timed event while also dodging being hit by a sword, diving out of the way of a scorching ray and so on.

There are some scenarios where it could be done, but they're pretty limited to one-on-one combat. Have multiple opponents? Non-ideal conditions? I'd rather have a steel cocoon.

or flesh just as durable.

 

[Reynard]

true but I see limited replayability, it would need more option before you get sick of the gameplay loop.

I don't think D&D has a "gameplay loop" in the way you are using it. It's not Skyrim. Every table is -- or should be-- unique to the group sitting at it: the PCs and the participants. If the thief player is bored it isn't a problem with the game, it's a problem with the table.

 

[Mind of tempest]

I don't think D&D has a "gameplay loop" in the way you are using it. It's not Skyrim. Every table is -- or should be-- unique to the group sitting at it: the PCs and the participants. If the thief player is bored it isn't a problem with the game, it's a problem with the table.

the table is only so imaginative and there are only so many things to do as a thief or a fighter you would get bored and end up dead sooner or later.

 

[Oofta]

or flesh just as durable.

Yeah, that's barbarians who get to add con to their AC. I guess they're so tough that weapons just bounce off their pecs.

 

[Nefermandias]

5E's reliance of concentration length spell duration - which I am trying to trick myself into thinking works towards lowering the feel and power of magic some (which I should like in theory).

Cantrips that do damage: If you run out of damage-dealing spells be more creative with your other spells or pick up a crossbow. (But I can live with it in 5E, I guess).

Funny thing, I'm more triggered by utility cantrips than attack ones.

An attack cantrip is just a weapon that cannot be reliably taken away from the character. This isn't really a big issue.

On the other hand, Light trivializes the need to carry torches, Mold Earth eliminates the need for shovels, Mending can fix pretty much anything, Mage Hands allows the caster to always open doors and touch things from a safe distance and so forth...

I feel like those utility cantrips causes more harm to the resource management game than the attack ones.

 

[Reynard]

Yeah, that's barbarians who get to add con to their AC. I guess they're so tough that weapons just bounce off their pecs.

I think trying to find in world explanations for game mechanics is an invitation to madness.

That said, I think in my next campaign I am going to make XP a real thing in the world and the PCs will be rare beings who can absorb it and be empowered by it. That is, lean into the idea of massively increasing power in game.