D&D 5E Tired of doing WotC's job

[DND_Reborn]

Well, it has been a while since I've posted on Enworld. After 18 months of 5E, I think I am soon to be done with it. Honestly, I am sick and tired of doing the game designers' work for them.

I've been running a new game online and its been ok. Today, one of the PCs failed to save against a wererat's bite and has lycanthropy. This was just as we ended the session. So, I took some time to research it and found very little information. Just that it is a curse and can be removed with remove curse. Some questions arose:
is it magical? can you detect it with*detect magic*? if so, why can't you use dispel magic? is the target aware they are cursed? and so on.

Compared to the amount of information in prior editions, 5E is severely lacking. We all know that the idea was to allow players to play how they want, but making up the rules and the systems for the game because they aren't there in the first place is just getting annoying IMO.

Another example: in bringing in a new player for today's game, his PC wanted to buy a cloak. a CLOAK, and it isn't listed. What is the cost and weight? I decided finally just to tell him to get a blanket and say that is his cloak. I mean, really, how hard would it have been to put in a table for purchasing common clothing items like cloaks, boots, and shoes. Yeah, I know, we can come up with our own if we want to, but damn it, should we really have to?

I know in prior editions we house-ruled stuff, but I have four times as many house-rules and such for 5E than any other edition I've ever played. And a lot of this might be for (what I consider) a better balanced game, but a lot of it is for standard stuff.

Ultimately in the case of the lycanthropy curse, now I have to decide as DM how I want to handle it, what will the PC be aware of, will they ever be able to control it if it isn't removed, and such.

I am not expecting much in the ways of replies. Mostly just venting. I enjoy playing 5E not because it is 5E, but because I am playing D&D again. I went for nearly ten years without getting to play, so I was thrilled when I helped form a new group. Sadly, I think by the end of summer I will probably be done with 5E. If I can convince the group to try earlier versions, or maybe a different RPG, I'll get to keep playing. If not, well... I guess all good things must come to an end.

I owe a lot to RPG's and D&D specifically. So I'll end this with a heart-felt and general cosmic THANK YOU to all those who made my experiences possible. Cheers.

 

[Guest 6801328]

Hope you find a game that suits you better.

 

[Fenris-77]

There are lots of other great games out there, I'm sure you'll find something. Everyone needs a break sometime.

 

[Laurefindel]

Well, it has been a while since I've posted on Enworld. After 18 months of 5E, I think I am soon to be done with it. Honestly, I am sick and tired of doing the game designers' work for them.

I've been running a new game online and its been ok. Today, one of the PCs failed to save against a wererat's bite and has lycanthropy. This was just as we ended the session. So, I took some time to research it and found very little information. Just that it is a curse and can be removed with remove curse. Some questions arose:
is it magical? can you detect it with*detect magic*? if so, why can't you use dispel magic? is the target aware they are cursed? and so on.

Compared to the amount of information in prior editions, 5E is severely lacking. We all know that the idea was to allow players to play how they want, but making up the rules and the systems for the game because they aren't there in the first place is just getting annoying IMO.

Another example: in bringing in a new player for today's game, his PC wanted to buy a cloak. a CLOAK, and it isn't listed. What is the cost and weight? I decided finally just to tell him to get a blanket and say that is his cloak. I mean, really, how hard would it have been to put in a table for purchasing common clothing items like cloaks, boots, and shoes. Yeah, I know, we can come up with our own if we want to, but damn it, should we really have to?

I know in prior editions we house-ruled stuff, but I have four times as many house-rules and such for 5E than any other edition I've ever played. And a lot of this might be for (what I consider) a better balanced game, but a lot of it is for standard stuff.

Ultimately in the case of the lycanthropy curse, now I have to decide as DM how I want to handle it, what will the PC be aware of, will they ever be able to control it if it isn't removed, and such.

I am not expecting much in the ways of replies. Mostly just venting. I enjoy playing 5E not because it is 5E, but because I am playing D&D again. I went for nearly ten years without getting to play, so I was thrilled when I helped form a new group. Sadly, I think by the end of summer I will probably be done with 5E. If I can convince the group to try earlier versions, or maybe a different RPG, I'll get to keep playing. If not, well... I guess all good things must come to an end.

I owe a lot to RPG's and D&D specifically. So I'll end this with a heart-felt and general cosmic THANK YOU to all those who made my experiences possible. Cheers.

Hum, what you consider a bug, I see it as a feature. I like 5e because I feel (at last) free of the tyranny of encyclopedic rules of prior editions.

I’ll give you that 5e leaves a lot of blanks, but I believe those are intentional. With that design philosophy, you are not doing the devs’ job for them, you are doing what they expected you to enjoy doing. Obviously you aren’t so the game loses its appeal, but I wouldn’t blame the devs for it.

As others said, there plenty of wonderful games out there. There’s one for you! Hope you and your group find it!

 

[Guest 6801328]

You might need a new avatar name, though.

 

[Fanaelialae]

I've been running a new game online and its been ok. Today, one of the PCs failed to save against a wererat's bite and has lycanthropy. This was just as we ended the session. So, I took some time to research it and found very little information. Just that it is a curse and can be removed with remove curse. Some questions arose:
is it magical? can you detect it with*detect magic*? if so, why can't you use dispel magic? is the target aware they are cursed? and so on.

Compared to the amount of information in prior editions, 5E is severely lacking. We all know that the idea was to allow players to play how they want, but making up the rules and the systems for the game because they aren't there in the first place is just getting annoying IMO.

I can't recall those questions having been answered in any edition of D&D. Certainly not in the core three books (as far as I can recall). Maybe in an obscure sourcebook or Dragon article. If you're aware of the answer in a different edition, why not simply use that?

In any case, if it isn't jiving for you that's fine. I hope you find a game better suited to your tastes.

 

[Parmandur]

Well, it has been a while since I've posted on Enworld. After 18 months of 5E, I think I am soon to be done with it. Honestly, I am sick and tired of doing the game designers' work for them.

I've been running a new game online and its been ok. Today, one of the PCs failed to save against a wererat's bite and has lycanthropy. This was just as we ended the session. So, I took some time to research it and found very little information. Just that it is a curse and can be removed with remove curse. Some questions arose:
is it magical? can you detect it with*detect magic*? if so, why can't you use dispel magic? is the target aware they are cursed? and so on.

Compared to the amount of information in prior editions, 5E is severely lacking. We all know that the idea was to allow players to play how they want, but making up the rules and the systems for the game because they aren't there in the first place is just getting annoying IMO.

Another example: in bringing in a new player for today's game, his PC wanted to buy a cloak. a CLOAK, and it isn't listed. What is the cost and weight? I decided finally just to tell him to get a blanket and say that is his cloak. I mean, really, how hard would it have been to put in a table for purchasing common clothing items like cloaks, boots, and shoes. Yeah, I know, we can come up with our own if we want to, but damn it, should we really have to?

I know in prior editions we house-ruled stuff, but I have four times as many house-rules and such for 5E than any other edition I've ever played. And a lot of this might be for (what I consider) a better balanced game, but a lot of it is for standard stuff.

Ultimately in the case of the lycanthropy curse, now I have to decide as DM how I want to handle it, what will the PC be aware of, will they ever be able to control it if it isn't removed, and such.

I am not expecting much in the ways of replies. Mostly just venting. I enjoy playing 5E not because it is 5E, but because I am playing D&D again. I went for nearly ten years without getting to play, so I was thrilled when I helped form a new group. Sadly, I think by the end of summer I will probably be done with 5E. If I can convince the group to try earlier versions, or maybe a different RPG, I'll get to keep playing. If not, well... I guess all good things must come to an end.

I owe a lot to RPG's and D&D specifically. So I'll end this with a heart-felt and general cosmic THANK YOU to all those who made my experiences possible. Cheers.

Well, good luck. Those vagueries are all basically features, not bugs for me...

 

[Gladius Legis]

k bye

 

[Mecheon]

Well, good luck. Those vagueries are all basically features, not bugs for me...

Pretty much in agreement here. You want them to cure the bite? Give 'em a quest to do it. Let them do research rolls and come up with stuff. You don't need a codified response to this. Just handwave it. Rub Wolfsbane on the wound before the full moon? Sure, why not? Contact the ancient Spirit of Rats and convince him that you don't want this 'gift'? Sure, why not?

(I'd argue its a disease, mind, and you could tell from the bite if infected or not)

 

[Mercurius]

Ultimately in the case of the lycanthropy curse, now I have to decide as DM how I want to handle it, what will the PC be aware of, will they ever be able to control it if it isn't removed, and such.

That's kind of the point, and depends on your DMing style and the campaign. Do you want to make it a Thing? Then make it really hard to remove, requiring a quest. Just a minor annoyance? You could leverage it for a bit of comic relief and then have it wear off on its own, or via an easily purchased potion.