D&D 5E Unexpected but (mostly) awesome new rules in Basic

[Kobold Stew]

I had to make my first post because I don't think I've seen anyone comment on the 'shove' action. It's a simple mechanic that seems to be pretty darn useful.

In 3e I noticed players never using the special attacks (bull rush, overrun, grapple, trip, disarm, etc) unless it was the focus of their entire build, just because they were so damn complex. No one wanted to be the guy who brought the combat to a halt thumbing through the PHB to figure out if he could knock the orc over instead of just whacking it.

Just reading the Basic rules for 5th, I'm excited to see more pushes and shoves being mixed into combat without much fuss.

Welcome to the boards!

Good call -- the unification of mechanics with grappling too is elegant:

Attacker's (Athletics) vs. defender's (either athletics or acrobatics) puts the onus on the attacker, but allows for interesting effects in combat.

 

[jadrax]

The problem then exists only for things such as chariots, but I'll admit I've not seen chariots ever used in D&D combat.

I tried it a few times in 3.5 - It never really seemed to work.

 

[Li Shenron]

Races:
* Dwarves -- completely reformulated (wis bonus now for hill dwarves; stone cunning completely rethought;; tool proficiency; +2 strength gives hope for interesting bonuses for the half-orc)

I am not sure how to read the part about vision... Does the 60ft range limit apply also to treating total darkness as dimlight or is it unlimited?

 

[Nebulous]

It might've been months before I actually read the section (sex-tion?) about choosing your character's sex, but having gone back to read it, I'm pretty impressed. It's not only progressive and modern-thinking, it also heads-off any uncomfortable discussions about the nature of sex and gender in a fantasy world.

D&D's come a long way from the days when females had a lower limit to their natural strength score.

You know, i wouldn't have a problem if women had a lower Strength store so long as females got to have a higher Intelligence

 

[Pickles JG]

Welcome to the boards!

Good call -- the unification of mechanics with grappling too is elegant:

Attacker's (Athletics) vs. defender's (either athletics or acrobatics) puts the onus on the attacker, but allows for interesting effects in combat.

It's a dirty 4e rule & I'll be d*mned before I use it!

 

[Nemio]

Finger of Death:

A humanoid killed by this spell rises at the start of your next turn as a zombie that is permanently under your command, following your verbal orders to the best of its abilities.

Is this new?


Side note : I remember killing a Fire Giant in Baldur's gate 2 with this spell once, that was awesome

 

[Darth Quiris]

It might've been months before I actually read the section (sex-tion?) about choosing your character's sex, but having gone back to read it, I'm pretty impressed. It's not only progressive and modern-thinking, it also heads-off any uncomfortable discussions about the nature of sex and gender in a fantasy world.

D&D's come a long way from the days when females had a lower limit to their natural strength score.

Yes this is probably the most exciting part of this new edition so far is that it not only acknowledges gender but it does it in a way that's respectful and accepting and as a transgender girl I really like it.

It shows that WotC has come a long way and is taking this new edition in a nice direction. This alone will probably sell a few books also.

 

[pemerton]

Finger of Death:

A humanoid killed by this spell rises at the start of your next turn as a zombie that is permanently under your command, following your verbal orders to the best of its abilities.

Is this new?

I think it was in the playtest.

It comes from the old AD&D spell Energy Drain, which - if it killed a target - led to them rising as a juju zombie.

 

[pemerton]

donning and doffing rules are great, clear, and relevant

I don't really object to them, but relevant? How often do they come up? (The only thing I can think of is chasing ambushers who are fleeing after attacking the PCs in their inn room. Although there don't seem to be any rules that penalise sleeping in armour.)

 

[Nebulous]

I don't really object to them, but relevant? How often do they come up? (The only thing I can think of is chasing ambushers who are fleeing after attacking the PCs in their inn room. Although there don't seem to be any rules that penalise sleeping in armour.)

Maybe a PHB clarification/addition, sleeping in armor penalties.
i'm sure it will come up officially at some point.