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

[Jeph]

One of my favorite things about the 5e basic rules that I haven't seen much comment on yet:

You can only concentrate on one spell at a time.

Almost every buff requires concentration.

This is awesome. It will sane-ify high level play so frickin much, and prevent casters from becoming better than you at your chosen thing with a minute of layering wards and enhancements.

Another one: Teleportation without a permanent circle or a trinket taken from the target location is real shaky. Talkin' 24% chance of missing your target or a mishap even if you're very familiar. Kills scry-buff-teleport without taking versatile teleportation out of the wizard's arsenal.

(And what're ya'll talking about, the SF bay area is crawling with GMs.)

 

[Talath]

(And what're ya'll talking about, the SF bay area is crawling with GMs.)

What are they running?

 

[d20Dwarf]

Aside from some pushback on the language used (some consider "hermaphrodite" a slur and that "trapped in a man's body" is an offensive way to describe someone who is trans), the response has been overwhelmingly positive.

As a scholar who studies gender and sexuality, I can assure you that no language will ever satisfy everyone and new reasons to avoid this or that language will continue to arise. Judith Butler gives brief and readable examples of the internal conflicts between different queer factions in Undoing Gender.

That said, I'm guessing very few queer folks don't welcome the inclusion of this paragraph in the game. I was certainly happy to see it, if for no other reason than gaming culture at large harbors a lot of misogyny and homophobia and it's really nice to see such a high-profile game make a positive, inclusive statement.

We shouldn't let perfection be the enemy of the good, and we should celebrate these kinds of statements that go beyond individual preferences to be built directly into the game.

 

[Particle_Man]

Another one: Teleportation without a permanent circle or a trinket taken from the target location is real shaky. Talkin' 24% chance of missing your target or a mishap even if you're very familiar. Kills scry-buff-teleport without taking versatile teleportation out of the wizard's arsenal.

It does make me wonder whether "teleport without error" will appear in the PHB.

And every PC should BURN their cut hair, toenail clippings, etc. NEVER lend anyone a book or other object from your home, and indeed NEVER let anyone into your home that you don't trust absolutely. Leaving trinkets around for other people to find and sell to enemy wizards is just putting a big target on your chest.

 

[Branduil]

I like that thieves get the ability to parkour(Second-story Work). It makes a lot of sense for their archetype and should encourage more creative movement on the battlefield.

 

[pemerton]

I liked how they did spell preparation and spell slots. It seems to have the best of both worlds, combining the tactical decision-making of preparing spells ahead of time with the flexibility of using the slots only at the time of casting.

Didn't Monte Cook have a system a bit like this in Arcana Unearthed/Evolved?

gaming culture at large harbors a lot of misogyny and homophobia and it's really nice to see such a high-profile game make a positive, inclusive statement.

Both these things are true.

 

[Particle_Man]

Whips are martial weapons, finessable, and cheap.

So both dex-fighters and str-fighters can get their Indianna Jones jones.

 

[DreamChaser]

Whips are martial weapons, finessable, and cheap.

So both dex-fighters and str-fighters can get their Indianna Jones jones.

I hadn't noticed this...and am glad to see it.


Also with regard to the "sex" section, as a queer kid (I'm sure one of the many) who found escape in D&D as a teenager 20+ years ago, I'm glad to see this shift. I was fortunate to find -- and then build -- a group (first a game run by a gay man, then my friends who were all cool with me). We were not always welcome at our local(ish) game store.

Shifts like this in the culture of the game are vital. I am glad to see it happen.

Now if Star Trek would just manage to have a non-hetero/hetero-seeming character on screen......

 

[Particle_Man]

Now if Star Trek would just manage to have a non-hetero/hetero-seeming character on screen......

They came kinda/sorta close with the Dax symbiote stuff in DS9 (and almost in TNG), but yeah, they could do better there.

 

[vecna00]

Any thoughts on Exotic weapons making a comeback? I have a tendency to really like weird weapons, especially loved the double weapons, even if I never really utilized them personally.

On that same note, no bastard swords? I'm not being nitpicky, just really surprised it's not on the list.