D&D 5E What are the "True Issues" with 5e?

[Vaalingrade]

Hey, I want verisimilitude.

You probably mean actual verisimilitude.

Someone on the old WotC boards taught wizard fans that word years ago and they've been writing it on the side of the rocks they throw at the fighter and anyone that likes fantasy that isn't in the form of discrete magical spells ever since.

 

[Micah Sweet]

What about the part where it explicitly says the characters are capable of superheroic feats?

Very, very vague. All their examples are spells and gear. What does being a high level non-caster mean in D&D? What can they do without spells and magic items? Why don't they talk about that  anywhere?

 

[Mannahnin]

Very, very vague. All their examples are spells and gear. What does being a high level non-caster mean in D&D? What can they do without spells and magic items? Why don't they talk about that  anywhere?

How about being able to stand toe to toe with a 20 foot giant or 50 foot dragon and slug it out in melee?

How many giants can a 16th level Fighter reasonably defeat? Even one is a superhuman feat.

 

[Micah Sweet]

They are—-depending on how you define it.

Going toe to toe with giant monsters again and again with a weapon only is amazing.

Yes ancient humans took down mastadons in groups and people kill bears. But not usually toe to toe alone over and over. And not usually fire breathers with metal scales.

That would be amazing.

I would love it you had to actually use intelligent tactics to fight very large creatures, like in real life. This toe to toe thing is just nuts.

 

[mamba]

What possible biological justification for these other species' selectively absolute mundanity?

They have similar ability scores to humans, so cannot be all that different in game

 

[Micah Sweet]

How about being able to stand toe to toe with a 20 foot giant or 50 foot dragon and slug it out in melee?

How many giants can a 16th level Fighter reasonably defeat? Even one is a superhuman feat.

Yeah, its ridiculous. It also doesn't actually say fighters do that anywhere; the rules just allow for it. I already told you that's not enough for me.

 

[Gammadoodler]

Very, very vague. All their examples are spells and gear. What does being a high level non-caster mean in D&D? What can they do without spells and magic items? Why don't they talk about that  anywhere?

This is a fair criticism of 5e. Magic first..always.

That said, it's strange to me to look at the tiers of play description and come to the conclusion that it just must not apply to some classes.

 

[Gammadoodler]

They have similar ability scores to humans, so cannot be all that different in game

What?...
Just..
What??

That is some straight bananapants logic.

One of those options is a sentient machine for heaven's sake.

 

[Micah Sweet]

dislike of bookkeeping has derailed most attempts to have systems like that. IME most tables don't use spell components, encumberance, or anything like that because it's just a unfun thing to deal with. I'd say bags of holding are the most overused items in DND and i'm guilty of it as well. Some nitpicky rules lawyer start getting into something like encumberance and I'll just throw them in the next treasure because I as DM don't want to deal with it. Nothing fun at all about the resource game. I can play monopoly if I want that.

Throw out resource management, and you're throwing out the core of what makes an imaginary world feel real and not just a backdrop to gonzo high-octane action. That's not a game I want to play.

 

[Micah Sweet]

This is a fair criticism of 5e. Magic first..always.

That said, it's strange to me to look at the tiers of play description and come to the conclusion that it just must not apply to some classes.

If you're insisting on going that high, I agree it should apply to everyone. But it doesn't work right if all you talk about are the magic people.