D&D (2024) What have you seen new players confused by/mistakes they make?

[mellored]

What things have been confusing or unintuitive to new players? What are some common mistakes they make? What things tripped you up when you first started?

Due to backwards compatability, we probably can't change too many of them, but it would be helpful for them devs have a list.

 

[Digdude]

Spell attack bonus, damage modifiers, and initative seem to be things my new players keep having trouble finding.

 

[mellored]

The big one for me. Ability scores. They are never used. 16 and 17 Wis for no direct reason add 3.

It would be much nicer if we could just skip to the modifiers. Roll 3d4, take the middle or some such.

Second is equipment choices where one is choice is strictly superior to another. Why does padded armor and blow guns exist if no one would ever use them?

Nets are also really terrible.

 

[Blue]

Off the top of my head

• Differences between saves and checks. Things like having a save proficiency and using that modifier (with proficiency added) for things like a Strength check.
• TOOLS. Especially (a) variable ability+proficiency and (b) where they are applicable (vs. a skill).
• Multiclassing practical effects, especially on moving forward. There's a lot of easy ways to shoot yourself in the foot, and they hit them all the time.
• "Casting two spells" - there's no rule about that. There's a specific rule about what you can cast if you use a bonus action. Which they regularly forget. And when they remember it sometimes they think it applies to any time casting two spells, like an action and a reaction during your turn, or casting two spells with Action Surge.
• SPELLS! There are so many details that I see newer players just going for the most straightforward of spells (damage), or going for things that they think are cool sounding but not researching what the condition or effects really do. There are so many 1st level spells. I know people who have been playing for a few years who won't take on new casters because of how much effort they put in learning one spell list 1st-5th over play and don't want to put that level of work in mastering another.
• Multiclassing spells known.
• When Sneak Attack applies.
• Figuring out DC. And understanding that DC and Spell Attack are not the same.
• When to add proficiency. Specifically not adding proficiency to damage.
• The need to upgrade starting armor to better mundane armor. Weapons don't need that, and video games have taught them to wait for the magic version.
• Trap choices. We've got a triton paladin with a trident. Who would have thought a martial weapon would lag so far behind? But there are plenty of trap choices, especially in cantrips and 1st level spells.

Also I see so many newer players using apps to build their character, and they don't actually read/retain all of the moving bits. Especially when leveling up and getting something new.

 

[billd91]

The newest players in my Princes of the Apocalypse campaign have had fewer problems remembering rules than a couple longer time players who played a lot of 3e/PF. And that’s because the longer term players bring too many older methods they’re accustomed to. To me, this says WotC did a pretty good job of writing to newbs even with complexities like bonus actions.

 

[Dausuul]

Saving throws having the same names as ability scores. Over and over, I've had to remind our more casual players that "make a Dexterity save" doesn't mean a plain Dex check and they might have a higher bonus than they think.

When players continue to struggle with a misunderstanding that works to their detriment, that's a sign that something is seriously confusing.

 

[Gorck]

The biggest issue I've seen so far is the difference between Perception and Investigation. I have to constantly remind my players that Perception is basically scanning around to see if you notice something out of the ordinary or listening intently for sounds, while Investigation is more about walking around and picking up/moving objects to look in or under them. At least that's how I interpret the two, but I could also be wrong.

 

[CreamCloud0]

Some things that I stumbled over myself were spell component rules and their interactions with spell focuses and free hands (you can use a focus in a single hand as both material and somatic components in a spell but only if a spell has M components, if it doesn’t have M you can’t use the hand with the focus for S components and either have stow it or have another free hand?), the whole area is full of conditions and exceptions (if I understand correctly a bard can use a two-handed instrument as a spell focus with only one hand because it only states they need to touch the instrument to use it as a focus not play it?)
Tangentially to that the action economy for swapping and stowing items.

Spell save and spell attack DCs have been mentioned but I’d like to add passive perception to that list too.

 

[mellored]

Tangentially to that the action economy for swapping and stowing items.

That part has already been changed in the play test.

EQUIPPINGWEAPONS You can equip or unequip one Weapon before or after any attack you make as part of this Action.

 

[Clint_L]

1. action vs. bonus action vs. reaction. This is BY FAR the most common point of confusion I find among new players.

2. Being allowed to cast twice on one turn IF one spell was a bonus action and the other is a cantrip. Though in practice this mostly amounts to reminding clerics that they can still cast sacred flame after casting/using their spiritual weapon or casting healing word.

3. Surprise attacks/the "surprised" condition.