D&D (2024) Wrapping up first 2-20 2024 campaign this week, some of my thoughts

[Zardnaar]

Command is way more powerful. We are using that a lot still at 18th level, often upcast and affecting multiple enemies and often with them getting disadvantage on the save.

Twinned command is getting a lot of use. Very low resource cost. Cheap cost to twin and more sorcerer points.

Basically stun locking opponents. Or setting up advantage.

One player picked glamour bard

 

[tetrasodium]

they should, but do the guidelines say anything about how it affects the game negaely? We just had the example, the guide says you can craft, the guide says nothing about a two ring limit, the game was a cakewalk. Maybe the guide should have said something about this…

Experienced DMs probably do not fall into the trap, that still does not explain why the book sets it in the first place (and by that I mean has this easy and cheap crafting in the first place)

That's one of the more frustrating parts of having to fix 5e so I can run it. Alice as a gm might know exactly why she needs to build guardrails around all of these obvious problems with houseful after houseful she never should have been forced to take responsibility for. Bob who has never played anything but 5e is grumpy about that because he has no idea and only cares they Alice is obviously one of those adversarial GMs who needs to win by nerfing her the PCs in all these ways wotc didn't suggest.. Cindy and Dave however are catching Bob's infectious grumpiness while the campaign suffers from a thousand cuts adriven by s protest self fulfilling prophecy determined to prove that Alice is dead set on badwrongfun

 

[ECMO3]

You mentioned each person had 10 magic rings though. That is abnormal. Also, the 2024 DMG specifically says:

I said most of the party (I don't, I think three members have all 10). That is around 40 rare magic items (including my two rings) and hardly way out of line with the guidelines, especially when you consider that I am fairly certain we have fewer Very Rare and Legendary items than recommended and we certanly don't have the 100 items total that are recommended.

What I am saying is although it feels like a lot of magic items, I don't think it is way out of line with the guidelines in the DMG. It may be on the high end, but it is hardly some sort of monty haul scenario and that is even after considering that many of these (inclunding all the rings) were purchased.

 

[Bomberooski]

I said most of the party (I don't, I think three members have all 10). That is around 40 rare magic items (including my two rings) and hardly way out of line with the guidelines, especially when you consider that I am fairly certain we have fewer Very Rare and Legendary items than recommended and we certanly don't have the 100 items total that are recommended.

What I am saying is although it feels like a lot of magic items, I don't think it is way out of line with the guidelines in the DMG. It may be on the high end, but it is hardly some sort of monty haul scenario and that is even after considering that many of these (inclunding all the rings) were purchased.

The more this goes on the more I think your group just hates the game

Which if that’s the case and you guys just want to rip on a book that’s cool. But also this thread could be a cool way for smart players to help your group moving forward.

You can’t rewrite the stuff that bugs you but there are a ton of people in here that have great ideas to help.

 

[Chaltab]

That's one of the more frustrating parts of having to fix 5e so I can run it. Alice ASCs gm might know exactly why she needs to build guardrails around all of these obvious problems with houseful after houseful she never should have been forced to take responsibility for. Bob who has never played anything but 5eis grumpy about that because he has no idea and only cares they Alice is obviously one of those adversarial GMs who needs to win by nerfing her the PCs in all these ways wotc didn't suggest.. Cindy and Dave however are catching Bob's infectious grumpiness while the campaign suffers from a thousand cuts adriven by s protest self fulfilling prophecy determined to prove that Alice is dead set on badwrongfun

To be fair I don't think there's a version of D&D where this isn't the case. Maybe 2E and BECMI/RC?

3E has legendarily bad balance, 4E's monster math took 3 monster manuals to correct, OD&D was more like suggestions than rules, and 1E is organized by the principle of Gary Gygax shrugging his shoulders. I've been saying for years that 5E doesn't need more intricate magic item crafting rules and prices for this exact reason. It's too easy to break the game wide open.

 

[ECMO3]

Quick question, does the wizard have a Staff of Power/Magi or similar item?

No. At lease not as far as I remember. He does have something else, I think a Staff of Thunder and Lightning?

He also does not have a Robe of the Arch Magi and we have had all three of those items in previous campaigns.

As an aside I actually broke a Staff of Power in a 5E campaign during a final boss fight last year. It was epic, maybe my greatest moment in 40+ years of D&D, even though the character died.

 

[Doctor Futurity]

This is a great note, and probably my first house rule for 2024 will fix it (attunement is back)

I thought those rings didn't stack?

EDIT.....also, I am trying to wrap my head around the idea that the OP's group when from 2 to 18 in a bit under six months. How often were they meeting to play?

 

[MonsterEnvy]

that is disappointing

They have never used 2024 monsters.

 

[MonsterEnvy]

nevermind

 

[ECMO3]

The more this goes on the more I think your group just hates the game

Which if that’s the case and you guys just want to rip on a book that’s cool. But also this thread could be a cool way for smart players to help your group moving forward.

You can’t rewrite the stuff that bugs you but there are a ton of people in here that have great ideas to help.

I don't know that we really need help.

This is our first 2024 campaign and I just wanted to post on our experiences as compared to 5E which we were well versed with.

The first change (and it is extreme) is we are doing Dark Sun next. Not only no purchasing magic items, but no purchasing metal items.