For me this is all valuable information - I have been planning on doing some DMing of D&D5e myself, so having this sort of contact with the game and system is great to gain some understanding of its 'ins and outs'.
I can already see much of the stuff other systems rule on, have been transferred to DM adjudication in D&D5e. That probably speeds up things, which is great. But only if your gaming group is not too adversarial I would say - would you agree?
(Disclaimer: I am a noob to 5e, so I am not emitting any judgment on the system, I am only intent on learning about it)
On notifications: for me DnD Beyond ones have always been very delayed, but usually I receive them all I think.
I think it is fine to emit judgement, after all everyone have an opinion to things they come in contact and experience. It is rather the inability to change one's judgement with further information that I found troublesome. I, personally, have a series of critics with the 5e System and even DnD in general, but to me the reliance in DM adjudication is only really a problem in some books, when information is not expanded upon and a paragraph or two of text try to justification the lack of depth by saying that the DM should decide how it is in his campaign (which is even worse when this keeps happening through the book). This bothers me especially when the book cuts information previously well elaborated in older editions. That said, I absolutely agree with your point on the game flowing better with a not adversarial group. If my first 5e DM experience is any indication then I suggest you try your first game with players experienced in the system and roleplay, preferably a short prewritten adventure and with no restriction on homebrewing the encounters (up the HP, put monsters, take monsters out, you are the god that decides what Ao wants). All the better if your players have been DMs themselves. This way the focus on system knowledge is relieved by the roleplay aspect, you have a group that can teach you when you are in doubt and that knows how hard is being behind the DM screen.
My rule for standing behind another creature is that it works both ways. A small creature standing behind a friendly medium creature will have cover but will also have disadvantage on attack rolls it tries to make (it's pretty hard to, say, throw a fireball if your buddy's giant head is all you can see). I tend to use half cover for standing directly behind a friendly creature if you're trying to attack, but you also can get half cover. That doesn't apply to spells that say "creatures you can see." For those, I allow small creatures to make a stealth check if whatever is attacking wasn't aware of them initially and they're hiding behind bigger ones; medium creatures can't avoid those spells by hiding behind their friends (again with the caveat that if it doesn't know you're there at all, it can never include you). But that's not what every DM does!
5e definitely has a lot of flexibility and a lot of "modify this to fit your party" built in. For better or for worse.
I've been DMing for almost 11 years at this point and have run long campaigns in 3.5, 4e, Pathfinder, 13th Age and 5e. There is so much more flexibility with 5e when it comes to changing things/putting work on the DM than there was in any previous edition. That means more work for the DM but it also means that games running the same campaign setting, etc don't feel "samey."
I definitely don't like adversarial groups. I have a hard no PVP rule unless everyone has played successfully at my table before; I take OOC conflict even more seriously. It's why I'm pretty selective about who I invite to play particularly in non-play by post games. I care a lot about group composition. I'm willing to have a total beginner in my group if they seem like the best fit with the other people and just like an all-around great person; on the flip side, I find that there are plenty of experienced players with really toxic habits. So I don't think experience level/having been a DM in the past is any indication of how someone will do in my games. And I'm not shy about telling someone that they're not working in my games. I've been running D&D since I was 16 and in high school D&D club, where I had no choice of players and couldn't kick anyone out. That showed me how to spot and work around players I won't enjoy, and it allowed me to understand what I really want from players in my games.
One of the problems of being a perma-DM is that I can count on one hand how many campaigns I've actually gotten to play in. :(
Telurion scales the escarpment [using his movement and bonus actions]...
I did not know I had a bonus action? :O
Your turn is always movement, action, bonus action in whatever order you want. Lots of classes don't have good things to do with bonuses, so I like to let players use them for things like climbing.
I've been DMing for almost 11 years at this point and have run long campaigns in 3.5, 4e, Pathfinder, 13th Age and 5e. There is so much more flexibility with 5e when it comes to changing things/putting work on the DM than there was in any previous edition. That means more work for the DM but it also means that games running the same campaign setting, etc don't feel "samey."
I definitely don't like adversarial groups. I have a hard no PVP rule unless everyone has played successfully at my table before; I take OOC conflict even more seriously. It's why I'm pretty selective about who I invite to play particularly in non-play by post games. I care a lot about group composition. I'm willing to have a total beginner in my group if they seem like the best fit with the other people and just like an all-around great person; on the flip side, I find that there are plenty of experienced players with really toxic habits. So I don't think experience level/having been a DM in the past is any indication of how someone will do in my games. And I'm not shy about telling someone that they're not working in my games. I've been running D&D since I was 16 and in high school D&D club, where I had no choice of players and couldn't kick anyone out. That showed me how to spot and work around players I won't enjoy, and it allowed me to understand what I really want from players in my games.
One of the problems of being a perma-DM is that I can count on one hand how many campaigns I've actually gotten to play in. :(
For games in general I agree that the experience of the player does not always translate in compatibility. For example, I only saw one really antagonistic player/player with toxic habits and by what I could gather she was a DM. But I still think that it is easier to learn when someone in the group is more familiar with the rules and DMs tend to be the best in this regard. I had a tremendous luck within the first group I DM'd on pretty every single aspect. Let's not inflate their egos, but they made me really enjoying DMing. Some of them came with the more simple and at the same tame brilliant ideas.
That said, may I ask more about the DnD clubs experience? I've gotten into the hobby quite recently, so I have no idea how it works.
Will post again tomorrow. Got a big research project to finish up in the morning!
DM: In the Shadow of the Mountains: Lost Mine of Phandelver
Understood Makkiu.
For me this is all valuable information - I have been planning on doing some DMing of D&D5e myself, so having this sort of contact with the game and system is great to gain some understanding of its 'ins and outs'.
I can already see much of the stuff other systems rule on, have been transferred to DM adjudication in D&D5e. That probably speeds up things, which is great. But only if your gaming group is not too adversarial I would say - would you agree?
(Disclaimer: I am a noob to 5e, so I am not emitting any judgment on the system, I am only intent on learning about it)
On notifications: for me DnD Beyond ones have always been very delayed, but usually I receive them all I think.
@Draco
No hurries and good luck with the project.
@Edeldhur
I think it is fine to emit judgement, after all everyone have an opinion to things they come in contact and experience. It is rather the inability to change one's judgement with further information that I found troublesome. I, personally, have a series of critics with the 5e System and even DnD in general, but to me the reliance in DM adjudication is only really a problem in some books, when information is not expanded upon and a paragraph or two of text try to justification the lack of depth by saying that the DM should decide how it is in his campaign (which is even worse when this keeps happening through the book). This bothers me especially when the book cuts information previously well elaborated in older editions. That said, I absolutely agree with your point on the game flowing better with a not adversarial group. If my first 5e DM experience is any indication then I suggest you try your first game with players experienced in the system and roleplay, preferably a short prewritten adventure and with no restriction on homebrewing the encounters (up the HP, put monsters, take monsters out, you are the god that decides what Ao wants). All the better if your players have been DMs themselves. This way the focus on system knowledge is relieved by the roleplay aspect, you have a group that can teach you when you are in doubt and that knows how hard is being behind the DM screen.
Guess DDB is really bugging for me.
My rule for standing behind another creature is that it works both ways. A small creature standing behind a friendly medium creature will have cover but will also have disadvantage on attack rolls it tries to make (it's pretty hard to, say, throw a fireball if your buddy's giant head is all you can see). I tend to use half cover for standing directly behind a friendly creature if you're trying to attack, but you also can get half cover. That doesn't apply to spells that say "creatures you can see." For those, I allow small creatures to make a stealth check if whatever is attacking wasn't aware of them initially and they're hiding behind bigger ones; medium creatures can't avoid those spells by hiding behind their friends (again with the caveat that if it doesn't know you're there at all, it can never include you). But that's not what every DM does!
5e definitely has a lot of flexibility and a lot of "modify this to fit your party" built in. For better or for worse.
DM: In the Shadow of the Mountains: Lost Mine of Phandelver
I've been DMing for almost 11 years at this point and have run long campaigns in 3.5, 4e, Pathfinder, 13th Age and 5e. There is so much more flexibility with 5e when it comes to changing things/putting work on the DM than there was in any previous edition. That means more work for the DM but it also means that games running the same campaign setting, etc don't feel "samey."
I definitely don't like adversarial groups. I have a hard no PVP rule unless everyone has played successfully at my table before; I take OOC conflict even more seriously. It's why I'm pretty selective about who I invite to play particularly in non-play by post games. I care a lot about group composition. I'm willing to have a total beginner in my group if they seem like the best fit with the other people and just like an all-around great person; on the flip side, I find that there are plenty of experienced players with really toxic habits. So I don't think experience level/having been a DM in the past is any indication of how someone will do in my games. And I'm not shy about telling someone that they're not working in my games. I've been running D&D since I was 16 and in high school D&D club, where I had no choice of players and couldn't kick anyone out. That showed me how to spot and work around players I won't enjoy, and it allowed me to understand what I really want from players in my games.
One of the problems of being a perma-DM is that I can count on one hand how many campaigns I've actually gotten to play in. :(
DM: In the Shadow of the Mountains: Lost Mine of Phandelver
I did not know I had a bonus action? :O
Ammus' Investigation in combat:
Ammus' Investigation in Tracking:
I am the head of comms of the "oops, i accidently destroyed someone's brain" cult here is our terms and conditions
*smacks table* DRAGONS
Genius is merely insanity channeled correctly
LOL
DM I The Forge of Fey Fury
Palifwan "Pal" Turnipson I Level 0 Harengon I Hero's Journey
Your turn is always movement, action, bonus action in whatever order you want. Lots of classes don't have good things to do with bonuses, so I like to let players use them for things like climbing.
DM: In the Shadow of the Mountains: Lost Mine of Phandelver
Thanks for explaining kingdracon!
And rofl The_Project_Delta :D
For games in general I agree that the experience of the player does not always translate in compatibility. For example, I only saw one really antagonistic player/player with toxic habits and by what I could gather she was a DM. But I still think that it is easier to learn when someone in the group is more familiar with the rules and DMs tend to be the best in this regard. I had a tremendous luck within the first group I DM'd on pretty every single aspect. Let's not inflate their egos, but they made me really enjoying DMing. Some of them came with the more simple and at the same tame brilliant ideas.
That said, may I ask more about the DnD clubs experience? I've gotten into the hobby quite recently, so I have no idea how it works.
@The_Project_Delta
Using memes to react to the game, huh?
Daveth after being blinded by his light spell.
"Ain't Lathander's light good y'all?"
DM I The Forge of Fey Fury
Palifwan "Pal" Turnipson I Level 0 Harengon I Hero's Journey
Hey, hey, hey!
Ray Charles has soul! He needs no puny light!
XD True!
DM I The Forge of Fey Fury
Palifwan "Pal" Turnipson I Level 0 Harengon I Hero's Journey
Kress will no longer be joining us, so no need to wait for his actions before next posts.
DM: In the Shadow of the Mountains: Lost Mine of Phandelver
That's a shame... Hope everything is ok with him.
Hi all. I think I am joining your campaign. I am looking forward to playing with you. I am playing Zanatah, the half-orc warlock of the undead.
Id post a meme but am currently on mobile for the next few days. Once I'm home ill try to toss one in.
Welcome Zanatah!
DM I The Forge of Fey Fury
Palifwan "Pal" Turnipson I Level 0 Harengon I Hero's Journey
Good to have you on board Zanatah ;)
Apologies i had unexpected family business. I shall resume posting hehe...
(sorry again)
I am the head of comms of the "oops, i accidently destroyed someone's brain" cult here is our terms and conditions
*smacks table* DRAGONS
Genius is merely insanity channeled correctly