Prone needs errata/rework

If you don't like that Reach weapons have disadvantage when attacking from further away, just rework the Prone condition to work like this:

Prone

• A prone creature's only movement option is to crawl, unless it stands up and thereby ends the condition.
• The creature has disadvantage on attack rolls.
• An attack roll against the creature has advantage if the attacker is within 5 feet of the creature. Ranged attack rolls against the creature have disadvantage.

Now no more Disadvantage on your melee attacks with Reach, and the condition stays simple and easy to remember.

Quote from Sequilonis >>

If you don't like that Reach weapons have disadvantage when attacking from further away, just rework the Prone condition to work like this:

Prone

• A prone creature's only movement option is to crawl, unless it stands up and thereby ends the condition.
• The creature has disadvantage on attack rolls.
• An attack roll against the creature has advantage if the attacker is within 5 feet of the creature. Ranged attack rolls against the creature have disadvantage.

 

Now no more Disadvantage on your melee attacks with Reach, and the condition stays simple and easy to remember.

 I suspect a lot of tables do this without even thinking about it. It's what makes sense.

Quote from Pantagruel666 >>

Quote from TheGnome5786 >>

It also helps to have a DM who does not meta game the bad guys into attacking the casters first and only. Who will accept an opportunity attack just to get past the front line to reach the casters.

It's not meta gaming to run past the heavily armored tank to mutilate a spellcaster, particularly when they have for some reason to decided to go prone.

 How do they know they are spell casters and not just civilians?

My spell casters don't run around in robes and vestments. They put on the same clothes as everyone else. And in some cases even carry weapons.

Quote from TheGnome5786 >>

 How do they know they are spell casters and not just civilians?

Because they're casting spells? If they're proning themselves they've already taken an action that combat (also, no, they're not civilians. Civilians have the sense to not hang out with adventurers, because doing so is a great way to get killed as collateral damage).

Quote from TheGnome5786 >>

Quote from Pantagruel666 >>

Quote from TheGnome5786 >>

It also helps to have a DM who does not meta game the bad guys into attacking the casters first and only. Who will accept an opportunity attack just to get past the front line to reach the casters.

It's not meta gaming to run past the heavily armored tank to mutilate a spellcaster, particularly when they have for some reason to decided to go prone.

 How do they know they are spell casters and not just civilians?

My spell casters don't run around in robes and vestments. They put on the same clothes as everyone else. And in some cases even carry weapons.

There is also the metagaming that everyone kind of does. I have X hit points left their AoO will likely only do Y leaving me Z hit points. It is okay to run past him.  When from a non meta point of view getting stabbed can kill you so just running past 3 warriors is a path to death.