Are you ready to dive deep into the world of Dungeons and Dragons? Today, we're exploring 11 rules that even some of the most experienced Dungeon Masters get wrong. Let's jump right in!
DARK VISION
Dark vision is a fascinating ability that many creatures and characters in the D&D universe possess. It allows them to see in total darkness as though it were dim light. However, it's not as simple as turning on a night light. When you have dark vision, you can navigate and identify shapes in the dark, but the world isn't as clear and detailed as it would be in full light.
Think of dark vision like having night-vision goggles. You can see obstacles, avoid stumbling over rocks or into walls, and spot the general shape of a lurking creature. But when it comes to reading fine text on an ancient scroll or discerning the subtle color of a potion in a dimly lit room, that's where dark vision falls short. It's all about shades of gray, lacking the vividness of color and fine detail you would see in bright light.
In game terms, this is reflected by the rules: areas in darkness are treated as dim light, and dim light provides a lightly obscured condition. This means that while you can function pretty normally, you might still have trouble with tasks that require acute vision. For example, if you're trying to spot an ambush or find a hidden trap, you're at a disadvantage compared to being in a well-lit area.
So, while dark vision is a handy ability for dungeon delving and nocturnal adventures, it's not a perfect solution to all visibility problems. Adventurers with dark vision still need to be cautious and mindful of their surroundings, especially when exploring unknown and potentially dangerous locales.
NAT 20's
Next, let's talk about natural 20s. Rolling a 20 feels great and A Natural 20 is often the cause of excitement at the gaming table. What is it? It's a roll of 20 on a d20 die, the most iconic die in D&D. In combat, a Nat 20 is a critical hit — a moment of exceptional success and prowess. It not only guarantees a hit regardless of the opponent's Armor Class but often brings additional benefits like extra damage, creating moments of heroism and epic outcomes.
However, the magic of a Nat 20 extends beyond just combat. There's a common misconception that a Nat 20 equals automatic success in any situation, whether it's picking a lock with no experience, persuading a king to give up his throne, or jumping across a chasm that's clearly too wide. It's important to remember that a Nat 20 does not defy the laws of physics or the reality of the game world.
In skill checks and saving throws, a Nat 20 represents an excellent effort or stroke of luck. While it's not a guaranteed success in these scenarios, it often leads to the best possible outcome within the realm of the character's abilities and the situation. For example, a character with no experience in lockpicking might not suddenly crack the most complex lock with a Nat 20, but they could unexpectedly make significant progress or find an unexpected advantage.
It's also worth noting that in some situations, even a Nat 20 won't be enough if the task is impossible. For instance, a character trying to jump to the moon, no matter how athletically gifted, won't succeed even with a Natural 20. The roll of 20 should be seen as a spectacular attempt within the bounds of what's feasible in the game's world.
They are critical successes in combat and represent the best possible outcomes in skill checks, within the limits of the character's abilities and the laws of the game world. They add an element of unpredictability and potential for extraordinary success, but they don't equate to omnipotence.
SURPRISE IN COMBAT
Surprise is a key tactical element in D&D that can turn the tide of a battle before it even begins. It occurs when one group of characters catches another off guard, gaining an initial advantage. However, understanding how surprise works in the game is crucial for both players and Dungeon Masters (DMs).
When a party successfully sneaks up on their enemies, or when an ambush is well set up, the surprised party is considered 'surprised' for the first round of combat. This doesn't mean that the surprising party can act outside the initiative order. Instead, everyone, surprised or not, rolls for initiative as usual. This determines the order of combatants' actions.
The key effect of surprise is on the surprised characters' first turn in the combat round. They can't move or take an action on their first turn of the combat, and they can't take a reaction until that turn ends. This simulates the moment of being caught off-guard, needing a moment to react and respond to the sudden threat.
However, after their first turn passes, the surprised characters are no longer surprised. This is where many get confused – surprised characters regain their ability to take reactions after their first turn ends, even before the start of the next round. This means they can make opportunity attacks, cast spells like Shield in response to being hit, or perform any other action that is specifically a reaction.
This mechanic adds a layer of strategy to combat. Surprising your enemies gives you a significant advantage, but it's not a free pass to victory. The surprising party must make the most out of their initial advantage before their foes recover and react.
Understanding the nuances of surprise in combat is crucial for creating balanced and engaging encounters. It rewards clever planning and stealth but keeps the dynamics of combat intact, ensuring that all participants, whether surprising or surprised, play a role in the unfolding battle.
STEALTH
Stealth is up next. Sneaking around can make you feel like a ninja, but it doesn't mean you're invisible. Stealth is an essential aspect of D&D gameplay, often employed in sneaking past guards, avoiding dangerous creatures, or setting up ambushes. Successfully using stealth means your character is attempting to move quietly, hide effectively, or both. However, it's important to understand what stealth does and doesn't do in the game.
When a player declares they want to use stealth, they typically make a Dexterity (Stealth) check. The result of this roll is pitted against the Perception scores of those who might notice them. A high roll indicates that the character is moving silently and staying out of sight. But it's crucial to remember that stealth isn't invisibility. The environment, lighting conditions, and observers' vantage points all play a role.
For instance, hiding in a shadowy corner can be effective in a dimly lit room, but the same action in a brightly lit hall might be futile. The stealth check represents the character's effort to be as unnoticeable as possible given the circumstances, but it doesn't change those circumstances.
Another important aspect is the notion of breaking stealth. Actions like attacking, casting a spell with verbal components, or moving into an area with no cover or concealment typically end the stealthy state. This reflects the idea that stealth requires continuous cautious behavior.
Additionally, being successful in a stealth check doesn't mean indefinite concealment. The character needs to maintain their stealthy behavior, and certain actions or changes in the environment can necessitate new checks. For example, moving from a shadowed area to one with different lighting might require another stealth check.
Stealth in D&D is a balance between the skill of the character and the situational context. It requires strategic thinking about when and how to move, hide, and act. It's not a superpower but a skill that, when used cleverly, can provide significant advantages in exploration, combat, and interaction scenarios.
HIT DICE
Hit dice are a crucial aspect of character endurance and recovery in D&D. They represent a character's ability to heal and regain strength during short rests. Each class has a specific type of hit die, and the number of these dice increases with each level. For instance, a fighter has a d10 hit die, and a level 8 fighter would have 8d10 hit dice in total.
The common misunderstanding with hit dice comes into play during long rests. Players often think that after a long rest, they regain all their spent hit dice. However, the rule is more nuanced: after a long rest, a character only regains half of their total hit dice (rounded down, with a minimum of one die regained). So, if you're a level 8 character, regardless of how many hit dice you've spent, you only regain 4 hit dice after a long rest.
This mechanic encourages players to think strategically about using their hit dice. Since you don't fully replenish them after each long rest, deciding when to spend them becomes a crucial part of managing your character's resources. It adds a layer of realism and challenge, ensuring players can't completely heal all wounds effortlessly overnight.
For example, if you're in a multi-day dungeon without the opportunity for a long rest, you need to be judicious about using your hit dice during short rests. Burn through them too quickly, and you might find yourself in a tough spot later on.
Hit dice thus serve not only as a means of recovery but also as a strategic resource in the game, adding depth to the management of character health and stamina over the course of adventures.
OPPORTUNITY ATTACKS
Opportunity attacks are another area where there's often confusion. Opportunity attacks add an exciting tactical layer to D&D combat. They occur when a combatant leaves an enemy's reach, typically moving out of melee range without taking precautions. This represents a momentary lapse in defense, allowing the enemy a chance to strike.
Here's the key point: an opportunity attack is triggered only when a creature willingly moves out of an opponent's reach. This means if a character or creature is moving away on their own accord, they expose themselves to an opportunity attack. However, if they are moved involuntarily — say, through a push, a pull, or any form of forced movement caused by an attack or a spell — it does not trigger an opportunity attack.
This distinction is crucial for both players and DMs to remember. It means that positioning and movement in combat are strategic decisions. A character can't just walk away from a melee without exposing themselves to additional risk unless they use an action like Disengage, which allows them to safely exit melee range.
Another aspect to keep in mind is that making an opportunity attack uses your reaction. Since characters typically have only one reaction per round, deciding to make an opportunity attack means you won’t be able to use other reaction-based abilities until your next turn. This adds another layer of strategy, as players must decide whether the opportunity attack is worth using their reaction, or if they should save it for something else, like a spell or a different ability.
Opportunity attacks help simulate the fluidity and danger of melee combat, where every movement and position change can be a critical decision with potentially harmful consequences. It encourages players to think more deeply about their movement on the battlefield and adds a dynamic element to combat encounters.
LONG RESTS
Long rests are a vital mechanic in D&D, representing a significant period of downtime for characters to recuperate from the rigors of adventuring. Typically, a long rest is a period of relaxation and sleep lasting about 8 hours, during which characters regain lost hit points and regain some expended abilities.
A common oversight concerning long rests is related to armor.
As a note, I recently learned that the rules don't actually specify that characters can't benefit from a long rest while wearing armor, even though they should (in my opinion). But I'm going to leave this in as a homebrew rule.
Now back to my post...
This is often overlooked but adds a layer of realism and strategic decision-making to the game. The idea is that resting in armor isn't restful at all; it's uncomfortable and prevents a character from getting the necessary relaxation to fully recover.
So, if an adventuring party decides to camp for the night in a dangerous area, the players must decide between the safety of wearing armor and the benefits of a full rest. This can lead to interesting scenarios, especially if the party is ambushed or attacked during the night. If a character chose to sleep in their armor, they might not get the full benefits of the rest, but they are better prepared for a sudden fight. On the other hand, if they opted to remove their armor for a better rest, they might find themselves vulnerable if an unexpected combat situation arises.
Moreover, during a long rest, characters also regain used spell slots, making it a crucial time for spellcasters to regain their magical abilities. It’s a time to reset, strategize, and prepare spells for the next day.
This balance between rest and readiness is an essential aspect of long rests in D&D. It encourages players to think tactically about their choices even when they're not in the midst of combat or exploration. It brings an element of risk management to the game, adding depth to the adventure and requiring players to weigh their options carefully.
PERCEPTION CHECKS
Perception checks are a fundamental aspect of D&D, frequently used to determine what characters notice about their surroundings. This could include spotting a hidden enemy, noticing a secret door, or detecting a trap. These checks are typically made using the Wisdom (Perception) skill.
A key concept often misunderstood or overlooked is the difference between active and passive perception. Active perception checks are made when a character actively looks for something or responds to a specific situation, like searching a room for clues. The player rolls a d20, adds their Perception skill modifier, and the result determines what they notice.
Passive perception, on the other hand, represents a character’s general awareness of their surroundings without actively searching. It's like a baseline level of alertness. The passive perception score is usually 10 plus the character's Perception skill modifier. This is used by the DM to determine if the characters notice something without actively looking for it.
For instance, if a secret door has a Difficulty Class (DC) of 15 to be noticed, a character with a passive perception of 16 would notice it without needing to make an active search. However, if the characters don't have a high enough passive perception, they would need to make an active perception check to discover the door.
This distinction is crucial for gameplay because it affects how information is revealed to the players. Relying solely on active perception checks can lead to players missing out on critical details if they don't specifically state they are looking for something. On the other hand, passive perception allows the DM to give information that characters would realistically notice without explicitly searching.
Additionally, the environment can affect perception checks. Factors like poor lighting, noise, or obstructions can impose disadvantages on these checks, reflecting the difficulty of noticing details under suboptimal conditions.
Perception checks, both active and passive, play a significant role in the exploration and discovery aspects of D&D. They add depth to the gameplay by requiring players to be mindful of their surroundings and making the world more immersive and realistic.
READYING ACTIONS AND HOLDING ACTIONS
Ready actions are a bit tricky. In D&D, the Ready action is a tactical choice that allows characters to prepare a response to a specific, perceivable circumstance. This adds a layer of strategy to combat, enabling players to anticipate and react to unfolding events.
To ready an action, a player must specify two things: the exact trigger for their action and the action they intend to take in response. For example, a player might say, "I ready my bow to shoot any goblin that comes through the door," with the appearance of the goblin being the trigger and shooting the bow being the action.
Here are some key points about readying actions:
Uses Your Reaction: When you ready an action, you're committing your reaction to execute that action. If the trigger occurs before your next turn, you can take your reaction to perform the readied action. However, if your trigger doesn’t happen by the start of your next turn, you lose the readied action.
Specificity of the Trigger: The trigger needs to be something specific and perceivable. Vague triggers like "if something bad happens" aren't acceptable because they lack specificity.
Limitations on Readied Spells: For spellcasters, readying a spell requires concentration. If you ready a spell and the trigger doesn't occur before your next turn, you've expended the spell slot, and the spell fizzles out. This rule emphasizes the risk involved in readying a spell, as it could result in wasting a valuable resource.
Single Attack: If you have the Extra Attack feature, which allows you to make more than one attack on your turn, this doesn't apply when you take a Readied action. If you ready an attack and the trigger occurs, you only make one attack, not the full number allowed by your Extra Attack feature. This is because the Extra Attack feature specifically works on your turn, and a Readied action occurs outside of it.
Ready actions add a dynamic element to D&D combat, allowing players to set traps, prepare defenses, or strategically wait for the right moment to strike. It encourages players to think ahead and coordinate with their party members, enhancing the tactical depth of encounters.
AUTO SUCCESSES
In D&D, dice rolls, particularly high rolls, are a fundamental part of gameplay, influencing the outcome of actions from combat strikes to skill checks. However, a common misconception is that rolling high, such as getting close to or hitting the maximum on a d20, equates to automatic success in any situation. This belief can lead to unrealistic expectations and gameplay that defies the logical boundaries of the game's world.
Here are key points about high rolls and their limitations:
Context Matters: The success of an action, even with a high roll, depends on the context and the nature of the task. For example, no matter how high a character rolls, certain feats are simply beyond their capabilities due to physical limitations, lack of necessary skills, or the laws of the game's universe.
Difficulty Class (DC): The Difficulty Class (DC) of a task determines how hard it is to achieve. A high roll is relative to the DC set by the Dungeon Master (DM). If a task is nearly impossible (with a very high DC), even a roll of 19 or 20 might not be enough. This system ensures that tasks remain challenging and realistic within the game's setting.
Skill Limits: A character's proficiency and abilities also limit what they can achieve. For instance, a character with no knowledge of magic can't decipher an ancient arcane text, regardless of how high they roll on an Intelligence check. The outcome must align with the character's established skills and background.
Narrative Consistency: Maintaining a coherent and believable story is crucial in D&D. Allowing high rolls to achieve anything, regardless of plausibility, can disrupt the narrative flow and the game's internal logic. It's important for DMs to balance the excitement of high rolls with the need to keep the story and world consistent.
Challenge and Growth: If high rolls always guaranteed success, it would remove much of the game's challenge and the need for character growth and clever problem-solving. The possibility of failure, even with high rolls, adds tension, excitement, and a sense of achievement when tasks are successfully completed.
In summary, while high rolls in D&D are often cause for excitement and can lead to impressive outcomes, they are not a carte blanche for success in every scenario. The game’s mechanics, combined with narrative and logical consistency, ensure that the outcome of actions remains balanced, challenging, and rewarding for players.
So, there you have it! Eleven rules that are easy to forget or misunderstand. Got any thoughts or something I missed? Drop a comment below. Keep adventuring, and see you next time, friends!
If you want a more in depth dive into this, check out this video here.
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