Dungeons & Dragons is full of rules, and with so many rules to , it's no wonder some players and DMs get a few wrong. Sometimes players stick to one specific class for a while then forget how certain things work when making a new character. People can play D&D for years and then suddenly realize they have been doing a particular thing incorrectly.
Rules are used in D&D to govern everything from combat to downtime to make sure that everyone at the table is on equal footing. The current rule set for D&D is the 5th edition, and it is not uncommon for long-time players and DMs to confuse rules from previous editions. This can create problems when different people at the table are referencing different rule sets.
Combat and spell mechanics are the rules that trip players up the most. Not every player will have every rule memorized, so mistakes are often inevitable, but some areas cause confusion more than others. These D&D rules are some of the ones that nearly everyone has gotten wrong at least once.
Confusion Over Attacks Of Opportunity in D&D
Attacks of opportunity occur when a player moves out of an enemy's combat reach or vice versa. These opportunity attacks take up that character's reaction for that combat round. The attacks happen just before the player or enemies move out of the other's reach, thus allowing D&D players using feats like Sentinal to take effect. There are ways to get around attacks of opportunity, such as taking disengage as an action or bonus action if playing as a Rogue. Teleporting is another way to move without triggering an attack of opportunity, such as using spells like misty step.
Many players and DMs go wrong with attacks of opportunity by not knowing what does and does not trigger them and understanding the difference between being in melee range and weapons reach. Forced movement does not trigger attacks of opportunity, so if an enemy uses a spell, combat maneuver, or some other means such as an explosion to push the player back, then that enemy and any others in range would not get an attack of opportunity. This is obviously the same if the D&D party force a powerful monster back using something like thunderwave to shove creatures.
Another essential thing to about attacks of opportunities is that different weapons and creatures have different reaches. Typically, melee combat in D&D takes place within 5ft as most creatures and weapons have 5ft reach. However, some weapons and larger creatures have a more extended reach; in those cases, attacks of opportunity would not trigger until the player or enemies have left that weapon or creature's range.
Surprise And How It Works In D&D Combat
Surprise rounds and how they are determined is an area of combat that can trip up even the most seasoned players and DMs. Surprise rounds work when the players surprise an enemy or are caught off guard themselves. As stated in the Player's Handbook, the DM decides who is surprised, and some DMs might even have D&D house rules to help with this.
Surprise rounds happen if either side, players or enemies, are trying to be sneaky. The DM should then compare the stealth checks of one side against the perception of the other, either using perception checks or taking the ive perception score of the character or creature. Any player or creature who fails this check is surprised when combat begins.
What should happen next is that everyone rolls initiative. Once combat order is established, everyone takes their turns, with those who were surprised taking no actions, reactions, or movement for the first round. It is important to that is it possible for some of a party to be surprised while others aren't, either by ing perception checks or feats like Alert.
D&D Darkvision And Light Rules
One of the things almost guaranteed to cause an argument at a Dungeons & Dragons table is darkvision and how it works. Many player races and creatures in D&D have darkvision, allowing them to see just as well in low light as they would in bright light. In this dim light, the player or creature cannot see in color, typically being able to see in shades of grey or sometimes red in the case of Fire Genasi.
Darkvision doesn't mean that players or creatures with darkvison can see in total darkness. There are three categories for light listed in the Player's Handbook: bright light, dim light, and darkness. Dungeons, vaults, and even most nights are classed as being in darkness, and players would need a light source for the party to see even those with darkvision.
Using Cover In D&D Can Get Confusing
Cover and how to use it is a rule with an overlooked mechanic in D&D due to many players or DMs not knowing how it works. Most players and DM understand that cover can boost AC, but what many forget is that it also gives a bonus to Dexterity saving throws. Knowing how cover works can help combat if used tactically, especially for players whose characters have low AC, such as Wizards or Sorcerers.
Cover takes three forms in D&D: half, three-quarters, and full. Half cover will provide +2 to a player's AC and Dexterity saving throws. Hall cover is anything that could cover half of the character's body, so examples could be hiding behind a larger creature, a large piece of furniture like a table, or a low wall. Three-quarters cover will give a +5 boost to AC and Dexterity saving throws. Again like with half cover, three-quarters cover means that three-quarters of the body of the D&D player character must be obscured, so an example could be a thick tree trunk or shooting through an arrow slit.
Full cover means that the character has total cover and can't be seen properly; this is not the same as stealth as enemies would still know the character is there. Full cover doesn't boost AC or Dexterity saves but does mean that the player can't be targeted by attacks or spells that require attack rolls or line of sight. It is important to that area of effect spells would still be able to cause damage.
Sneak Attacks Are Tricky For D&D Rogues
One of the best parts about playing a D&D stealth class like a Rogue is sneak attack damage but knowing how it works and when that triggers can confuse some. Sneak attack is an ability Rogues get at level one and allows them to deal an extra 1d6 of damage, with this damage increasing as the Rogue levels up. Sneak attacks can only be used once per turn and cannot be used when using a reaction such as attacks of opportunity.
Sneak attacks trigger if the Rogue has an advantage on the attack roll, an example of this could be if the target is prone. However, sneak attacks will also trigger if the Rogue has an ally within 5ft of the enemy target and is actively engaged with that enemy. The reasoning behind this is that the enemy is distracted, allowing the Rogue to sneak in and attack.
Spell Concentration Rules In D&D
Playing a powerful spellcaster in D&D means keeping track of a lot of things, such as spell slots and knowing what each spell does. Some spells have effects that last longer than one round and require the player's character to concentrate on maintaining them. Spell concentration and its mechanics can confuse a lot of players leading them to make mistakes.
There are three things to when concentrating on a spell: other spells available, taking damage, and becoming incapacitated. The last one is the simplest, as if the character is incapacitated or killed, they lose concentration, and the spell ends. Spellcasters can cast other spells while concentrating; however, they cannot cast another spell that requires concentration. For example, if in battle a D&D Bard concentrates on heroism, they would still be able to cast another spell such as enthrall but not bane as that is also a concentration spell.
Taking damage while concentrating on a spell requires the player to make concentration checks. This is done by making a Constitution saving throw, and the DC will be 10 or half of whatever damage was taken, whichever is higher. So if a Cleric is concentrating on beacon of hope and takes 12 points of damage, then the DC will be 12, and if the player rolls 12 or higher, they maintain concentration.
Just How Many Spells Is Too Many In D&D?
Knowing how many spells can be cast in one turn can confuse new spellcasters. There are strict rules dictating how many spells can be used; otherwise, spellcasters would be massively overpowered D&D characters. Critical Role has added to some of the confusion surrounding this as Matthew Mercer created a feat for his players to use, which allowed them to change which spells they could use.
Typically a spellcaster can cast two spells per turn: one spell of any level and one cantrip. Additionally, the spells casting time must be one spell for the player's action and the other as a bonus action. A Cleric, for example, could cast healing word, which takes a bonus action, at any level and then use their action to cast a cantrip such as sacred flame.
The feat created by Matthew Mercer is called Spelldriver and is found in the Tal'dorei Campaign Setting. This D&D combat-based feat means that players are not limited to using a cantrip as their second spell. Although only one spell cast per turn can be third level or higher, the spell cast as a bonus action must still have the original casting time of a bonus action.
Which Classes Can Swap Spells In D&D?
How spells work and what spells are available differs from class to class. Some classes can change which spells they use after each long rest. This ability is called spell preparation, and some players don't know that their class can swap out spells each day. The ability is available for Paladins, Clerics, Druids, and Wizards who can prepare their spells for the day and change them to suit the situation they find themselves in. Sorcerers, Bards, and any D&D subclasses which give magic to melee classes such as Eldritch Knights or Arcane Tricksters cannot. It is important to so that players who have this available are making full use of their class's spell list.
D&D rules in 5th Edtion are the most accessible so far, but that doesn't mean everyone is going to get everything right all the time; no one is perfect. Keeping track of everything during a D&D game can be a lot, so hopefully, by breaking down these rules, life will be a little easier for some players and DMs. The most important thing to when playing Dungeons & Dragons, though, is to have fun, so long as everyone is having a good time, then a few mistakes don't really matter.
