## The Critique ##

For all of us D&D 5 is a new system; for you and your group it is a whole new concept.

Some of the things that you say are basic are not so basic - I have been playing for 30+ years and I wouldn't know my attack bonus or the modifier for a Dex of 15 without looking them up on my character sheet. Have a look at the questions on this site - if they were all so easy they wouldn't get asked.

I appreciate your frustration but ... you are responsible for how you feel. The player's do not make you frustrated; their failure to live up to *your* expectations are what's doing that. Lower your expectations; this is a *game*, people don't want to do *homework* in order to play a game! Some player's will read the rule books because that is fun for them; if it isn't fun then don't force them to do it or they will decide that this hobby is *not fun* and stop playing.

## The useful stuff ##

**A combat character sheet**

In general, the issues where the rules are going to be a problem are in combat. Take they time to lay out a character sheet that focuses on what the character can do in combat; there are surprisingly few actual options. Here is an outline - fill in the details for the specific character:

 1. **Move** 
    1. Climb, swimming & crawling
    2. Jump
    3. Difficult Terrain
    4. Stand up/Lie down
 2. **Do 1 of these Actions**
    1. Attack: Put to hit and weapon info here
    2. Cast a Spell: List combat related spells with DC/Attack Bonus and effect
    3. Dash: Gives a second move
    4. Disengage: Safely move out of enemy's reach
    5. Dodge: Attackers have disadvantage
    6. Help: Give advantage to a friend
    7. Hide: must be out of sight
    8. Ready: Do something in response to someone else
    9. Search: Look for something
    10. Use an Object 
 3. **Do 1 Bonus Action**
    1. Be specific about the bonus actions that character can do e.g. For the Bard list "Bardic Inspiration" with what it does and what it costs; also list spells with 1 Bonus Action casting times
 4. **Be alert for 1 Reaction**
    1. Attack of Opportunity
    2. For the Bard: "Cutting Words" with what it does and what it costs.

Only put down what is relevant for that character (e.g. Spells are not an option for the fighter so leave them out, non-combat related spells are irrelevant so leave them off). This focuses the player on what they can do *right now* and cuts out information overload.

**Checklists**

You should build a checklist for normal things that they do and run the players through them until it becomes second nature. Some examples:

 1. **Short Rest**
   1. Song of Rest
   2. Spend hit dice
   3. Wizard regain spells
   4. etc
 2. **Long Rest**
   1. Whatever
 3. **Start of Day**
 4. **After combat**
 5. **etc**

**Remember "How to Play"** (PHB p.6)

 1. The DM describes the environment
 2. The players describe what they want to do
 3. The DM narrates the results of the adventurers’ actions

Step 2 should never be about rolling dice - "I climb the wall", "I jump the chasm", "I peer into the darkness" **not** "I make a Strength (Athletics) check", etc. **You** tell them what dice to roll and **be specific** "Make a DC15 Strength (Athletics) check with a d20, your modifier is near your strength score on the top left of your sheet." Of course, even better is, unless there is some risk or time pressure just say "OK, you climb the wall; from the top you see ..."

**Tell the players what they can do**

It is not cheating to say to the cleric "This would be a good time to Channel Divinity - it does x, y & z". Do not punish the player for not being intimately familiar with the character's capabilities. If you do this a few times you will get a warm feeling in your heart when eventually the player says "I Channel Divinity" without being prompted. Learning is hard, it takes the *average* adult 50 repetitions of information before they learn one thing.