Playtest Update

mlund · Jun 25, 2012

People hate subtraction. Going to negative numbers actually requires some work. A result of 8 - 20 = -12. Making it simpler by just making it a +20 initiative. You don't have to borrow or carry. Nobody has to worry about whether there's a plus or a minus in front of the result.

To make it more effective, having Advantage against anyone who hasn't had a turn yet if you have Surprise seems elegant.

Surprise: +20 initiative and you have Advantage against anyone who has not taken a turn yet.

- Marty Lund

Odysseus · Jun 25, 2012

The feedback reflects the experience I had Dming for my group.
Out of the seven of us, five said they liked the direction(71%) and the two that didn't were much more neutral, rather than disliked it.
They liked the speed of play.
They wanted more at will combat options, for all classes.
The healing/resting recovery was an issue. But what people want does seem to vary quiet a bit.
Critical hits were boring.
And the skills needed a tweek.

mlund · Jun 25, 2012

I'm glad they are looking into tweaking skills.

It is good that they see the rest-and-healing mechanics are being a modular aspect of play. They just need to find a viable default for the play-tests that doesn't send DMs into a tizzy.

I really hope they stick with Hit Dice for natural healing. I think the Healer's Kit needs a little work, though. Anyone should be able to spend their Hit Dice in a short rest normally, without a Healer's Kit. Using a Healer's Kit when resting should allow you to re-roll any Hit Dice spent. Healer's Touch shouldn't maximize healing, but instead impose half of max as your minimum result for any healing you administer - kind of like how a Rogue never gets less than a 10 on his skill rolls.

Unassisted: Roll Hit Dice
Healer's Kit: Re-Roll any Hit Dice you choose.
Healer's Touch: Your minimum healing is half the maximum.

- Marty Lund

Remathilis · Jun 25, 2012

So they're working on the tactical module, the Fighter is getting Martial Maneuvers and the Cleric is getting Hit-and-Heal.

Hey 4e, we were wondering when you'd come to the party...

ZombieRoboNinja · Jun 25, 2012

Mustrum_Ridcully said:
That's a good observation. It can be problematic that the two sides are automtically going to be grouped together. And that is not just a thing in the first round, it will be in every round. It means people have less opportunity to react and both sides can optimize their actions on their turn, but they are standing around helpless the other half of the time.

It also means that the DM is stuck rolling dice for 5 minutes straight while everyone else gets bored and starts fidgeting.

john112364 · Jun 25, 2012

sheadunne said:
Because its one of those rules that's fun for one session but not a two year campaign. Within a year of 5e being released there will be hundreds of abilities, spells, powers, monsters, etc all based around it. You'll be rolling two dice most of the time. Less dice not more.

But wouldn't that be the case with any mechanic introduced? Does it really take that much extra time to roll two dice? The same could be said for flanking, higher elevation, cover etc. Players will always look for something to give them an edge. And frankly I don't recall seeing hundreds of abilities, spells, powers, monsters, etc to grant flanking, higher elevation or cover in either 3e or 4e. By your logic nothing 5e does would make you play because there's always the possibility that hundreds of abilities, spells, powers, monsters, etc may be created to take advantage of a particular in-game mechanic.

Colored me confused.

mlund · Jun 25, 2012

Advantage / Disadvantage is obviously a bald-faced attempt at a wedge to carve out market-share in dice. 5E will coincide with a release of D&D dice sets with with TWO d20s and only ONE d10, stealing away market-share from those now-defunct sets with Percentile Dice.

Then when 5.5 releases in 5 years and all our Percentile Dice have been melted down they'll introduce percentile-based rules again and finally be able to flood the market with all that back-stock of golf-ball d100s in their warehouses!

:kermit flail:

- Marty Lund

MatthewJHanson · Jun 25, 2012

A few thoughts. First the positives:

I like that a lot of the things the mentioned seemed to be the issues my group is having. (Fewer fighter options, healing, skill).

On the less positive side of things, I do think 60% of people liking the direction is low. We're not talking about 60% who would be unhappy with it as a final product, we're talking 60% are happy with the way it is going. I voted yes to that question with the knowledge that it was a playtest and still be developed. I would have voted know if it were a final product. I'm assuming that most people had the same idea in mind.

The end of summer is also disappointing to me. For one I think people may get board with what little we've got. Also at this pace I'm worried we won't see the game untill 2014.

Finally, in going back through all the ages of D&D I really think the development team should have taken a look at Pathfinder. If there is some that that both Pathfinder and D&D 4e do (i.e. healing that does not need spell slots), it's probably a good idea to include it in 5e.

Minigiant · Jun 25, 2012

Who asked for facing rules?

I got your facing rules RIGHT HERE!

*swings bat*

I see you! There are no backs in D&D. Get back here you Halfling.

ExploderWizard · Jun 25, 2012

Herschel said:
Actually it does. A lot.

It's not about when you (singly) go, it's that sides are most likely all going at once. They gang up, you gang up, they gang up, you gang up. It really throws the balance out-of-whack when, if surprised, one of your PCs can simply be eliminated before he ever has a chance to go.

This is how we did things for a long time and worked fine. A simple d6 roll each round, group initiative. No worrying about maintaining a batting order, and if new factions entered the fight on a given round they rolled and went in the rotation. Ties were frequent and awesome because simultaneous action meant EVERYONE could be killed that round.