New Playtest Survey going out

CasvalRemDeikun · Aug 22, 2012

This morning I received a new playtest survey. A lot of people haven't yet, but it is probably a staggered release.

I had a lot of positive things to say, but also a lot of negatives. While I think they are headed in the right way with the fighter, the fighter still needs some out of combat oomph. The cleric is mostly good, but an option for non-Vancian casting needs to exist. The rogue I have played the least, and I don't really know how well it works, though schemes seem pretty neat. The wizard is very blah and needs some work. Mostly, a non-Vancian casting option (like 4E), but also something to differentiate different wizards beyond what spells they use. I am anxious to see what the Wizard Traditions will look like. I definitely think the skill list needs to be trimmed and some like skills need to be combined. There is NO good reason for 13 different lore skills.

Some of the positives I had were about the Races and how they evoked pretty much every edition in feel. I was able to make some quick start rules for Dragonlance fairly easy. I forgot to put that I like that spells are more clear than they used to be, but they are, and this is good.

I did make a call for a Warlord class, since non-magical healing is great, and I hope they work on one.

RangerWickett · Aug 22, 2012

The feedback list that I wrote down on my character sheet is:

* I'd present 'slow healing' as the default, and make 'fast healing' an option. It's always easier to make players accept a house rule if you're adding something than if you're taking something away.

* Ranged attack tricks of all varieties ought to be applicable to non-weapon ranged attacks. Like, let warlocks rapid shot their eldritch blast. Ditto for touch spells and 'dual wielding.'

* I like that there isn't charging, because an 'attack' is actually a few seconds of swinging, and you don't have time for that after a 60-ft. sprint. But realistically you probably ought to be able to sprint and then take one swing with a penalty or disadvantage or something.

* Not sure if you're up for it, but I'd love a magic system in Next that works like Elements of Magic. You know a few 'spell elements' that you combine to create a spell (attack + fire + time would let you make some sort of fireball that slows the targets), and the elements add together to determine the spell level. To keep the game from slowing down, casting spontaneously takes 2 full rounds, but you can choose a handful of signature spells that you can cast on the fly.

* While we're talking about magic, a "simple wizard" would be great. Maybe instead of spells that you prepare in advance, you go a Magic: the Gathering route. You have to 'draw mana' for your spell, which is an action. Mana only lasts for a few minutes. So wizards could sling at-will magic missiles each round, but if they want the powerful stuff, they have to spend 1 or more rounds charging up.

GX.Sigma · Aug 23, 2012

Note to all: don't take this survey if you haven't actually playtested the new packet yet. I had plenty of feedback about the packet, but I had to abort the survey when it started asking tons of questions I couldn't answer.

Droogie · Aug 23, 2012

Yikes. How much time do we have to answer the survey? I won't be able to playtest till next week.

Tovec · Aug 23, 2012

GX.Sigma said:
Note to all: don't take this survey if you haven't actually playtested the new packet yet. I had plenty of feedback about the packet, but I had to abort the survey when it started asking tons of questions I couldn't answer.

Really? Is it one of those "what do you think excluding the playtest materials' kind of survey? If you're serious I'll certainly do it now before I have a chance to play this packet.

GX.Sigma · Aug 23, 2012

Tovec said:
Really? Is it one of those "what do you think excluding the playtest materials' kind of survey? If you're serious I'll certainly do it now before I have a chance to play this packet.

There's a whole page of questions like "how many combat encounters did your group face between long rests," "what healing option did your group use," "were you satisfied with the pace of combat," etc.

Definitely play the new packet before you take the survey.

Tovec · Aug 23, 2012

GX.Sigma said:
There's a whole page of questions like "how many combat encounters did your group face between long rests," "what healing option did your group use," "were you satisfied with the pace of combat," etc.

Definitely play the new packet before you take the survey.

I misread your post. Yeah, of course I'll playtest before I answer, same as last time. Cheers, thanks for the clarification to my idiocy.