D&D 5E October Playtest Packet - Magic Items, Updated XP, Monster Traits

n00bdragon · Oct 9, 2012

Dice4Hire said:
It is the same table with a bit of clarifying language added.

Not exactly a big important part of the playtest process.

I think if you think of it as an add-on to make the game for playable, you would be about right.

Dice4Hire said:
Not exactly a big important part of the playtest process.

Dice4Hire said:
Not exactly... important

Then why is it there? What IS the purpose of this playtest? Are they truly interested in testing out system mechanics and arriving at a good version of D&D that people want to play or is it a hype machine for grognards releasing little tidbits of the final system a bit at a time?

I hate to offer a false dilemma but if it's either of those two then something is not as it should be.

Blackwarder · Oct 9, 2012

n00bdragon said:
Then why is it there? What IS the purpose of this playtest? Are they truly interested in testing out system mechanics and arriving at a good version of D&D that people want to play or is it a hype machine for grognards releasing little tidbits of the final system a bit at a time?

I hate to offer a false dilemma but if it's either of those two then something is not as it should be.

http://www.enworld.org/forum/news/3...updated-xp-monster-traits-10.html#post6029575

Warder

Steely_Dan · Oct 9, 2012

I really like in the Flametongue description they make reference to The Queen of Chaos and the Wind Dukes of Aqaa, and in the Plate of Etherealness to the Dao (khan), I see a a lot of classic lore returning in 5th Ed, nice.

Shieldhaven · Oct 9, 2012

As with some previous playtest releases, I've thrown together my responses as I read through it. Sort of like liveblogging the experience.

Harbinger of Doom

Now I that I'm done with it, I can go back and absorb some of the other opinions in this thread. =)

Haven

Gorgoroth · Oct 10, 2012

.

It's curious why those giant strength values aren't even-numbered, considering the higher + bonus only kicks in on even bumps. //scratches head

Makes you wonder if there'll be a way to magically pump you up from 29 to 30. This magic strength isn't supposed to stack with other boosts, right? They must be planning something to make that 30 possible. Maybe wish?

I'm also curious now about the next packet, if there'll be a bump to TWF at higher levels in the feat chain to enable dual-wielding bastard swords or battle axes (i.e. remove the finesse requirement to the use of two weapons, or perhaps reduce the damage penalty). Even with that...the rules as-is are lackluster. Maybe if each of your weapons are magic, and their properties synergize well.

I'll have to go over some of these magic item qualities to see what could be a good combo to use for dual-wielders.

tlantl · Oct 10, 2012

Gorgoroth said:
It's curious why those giant strength values aren't even-numbered, considering the higher + bonus only kicks in on even bumps. //scratches head

Makes you wonder if there'll be a way to magically pump you up from 29 to 30. This magic strength isn't supposed to stack with other boosts, right? They must be planning something to make that 30 possible. Maybe wish?

I'm also curious now about the next packet, if there'll be a bump to TWF at higher levels in the feat chain to enable dual-wielding bastard swords or battle axes (i.e. remove the finesse requirement to the use of two weapons, or perhaps reduce the damage penalty). Even with that...the rules as-is are lackluster. Maybe if each of your weapons are magic, and their properties synergize well.

I'll have to go over some of these magic item qualities to see what could be a good combo to use for dual-wielders.

Two weapon fighting has been taken over by the ranger. If you want a character that fights with two weapons that doesn't get the nerf then you'll have to wait for the ranger to emerge from the wilds.

The developers have stated that all of the core classes will have their own bailiwick that sets them apart from the other classes. The ranger is the most likely candidate for two weapon fighting skills that don't have the half damage per weapon restriction.

Personally I'm glad to see the restrictions on two weapon fighting it makes it less likely I'll see a whole party of 'Dertzes' show up one night.

Gorgoroth · Oct 10, 2012

yes

but didn't they say regular fighters, with the TWF specialty, should be able to dual-wield as well as a ranger (thus, decoupling the ranger class from TWF spec)

It remains to be seen what the other feats are in the TWF->TWD->??? specialty are like. I'm totally cool with TWF being suboptimal in the early levels, but more powerful later on, such reducing the finesse requirement or relaxing the damage / 2 penalty (ouch). It'd be better if they made it -2, -2, and no str-bonus or dex-bonus to damage, so that at higher levels you would easily reduce the penalty to -1/-1 and 0/0, and at 11th level get 1/2 str/dex mod, and 15th.

However, looking at the way they described the feat text, it sounds like it'll be more a blend of offence and defense, so the AC benefit would go up instead of the damage. The biggest benefit is being able to dual-wield long-swords, since they are the most common magic weapon type and the most likely to be found. That, or have a bludgeoning weapon in one hand and a slashing/piercing in the other.

I'm A Banana · Oct 10, 2012

n00bdragon said:
Then why is it there? What IS the purpose of this playtest? Are they truly interested in testing out system mechanics and arriving at a good version of D&D that people want to play or is it a hype machine for grognards releasing little tidbits of the final system a bit at a time?

You say that as if those two goals are incompatible. I humbly submit that certain things that hype up grognards could potentially also also create a good version of D&D that people want to play. A good version of D&D that people want to play might include the Potion Miscability Table, which is also appealing to grognards and greybeards. They're testing if that's true by putting it in the playtest, and listening to the feedback, and if there was a clear message that it was unwelcome or unbalanced, they might take it out.

Neither of those situations really mandates that they have a final system already locked up that they're just parsing out tidbits of slowly, either.

"I'll take False Dichotomies and Conspiracy Theories for 400, Alex."

JRRNeiklot · Oct 10, 2012

n00bdragon said:
Maybe the next packet will have a random harlot table as well.

We can only hope.

Olgar Shiverstone · Oct 10, 2012

GX.Sigma said:
A more pertinent example is the Gauntlets of Ogre Power, which set your strength to 19. This is basically useless to a fighter, but might be very interesting for a wizard.

Or the Ogre, who only has 18 STR.