D&D (2024) Wow, 5.5e characters are STRONG!

[Kobold Stew]

The Feat may still convey particular Spell lists not tied to a given Class.

That isn't a bet I'd take.

 

[Parmandur]

That isn't a bet I'd take.

I dunno, since they are doing layout with that text in there, it would not at all shock me if the final Magic Initiate Feat looks like the Strixhaven School Feat, with three options giving a limited Spell selection.

 

[Kurotowa]

"not yet final": I notice that the background with Magic Initiate still refer to arcane/divine/primal spell lists -- this is not a current image.

Indeed. Layout isn't done until the text is finalized, and with the UA process still ongoing the text is most definitely not final yet. This is a test page, where they do up just one or two pages to demonstrate the layout style guide and have something to show off internally. There's absolutely zero change they've done the whole book or made any attempt to keep it up to date with the changing manuscript.

It's similar to the "vertical slice" in video game development, where months before the various parts of the game are complete they'll try to get just one level or even one room in a playable state. It gives them something solid to demonstrate the intended final result and acts as a test case to spot things like "Hey, this color scheme makes the text really hard to read."

 

[Distracted DM]

I edited my last post. Maybe you want to read that too.

My solution was going to a different resting model: no long rest for a single night. That spread those encounters over many days. The fun came from the uncertainty, how many encounters could come before you have a chace to rest. And the uncertainty which ones prove to be deadly.

We found this more satisfying than just upping deadliness more and more in a way that only favours spellcasters.

I'm curious how this would work for time-sensitive adventures, specifically Red Hand of Doom, where you need to be racing all over doing everything you can with the time you have. You don't really have downtime in those instances; I'm thinking gritty rest would be too harsh for those cases :'(

 

[bedir than]

Indeed. Layout isn't done until the text is finalized, and with the UA process still ongoing the text is most definitely not final yet. This is a test page, where they do up just one or two pages to demonstrate the layout style guide and have something to show off internally. There's absolutely zero change they've done the whole book or made any attempt to keep it up to date with the changing manuscript.

It's similar to the "vertical slice" in video game development, where months before the various parts of the game are complete they'll try to get just one level or even one room in a playable state. It gives them something solid to demonstrate the intended final result and acts as a test case to spot things like "Hey, this color scheme makes the text really hard to read."

I doubt they commissioned the art, which is all new and spoken of as an intent to further inspire backgrounds' connection to places, as a placeholder

 

[Parmandur]

I doubt they commissioned the art, which is all new and spoken of as an intent to further inspire backgrounds' connection to places, as a placeholder

For sure, they've talked about thianart in prior months, too, ao thisnis roughly what the final vook will look like. But again, the text is 99% identical with the UA.

 

[Nightfly]

For whatever my opinion is worth, I really like that ability score increases have (mostly) been moved to backgrounds. Saying my character is strong because he's a soldier or laborer makes more sense than saying he's strong because he's a dwarf. It's less politically touchy, but it also seems logical and satisfying.

The feats with backgrounds are also nice. I had a house rule when I DMed that everyone could get a free feat at first level, as long as it wasn't one of the good ones. All my players knew what was meant by "the good ones," and I bet you readers do too. Now the official rules are pretty much doing that same thing, so of course I'm pleased.

 

[Clint_L]

I think that it is a fallacy to assume +1 hp is worth most on low hp classes...

I think it’s a fallacy to keep abusing the word fallacy like we see on these forums. If you mean it’s a mistake, explain why it’s a mistake.

You can make an argument both ways. On the one hand, a hit point is a hit point. On the other, classes like wizards are balanced around having fewer hit points as they have more ways to stay out of danger, so one hit point is indeed worth proportionally more to them. Context matters.

 

[UngeheuerLich]

I think it’s a fallacy to keep abusing the word fallacy like we see on these forums. If you mean it’s a mistake, explain why it’s a mistake.

Note that I did not cite some of the stupid fallcies that are used to devaluate valid arguments. I used it as a normal word. Replace it with "faulty reasoning".

I do explain my stance for your convenience:

Classes like wizards try to stay out of reach for most enemies, so it does not matter how much hp they have.
Classes that are in the middle of combat want as much HP as possible without sacrificing too much.

In a well organized party, it might be more worthwhile for the tank to get tougher and the low hp class to increase their damage as much as possible. Because this is more effective than increasing the tank's damage and bolstering the low hp's class's hps.
That is how it usually works in MMORPGs.
Usually an TTRPG is not as organized and a low hp class receives damage once in a while. Still my experience is that the low hp classes very seldom take toughness, because it is just not needed. If they can use their abilities to control the playfield and keep their tanks alive, they stay out of most damaging effects.

 

[UngeheuerLich]

...which I used for pretty much every character I made. I mean, didn't you?

I did. And then we see class guides online where you are advised to get the sailor background because it is the only one with perception...