After DDXP, how are you feeling about D&En?

[mach1.9pants]

Started a poll like this over at RPGNet, be interesting to see how the results compare

 

[Incenjucar]

I've seen a few ideas I like (or have already been incorporating on my own in my 4E designs...), but I also see a lot of stuff that I don't like. There's a very strong chance that 5E will simply not be for me, but there's a half a chance that they'll release setting-neutral books, which may draw my interest anyway. A major issue for me is that this is all PR about an unfinished game from some folks who have a long history of ineffective communication. As such, I won't draw any real conclusions from anything that isn't in ink in the book store. So, a solid meh. I'll do my best to fight for the ideas I think will be good for the game, whether or not I play it, regardless.

 

[Destil]

The thing that worries me now is feats. Feats are going to fix every and any problem and be used to do everything, from what we're seeing.

The vast number and quality of feats in both 3E and 4E was a serious problem for me, and a system dedicated to churning even more of them out worries me...

 

[Keeblrkid]

How? How did you get any of that? They didn't say any of those things. Not one of those things.

 

[Tallifer]

I'm starting to feel like 5E will drown the baby in the rush to put the dirty water back in the tub.

I am seeing a lot of feat taxes just for my characters to buy back the Fourth edition Powers which they will lose.

 

[Vyvyan Basterd]

I'm at an optimistic meh.

It was disconcerting to learn that they are planning to offer multiple options for most things, but then they decide to shoot for 3E-style multiclassing. Where is the AD&D or 4E Hybrid style support. I noticed a few other points where all-inclusiveness is oddly ignored for design decisions they seem already set on. I'm still optimistic that playtesting can change their attitude towards this.

 

[Pour]

I am seeing a lot of feat taxes just for my characters to buy back the Fourth edition Powers which they will lose.

I voted meh cause I don't want to be a total hater, but I feel no real connection to 5e as its presented or described just now. I understand it's alpha, but even the core absolutism, if you will, feel more like what I was thinking would be modular options. Vancian core? Nine alignments core? Great Wheel core? I'll put in my honest reactions during the playtesting period, but as a 4ther, I feel my voice will be the least regarded from the get go. The direction seems, as someone put, regressive and disconnected from the design principles and strengths of 4e. It feels like the next phase of 3e, informed by editions earlier still. To me that's the road to the same problems which burned me out with those previous iterations of D&D.

 

[Ahnehnois]

I am seeing a lot of feat taxes just for my characters to buy back the Fourth edition Powers which they will lose.

Even if that's true, keep in mind that many if not most 1-3 edition characters could not be adequately represented by the 4e rules at all. Certainly none of the characters I've ever made. Needing to add in a few extra bonus feats isn't that big of a deal by comparison.

 

[Raith5]

Even if that's true, keep in mind that many if not most 1-3 edition characters could not be adequately represented by the 4e rules at all. Certainly none of the characters I've ever made. Needing to add in a few extra bonus feats isn't that big of a deal by comparison.

While I do worry about feat taxes to play the PC I want, this is a really fair point.

I guess my counterpoint is that my appreciation of 4th ed is a mainly pragmatic one: it learnt from and addressed the core problems with 3rd ed and its predecessors.

So I hope this issue is not emblematic of a game that has the problems I faced with D&D in the past: the possibility of short adventuring days, static fights, uninteresting fighters, too powerful wizards, a narrow sweet spot/stuffed high level play, long DM prep time, etc.

If 5th ed avoids these problems - I will pay the feat with pleasure!

 

[TwinBahamut]

Add me to the list of people with seriously mixed feelings on this matter...

A bit too much of the game seems to be a somewhat over-zealous pursuit of fitting in everything from older editions, regardless of how well it will actually serve the game as a whole. It feels like nostalgia is getting more credit that the fundamentals of game design. Lots of comments, like references to rolling 3d6 being the default or bringing back the Great Wheel, almost gives the impression that the designers want everyone to play the game the designer's way, rather than actually embracing what other kinds of players want from the game. It is enough to make me a bit worried.

All that said, there is still a lot in there that makes me hopeful. They are doing some new stuff with the skill system and themes that seems interesting. I'm glad they finally moved over to the silver standard. Talk about removing the assumption magic items makes me hope against hope that they will actually remove +X items from the game. There are a lot of little things in there that really do sound good and fun.

Overall, they've got a long way to go to convince me to buy the game, but I am curious enough that I really want to join the playtesting and see if they will listen to my feedback.