D&D 5E (2014) New D&D Next Packet Is Available

[Aazenius]

Downloading it right now.

Druid wild shape is 1/day. You gain access to different forms as you level.

 

[GX.Sigma]

Hex-crawling exploration rules... that assume 5-mile hexes. How could you do this to me, WotC?

 

[Nikosandros]

Sadly, the awful racial modifiers are still in. Well, humans no longer have +2 to a single stat, but they still get +1 to all stats. I hate this, but evidently they got positive feedback about it.

 

[GX.Sigma]

Wizards can now recharge a spell during a short rest... once per day. What... why? Why not just give them an extra spell slot?

What's with all the increased complexity across the board?

Is this the troll packet?

 

[ferratus]

Sadly, the awful racial modifiers are still in. Well, humans no longer have +2 to a single stat, but they still get +1 to all stats. I hate this, but evidently they got positive feedback about it.

No, I don't think so. I think the design team are just at a loss as to what to give humans to make it compatible with versions of the game that don't use skills or feats.

Myself, I'd give humans an XP bonus, so they always level up one level sooner than their demi-human counterparts. Works to show that the short lived humans learn things quicker than their long lived rivals.

Don't use XP? Skip second level and go straight to 3rd, and be 1 level higher thereafter.

 

[Blackbrrd]

Downloading it right now.

Druid wild shape is 1/day. You gain access to different forms as you level.

Each shape 1/day or wild shape 1/day? Having something that's only usable once per day is something I find too limiting.

 

[Olgar Shiverstone]

Odd, I didn't get an email. Downloading now.

Edit: Improved in several areas (fighter, TWF). Paladin and druid look good, though I'd like to see some animal companion rules.

The ranger -- and this is normally my favorite class -- is, well, a bit boring compared to the fighter. He has many fewer options and IMO the spells don't make up for it. I'd prefer to see more skill focus rather than magic focus, so the range is more than a "wilderness paladin". They could provide more options within or based on Favored Enemy/Terrain, I think, to mitigate this, too.

 

[GX.Sigma]

Each shape 1/day or wild shape 1/day? Having something that's only usable once per day is something I find too limiting.

1/day to start, then you get more uses per day as you gain levels.

At level 2, you can use it 2/day. If you're in the Circle of the Moon, you get another use per day. If you want to wild shape lots of times per day, that's not going to be a problem.

 

[Kraydak]

Wow. Is it just me, or did they manage the amazing combination of both giving Fighters Encounter powers (No, 1 die/action recovery is not a meaningful recovery mechanic), thereby annoying a significant fraction of the playerbase, while simultaneously making all the effects of the expertise dice boring and weak, thereby exciting precisely no one? Seriously? While retaining Dead levels and giving Fighters absolutely nothing for out-of-combat?

 

[Olgar Shiverstone]

While retaining Dead levels and giving Fighters absolutely nothing for out-of-combat?

It does seem like many of the classes have an excess of dead levels,and not just the fighter.

I'm less bothered by "out of combat" stuff. There are still feats/skills/specialties/backgrounds for that sort of thing if you want mechanical stuff.