D&D 5E New D&D Next Playtest package is up (19/9/2013) [merged threads]

[sidonunspa]

I understand keeping things balanced. However, this might be a step back into all the classes feeling the same a large amount of the time. After all, if everyone maxes their primary stat, that means all classes that would even bother making attack rolls with weapons have the exact same bonus. Which means that playing a Cleric with a 20 Strength is likely better than playing a Fighter with 20 Strength. You lose out on so little and gain a bunch of spellcasting.

Not at all because that fighter will get three attacks at his full attack bonus, adding his attribute damage to each one... and if he takes the two weapon fighting style, he will get 4 attacks at his full attribute bonus...

that's +20 +weapon die +4 times more of a crit chance (if he takes the warrior path he can crit on 18-20)

you are only looking at the bonus... its not the bonus.. it's the bag of tricks behind that bonus

 

[sidonunspa]

From my reading you don't gain spell slots from your domain. Domain spells are always prepared, but use the normal slots.

your 100% correct

 

[gyor]

I know. And I hate that.



It's not a waste of space if it serves a purpose. In this case, reducing the amount of page flipping a player needs to do in order to level a character. The cost, in this case, is adding a single column to a table that is already going to be the full width of a page regardless of content.

The drow has sun sensitivity wish is a penalty.

 

[Weather Report]

1) I know. And I hate that.

2) It's not a waste of space if it serves a purpose. I

1) And no one cares.

2) it serves a greater purposes, not yours'..

 

[gyor]

Cool combos so far, Paladin 11/Bard 9. You get 2 attacks, up to 5th level slots, divine smite, improved divine smite, all kinds of the bards skill benifits like expertise and jack of all trades, bard permformances (including countercharm, Inspire Competence, Song of Rest, and Call to battle), channel divinity, heavy armour, prof in two musical instrustraments, riding, Aura of Protection, Aura of Courage, Divine health, two Bard cantrips, ect...

This assumes college of Valour and Oath of Devotion. When perfoming Call to battle you deal Weapon Die + 1d8 radiant damage + Strength mod + 1d8 from call to battle, for each of two attacks, and if you want you can cast a smite. Both smites and Cure spells work well in 5th level spell slots.

Really take a look at the combo its really good.

Cleric 10/Monk 10 makes an interesting Sacred Fist character as Wisdom is important for Cleric magic and Monk armour.

 

[gyor]

Cool combos so far, Paladin 11/Bard 9. You get 2 attacks, up to 5th level slots, divine smite, improved divine smite, all kinds of the bards skill benifits like expertise and jack of all trades, bard permformances (including countercharm, Inspire Competence, Song of Rest, and Call to battle), channel divinity, heavy armour, prof in two musical instrustraments, riding, Aura of Protection, Aura of Courage, Divine health, two Bard cantrips, ect...

This assumes college of Valour and Oath of Devotion. When perfoming Call to battle you deal Weapon Die + 1d8 radiant damage + Strength mod + 1d8 from call to battle, for each of two attacks, and if you want you can cast a smite. Both smites and Cure spells work well in 5th level spell slots.

Really take a look at the combo its really good.

Cleric 10/Monk 10 makes an interesting Sacred Fist character as Wisdom is important for Cleric magic and Monk armour.

 

[the Jester]

So what is it?

Exactly what it says: Advantage on Charisma checks made in an attempt to Intimidate someone.

Advantage is not proficiency; instead of a level-dependent bonus, it allows you to roll twice and take the better result, or it cancels disadvantage. Very different.

As for Intimidate, yes, it's a skill, but the advantage only applies on Charisma (Intimidate) checks, not (for example) a Strength (Intimidate) check (perhaps made by shaking the target's hand and crushing it).

(I'd rather they had advantage on all checks to intimidate, personally.)

 

[Jeff Carlsen]

1) And no one cares.

2) it serves a greater purposes, not yours'..

1) No need to be abrasive.

2) I'm not sure what you mean. Can you clarify?

 

[gyor]

Actually I'd change that to 9th level cleric (domain of light) and 11th level monk (opened fist).

That would give the charactee up to 5th level spell slots, 3 unarmed attacks at 1d10 each +mod +1d8 divine strike radiant, or for a point of Ki 1 extra attack with improved flurry moves like sweep knocking the target prone, then healing word,and then when he attacks you use flare light to grant your attacker disadvanage.

Also has 5 ki points and 2 channel divinity uses which refresh with a short rest.

 

[RevTurkey]

Well...I was going to run the last playtest version for my next campaign until release of the completed rules but...not now. I have lost confidence that the team know what they are doing there at Wizards...I truly hope they prove me wrong and I will probably give the new game a whirl but as it stands I have found the Playtest rules to be muddled, confusing and lacking a sense of purpose or direction.

I liked the initial idea of using stats and then having a bonus from skills. They could have easily done it like Warhammer Fantasy second edition where you have three tiers of skill at something: base stat bonus, stat +2 (say) and stat +4 (say)...this way you could have that feeling of progression and learning etc. it was elegant and easy to understand. But this whole proficiency lark is a right load of gobbledeegook.

again...Human stat bonuses are nuts. I have to keep repeating this in the slim hope that they hear me at Wizards....please....it's is just nonsense. I know it is a game and a fantasy one but lets have a tiny bit of realistic simulation...ways to show that some races are stronger, slower, tougher, less persuasive?

Don't get me wrong...it's not all bad. For example...The postings suggesting Monsters will have ecology style adventure hooks and information sound great and flavourful...something that was missing from the 4e MM for sure.

Advantage mechanic....overused for me. It should like someone else posted be used at Dm discretion for a quick way to handle situational modifiers. I am not too keen on it being so much of a feature all the time. Part of playing D&D has always been rolling that d20 not rolling two of em all the time....I might be being old fashioned I guess.

Anyway, one would hope the final playtest packet before release would have everybody excited but from what I can see it has most people going...meh.

Come on Mr.Mearls I am rooting for you. Please get this right. Make a cool edition.