D&D 5E New L&L is up

[The Hitcher]

Even without creating your own Backgrounds, there's 80 Race/Background/Class combos to try out. 140 if you count the subraces separately. Seems like plenty for a Basic set.

 

[Ruin Explorer]

Even without creating your own Backgrounds, there's 80 Race/Background/Class combos to try out. 140 if you count the subraces separately. Seems like plenty for a Basic set.

That's not how RPGs work.

I'm not saying that there aren't "enough" races or classes, by the way, but let's be clear - this "combos to try out" nonsense is just that - nonsense. It has no bearing on whether a game is actually viable long-term, as we all know from computer games who tout similar "combination math".

 

[Thaumaturge]

I wasn't expecting the sub-races. That's a nice bonus.

Thaumaturge.

 

[The Hitcher]

That's not how RPGs work.

I'm not saying that there aren't "enough" races or classes, by the way, but let's be clear - this "combos to try out" nonsense is just that - nonsense. It has no bearing on whether a game is actually viable long-term, as we all know from computer games who tout similar "combination math".

I'm glad the expert on "how RPGs work" is here to set us straight on what "we all know".

It depends what you're looking for. From a narrative point of view, that's a lot of inspiration for different character concepts. If you're only interested in mechanical combinations then it will feel like a lot less variety, obviously.

 

[Ruin Explorer]

I'm glad the expert on "how RPGs work" is here to set us straight on what "we all know".

It depends what you're looking for. From a narrative point of view, that's a lot of inspiration for different character concepts. If you're only interested in mechanical combinations then it will feel like a lot less variety, obviously.

We didn't have a problem with "inspiration" when we only had seven races/classes, did we? So I don't think it takes any kind of expert to see that "COMBO MULTIPLIER!"-type claims are pretty monkey business-ish.

 

[thalmin]

I wasn't expecting the sub-races. That's a nice bonus.

Thaumaturge.

Actually, if the races are each represented by only 1 subtype, that is still only 4 race combinations. Unless you plan to run a Halfling with the high elf subtype or something like that.

 

[Thaumaturge]

Races: The dwarf, elf, and halfling each feature two subraces: hill dwarves and mountain dwarves, high elves and wood elves, and lightfoot halflings and stout halflings.

Human will only have one subrace. But there are, in effect, 6 non-human races in the basic rules.

Thaumaturge.

Also, can we just start calling "the basic rules" the much shorter: "basic"? Or is that going to be too mind-blowing for grognards?

 

[erf_beto]

Good catch. The difference, this time around, is that Burning Hands and Magic Missile should both be spells you can cast from 2nd lvl slots for improved damage, which makes a dead spell level much less of an issue.

Thaumaturge.

Ah, that's right! This feature will "clean up" the spell list real nicely!

 

[Nagol]

It's weird that there's so many spells on the cleric list that aren't on the wizard list and should be (hold person, astral projection, antimagic field, etc.)

Interesting that the cleric gets 3 planar access spells -- Etherealness, Astral Projection, and Gate, but the Wizard doesn't get any and Teleport gets kicked up to level 7.

It looks like planar travel is far harder in 5e without Plane Shift.

 

[doctorhook]

I made the mistake of reading the comments at the bottom of the article. My god, it's as bad as YouTube.