D&D (2024) Feats still optional in 1D&D: and other notes from the survey results

[Horwath]

This is technically correct, which is the best kind of correct. Of course, we know for a fact that quite a bit will change, even if we don't know exactly what or how. WotC absolutely must make significant changes or they are wasting ink and a ton of money on books that nobody will buy. We are going to be getting 5.5 at the very least.

QFT,

no one will buy books for cleared out rule language or balanced out 3 feats and 5 spells.

extra (background) feat(ure)? thanks... half the people house ruled that in 9 years ago.

we need rework of 80% of subclasses,
buff ranger subclasses so Deepstalker is not only viable ranger choice,
same with Mercy monk,
aberrant mind and clockwork sorcerer are only ones that closes in on other full-casters.
delete or rework Twilight cleric,
buff Champion fighter. Maybe +1 HP per level and additional +1 HP per level heal on second wind? Keep it simple here.
Remove exhaustion from Berserker, Bonus action attacks are now more frequent and it's nothing special.
add more feat(ASI) slots to classes

 

[UngeheuerLich]

QFT,

no one will buy books for cleared out rule language or balanced out 3 feats and 5 spells.

extra (background) feat(ure)? thanks... half the people house ruled that in 9 years ago.

we need rework of 80% of subclasses,
buff ranger subclasses so Deepstalker is not only viable ranger choice,
same with Mercy monk,
aberrant mind and clockwork sorcerer are only ones that closes in on other full-casters.
delete or rework Twilight cleric,
buff Champion fighter. Maybe +1 HP per level and additional +1 HP per level heal on second wind? Keep it simple here.
Remove exhaustion from Berserker, Bonus action attacks are now more frequent and it's nothing special.
add more feat(ASI) slots to classes

This are way less dramatic changes than what we have seen.

So a little rebalance and making a best of PHB would work too.

I personally am glad that they are trying out a bit more though.

 

[UngeheuerLich]

QFT,

no one will buy books for cleared out rule language or balanced out 3 feats and 5 spells.

extra (background) feat(ure)? thanks... half the people house ruled that in 9 years ago.

I like how you do statistics.
Many people would be glad about an updated rules book. But how many? I don't know. But you seem to have done a bit of research.

I can for sure say, I would not buy a book containing your Idea of 5e.

Also, after 8 yearsof extensive use, my PHBshows signs of wear. Buying a new one with tasha's and MotM updates included. Sign me up.
I'd also recommend this book to the many players I play with who have not bought a PHB already.

 

[Maxperson]

Also, after 8 yearsof extensive use, my PHBshows signs of wear. Buying a new one with tasha's and MotM updates included. Sign me up.
I'd also recommend this book to the many players I play with who have not bought a PHB already.

If they haven't purchased a PHB after 8 years, I doubt they're suddenly going to go out and buy one because it contains a few updates.

 

[UngeheuerLich]

If they haven't purchased a PHB after 8 years, I doubt they're suddenly going to go out and buy one because it contains a few updates.

Some of the people I play with are 15 or 16 years old. I don't think they wanted to buy one when they were 8.
I also did not say they buy one because of the updates. But they would be glad if the new book contained the rules from tasha they are accustomed to.

 

[Maxperson]

Some of the people I play with are 15 or 16 years old. I don't think they wanted to buy one when they were 8.

That's odd. My son is 8 and he wants to buy everything whether he needs it or not.

I also did not say they buy one because of the updates. But they would be glad if the new book contained the rules from tasha they are accustomed to.

Okay, but they want to sell books. If they don't provide significant enough changes to warrant 5.5 or 6e, people aren't going to buy the books in enough numbers to make it successful. They NEED significant changes.

 

[Warpiglet-7]

Feats are just a way to add a bit of customization to PCs without creating ever more subclasses. They make the background actually mean something, first level feats are just a way of saying "here's something unique you get" while using an established mechanic. It doesn't mean you have to use that mechanic later on, just that it's also not something to be afraid of.

If they fix the handful of feats that cause the most issues, feats become less defining and less of a must have. Add in the ASI as a feat, they're just consolidating rules a bit.

Once again what my group toys with becomes a rule (or is likely to).

I find loading up on magic spells through feats makes a better eldritch knight in terms of flavor. Magic initiate at level one makes sense for the fiction and adds some mechanically.

I have no problem nerfing a few if they expand availability. Level one feats tied to background is something we usually did with variant humans and experimented with others.

May not buy much of ONE—-we will see—-but I will be happy to steal some innovations that codify what we were doing in a half ass and informal way.

 

[UngeheuerLich]

That's odd. My son is 8 and he wants to buy everything whether he needs it or not.

Okay, but they want to sell books. If they don't provide significant enough changes to warrant 5.5 or 6e, people aren't going to buy the books in enough numbers to make it successful. They NEED significant changes.

I think we will never know. I guess we will see significant changes, extrapolating from what we know now. I think they are on the right track with the amount of changes. I think we can agree (exteapolating from your earlier posts) that those changes are about half an edition change. I'd call that significant and I'd call that "not too much".

 

[Maxperson]

I think we will never know. I guess we will see significant changes, extrapolating from what we know now. I think they are on the right track with the amount of changes. I think we can agree (exteapolating from your earlier posts) that those changes are about half an edition change. I'd call that significant and I'd call that "not too much".

Yeah. I don't think it's going to be a full edition change. Full editions are pretty drastically different mechanically. This one will be a .5.

 

[Henadic Theologian]

I completely forgot they had made the ASI a feat - which makes 100% sense. Thank you for reminding me and I agree with your assessment.

Meaning feats are going to be a requirement period going forward, because if ASI are themselves feats, they aren't optional anymore and I suspect it's partially because the old school players who pushed for them to be an optional mechanic moved on to OSR systems, and then a pile of new players came in where feats weren't a problem, most going unused because it's usually better to take an ASI instead.