D&D (2024) Species Playtest Summary and discussion - Cleric pack

[Jefe Bergenstein]

Utility cantrips generally factor into roleplay-based gameplay, not raw cause-effect behavior. It's for blowing minds, not causing the target to save vs. mondblow.

I'm saying that it shouldn't blow anyone's mind in D&D any more than showing someone your new phone would in our world. D&D magic is bland and predictable to a fault. It works more reliably than my cell phone coverage, and casters break the laws of reality more often than they poop.

 

[Xamnam]

By RAW, Thaumaturgy doesnt even give you advantage. When there's multiple species of people that can do it at will, it shouldn't be that scary.

There are many spells that don't grant advantage in the text that can cause situations that would grant you advantage, at my table at least.

And just because many people could do it does not mean it's commonplace to the point of mundanity. That's a very world specific consideration, anyway.

 

[Incenjucar]

I'm saying that it shouldn't blow anyone's mind in D&D any more than showing someone your new phone would in our world. D&D magic is bland and predictable to a fault.

I'm not convinced that normal people in a world where clerics can raise the dead with the power of the literal gods will shrug at proof that you have divine power.

 

[Jefe Bergenstein]

I'm not convinced that normal people in a world where clerics can raise the dead with the power of the literal gods will shrug at proof that you have divine power.

There are multiple entire species with this ability. Comparing it to being able to raise the dead is like comparing someone with internet access to web MD to an actual doctor, or some dude who took a few martial arts classes to Bruce Lee. It's the lowest form of divine power there is, and it roughly matches owning a bullhorn.

 

[Incenjucar]

There are multiple entire species with this ability. Comparing it to being able to raise the dead is like comparing someone with internet access to web MD to an actual doctor, or some dude who took a few martial arts classes to Bruce Lee. It's the lowest form of divine power there is, and it roughly matches owning a bullhorn.

We live in a world with nukes and volcanoes and ebola and people are still afraid of harmless bugs. You might be that person in the crowd who shouts down the divine emissary with "What are you gawking at, so she made a little earthquake big deal!" but extrapolating that to everyone is a bit absurd.

 

[CleverNickName]

I feel like giving Goliaths a bunch of racial magic based on their giant ancestry kind of changes their vibe. I don't exactly hate it (their features were a bit anemic before), but the magicification of everything continues unabated.

I know right? I'm not sure how I feel about the Oprah Winfrey "everybody gets a magic!" design approach. I'm running a high-magic campaign setting at the moment, and even I am starting to think they should dial it back a bit. I guess magical powers are going to be the new Darkvision.

 

[Scott Christian]

While I don't mind any of these new species' abilities, it seems like they are increasingly upping the species are inherently magical thread. To me, that is my only gripe. I get tired of a species being magical. It throws something off-kilter for me.

 

[CleverNickName]

While I don't mind any of these new species' abilities, it seems like they are increasingly upping the species are inherently magical thread. To me, that is my only gripe. I get tired of a species being magical. It throws something off-kilter for me.

 

[Incenjucar]

While I don't mind any of these new species' abilities, it seems like they are increasingly upping the species are inherently magical thread. To me, that is my only gripe. I get tired of a species being magical. It throws something off-kilter for me.

WotC generally seems shy about mundane abilities when they could instead use spells.

 

[Kobold Stew]

While I don't mind any of these new species' abilities, it seems like they are increasingly upping the species are inherently magical thread. To me, that is my only gripe. I get tired of a species being magical. It throws something off-kilter for me.

Put it in the feedback! If enough of us say this, simply and clearly, they may listen.