D&D (2024) 4/26 Playtest: The Fighter

[mellored]

I hate the restriction to Action Surge. The base class shouldn't be nerfed just to defang MC issues.

I don't see how the base fighter got nerfed. You still get double the attacks for a turn.

Was there some other action (besides casting a second spell) that you want to see?

 

[Azzy]

I missed the 15

Heh, I missed the one at 5th.

 

[Minigiant]

My core issue with the Playtest fighter is the same as the 2014 fighter.

The Fighters doesn't knew anything new in the base class.

The fighter as they level just gets better as using the the stuff they can do at level 1.

• The fighter attacks better as they level.
• The fighter saves better as they level.
• Most Mastery is better versions of normal actions. All of your DM is decent at adjudication.

The difference between a level 8 Knight of the Realm and a level 1 Aspiring Squire is numbers not capability.

All instances of gain capability is a feat or subclass feature, not a base fighter feature.

 

[Flamestrike]

At 17th they can start using it with every second wind use, but that is 17th level, quite high, so I can understand the concern.

Only when they've already used the base ability for something else though. So if you havent expended your indomitable you have to use the weaker version that doesnt heal.

The Mastery thing is kludgy. You're basically only ever using 1-2 weapons at any time so multiple masteries are pointless ribbons that dont do anything other than buy you different mastery effects that can be switched around on the weapons you do use, and having to declare which of the two masteries you're using with the mastery capstone isnt all that elegant either.

A 'super mastery' version for high level fighters (that turbo charges the mastery properties) would have been pretty dope as an alternative.

As a side note to mastery, one of the properties is triggering a Save on every single hit. That's going to get annoying, and fast.

 

[dave2008]

A 'super mastery' version for high level fighters (that turbo charges the mastery properties) would have been pretty dope as an alternative.

I like that idea - put it in the survey!

 

[mellored]

having to declare which of the two masteries you're using with the mastery capstone isnt all that elegant either.

It lets you use different effects with the same magic weapon.

 

[Undrave]

What they need to do is just let fighters collect masteries and apply them to their signature weapon as an early and basic feature. That's how real players want weapon users to play. No one wants a goofy weapon-juggling fighter with a golf bag of weapons.

Agree on the base Fighter, but I wouldn't actually mind a weapon juggling subclass though.

My core issue with the Playtest fighter is the same as the 2014 fighter.

The Fighters doesn't knew anything new in the base class.

The fighter as they level just gets better as using the the stuff they can do at level 1.

• The fighter attacks better as they level.
• The fighter saves better as they level.
• Most Mastery is better versions of normal actions. All of your DM is decent at adjudication.

The difference between a level 8 Knight of the Realm and a level 1 Aspiring Squire is numbers not capability.

All instances of gain capability is a feat or subclass feature, not a base fighter feature.

Yes! This! At least throw the poor guy some damn ribbons!

 

[Flamestrike]

The Barbarian is hilariously getting (Str score as a minimum result) for 1/3 of the skills in the game (including Stealth, Intimidate and Perception) simply by raging first (which now lasts for 10 minutes and can be extended as a bonus action).

So your Barb is spamming guaranteed Ability check results of at least 18+ on Stealth, Perception, Intimidate, Survival etc skills more or less at will.

Fighter gets to be proficient in Persuasion, if he wants to.

Not quite the same for mine.

 

[fluffybunbunkittens]

Yes, and I really like that Barbarian change. The true capstone for Barbarians is now at level 9, and it is being a sort of a skill-monkey.

They did not even try to come up with something for Fighter...

 

[Quickleaf]

The other glaring issue is the basic concept of the new design - constant weapon switching as a means of adaptability. In a real game, weapon users don't usually switch weapons all over the place, but instead invest in feats for a specific type of weapon and hold onto a specific magic weapon. The greatweapon player is never going to put down his +3 greatsword with greatweapon master damage in order to pull out a +0 mace. Real games don't work that way.

What they need to do is just let fighters collect masteries and apply them to their signature weapon as an early and basic feature. That's how real players want weapon users to play. No one wants a goofy weapon-juggling fighter with a golf bag of weapons.

I can hardly claim to speak for "most players", but I had a conversation with a gaming friend about his old AD&D character this past Christmas.

We'd converted his old character to 5e. I'd only recorded their Greatsword of the Planes for their weapons. But he reminded me that the character had a Mace +1 and a Hornblade/longtooth, and suddenly we remembered all these little stories about using that mace to pass himself off as a member of the Harmonium guard & intimidate a skeleton warrior, and using the hornblade/longtooth (this was the one that seemed to be a dagger and grew into a sword) to escape from a net EDIT: oh! and using the hornblade/longtooth's command word to cause it to trigger in an enemy's hands and stab them (yeah, it was flexing the rules, but it was cool).

I know that modern D&D has moved away from that, but there's definitely fun to be found in figuring out creative uses for your gear, and personally I wish the system encouraged that more, rather than less.