D&D (2024) One D&D Survey Feedback: Weapon Mastery Spectacular; Warlock and Wizard Mixed Reactions

Jeremy Crawford discusses the results of the Packet 5 Survey:

• Weapon Mastery at 80% approval, and all options except for Flex scored similarly. Crawford says that Flex is mathematically one of the most powerful properties, but will need some attention because people didn't feel like it was. This feature is in the 2024 PHB for 6 Classes, guaranteed at this point.
• Barbarian scored well, particularly the individual features, average satisfaction of 80% for each feature. Beserker got 84% satisfaction, while the 2014 Beserker in the 2020 Big Class Survey got 29% satisfaction.
• Fighter received well, overall 75% satisfaction. Champion scored 54% in the Big Class Survey, but this new one got 74%.
• Sorcerer in the Big Class Survey got 60%, this UA Sorcerer got 72%. Lots of enthusiasm for the Metamagic revisions. Careful Spell got 92% satisfaction. Twin Spell was the exception, at 60%. Draconic Sorcerer got 73%, new Dragon Wings feature was not well received but will be fixed back to being on all the time by the return to 2014 Aubclass progression.
• Class specific Spell lists are back in UA 7 coming soon, the unified Spell lists are out.
• Warlock feedback reflected mixed feelings in the player base. Pact magic is coming back in next iteration. Next Warlock will be more like 2014, Mystic Arcanum will be a core feature, but will still see some adjustments based on feedback to allow for more frequent use of Spells. Eldritch Invocations were well received. Crawford felt it was a good test, because they learned what players felt. They found the idiosyncracy of the Warlock is exactly what people like about it, so theybare keeping it distinct. Next version will get even more Eldritch Invocation options.
• Wizard got a mixed reception. Biggest problem people had was wanting a Wizard specific Spell list, not a shared Arcane list that made the Wizard less distinct. Evoker well received.

 

[FitzTheRuke]

I think we need to be careful about jumping to conclusions and over-extrapolating. WotC will know that this feature for bards was received very positively, so let's wait and see whether they figure out how to keep it in a world of class spell lists. For example, what if they provide a small list of bard spells, and let bards choose a second class list in which to specialize?

That's actually a pretty fun idea. Bards get Bard spells + whatever they picked up from some member of another class + magical secrets later for picking up other spells (could be a third class's spell-list, or spells from where-ever).

 

[Shardstone]

given that WotC throws it out if we do not consider it good enough, it better be as close as possible to that on its first try. It likely won't get a second...

It's just such a clearly faulty playtest process.

I've been pretty patient with Crawford so far, but ultimately, his design style is just way too conservative for me. I'm uninterested in the D&D that he wants to portray. Since he's the lead producer and the voice for the game, I put all this on him.

The game that Mearls and Crawford made together was a great start and a fantastic resurrection of D&D. But the game that Crawford now stewards alone feels grossly uninspired. Maybe I'm being too harsh, but I've been a long-time defender of WotC's products and style. I feel ultimately, they are uninterested in upping their quality, only in dubiously maintaining the status quo. I know many people are ok and satisfied with that, and good for them. I'll never apologize for wanting fresh experiences.

 

[Emberashh]

Reading 4e for myself I think if WOTC really wanted to do something special theyd take 4e and rebuild it to eliminate the abrasive parts while keeping everything else.

 

[Stalker0]

I think we need to be careful about jumping to conclusions and over-extrapolating. WotC will know that this feature for bards was received very positively, so let's wait and see whether they figure out how to keep it in a world of class spell lists. For example, what if they provide a small list of bard spells, and let bards choose a second class list in which to specialize?

My thought as well. Or heck maybe bard spell list feature will be: (choose wizard, cleric, or Druid….this is your spell list)

 

[doctorbadwolf]

I'm continually surprised that they haven't added a "Power Strike" option where you can straight up add 1d8 to your damage one or more times per encounter to the fighter; it was a late 4e thing that was pretty cool. You could have it recharge when you roll for initiative, and then it would be always available in every encounter.

It’s completely wackadoo to me that fighters don’t get legendary actions and saves, starting at like 1/LR each, and scaling up with levels. Call it Heroic Surge and Heroic Determination.

Power attack is also good.

 

[DEFCON 1]

Learning a new spell is a class feature. Those aren't dead levels. It's also worth pointing out that every single one of those "dead" levels the wizard doesn't just gain a new spell but an entire new spell level - which is the strongest and most influential class feature that takes the most in the game, not excluding an extra feat/ASI.

Along with the other four full casters. But those classes also get additional stuff too. Which I think is the point... in exchange for NOT getting other class features at all those levels, Wizards instead get a wider range of different types of spells.

If you cut back on the total number of different spells in the Wizard's spell list, you'd need to reimburse them with other class features, methinks.

 

[Charlaquin]

Edit: side note - why are we assuming that divine smite won't remain a bonus action spell? It wasn't mentioned in this debrief. I think that is one change that will likely stick - it makes a lot of sense, and when combined with changes to other smite spells makes the class more flexible and interesting. Super positive change for the class, IMO.

Who’s we? As far as I can tell, it’s just @Remathilis who’s assuming that, because they were so disappointed about the loss of unified subclass progression that they’re now assuming no changes are going to stick.

 

[doctorbadwolf]

It's just such a clearly faulty playtest process.

I've been pretty patient with Crawford so far, but ultimately, his design style is just way too conservative for me. I'm uninterested in the D&D that he wants to portray. Since he's the lead producer and the voice for the game, I put all this on him.

The game that Mearls and Crawford made together was a great start and a fantastic resurrection of D&D. But the game that Crawford now stewards alone feels grossly uninspired. Maybe I'm being too harsh, but I've been a long-time defender of WotC's products and style. I feel ultimately, they are uninterested in upping their quality, only in dubiously maintaining the status quo. I know many people are ok and satisfied with that, and good for them. I'll never apologize for wanting fresh experiences.

We aren’t satisfied with low quality status quo, we just disagree with you on what improvement looks like in this case.

Reversion of magic because of the wizard fans didn't think wizards were special enough.

Typical D&D Pro-Wizard Fandom​

Nah, they’re right. The spell list is all the wizard has. They won’t expand on spell creation and stuff like signature spell, so what’s left is…having the best spell list.

Sorcerers are about innate magic. I strongly believe that no Sorcerer magic should ever need a material component. They should be able to ignore all mundane material component requirements that don't have a monetary value, or require an object to utilize, like Augury or Identify, or Chromatic Orb. Instead of Chromatic Orb they can have their own Sorcerer spells that have flexible energy options, like Sorcerous Burst, Chaos Bolt, and Arcane Eruption, each of which don't equire material components.

If the material component is absolutely necessary, it isn't innate, and Sorcerers shouldn't be able to cast it as a sorcery spell. They aren't going to suddenly be able to cast Chromatic Orb or Identify without the expensive item required to cast it.

I just let them spend sorcery points to ignore material components. it’s still better to get the component, but you can cast it without doing so.

 

[Minigiant]

Nah, they’re right. The spell list is all the wizard has. They won’t expand on spell creation and stuff like signature spell, so what’s left is…having the best spell list

Cut the Arcane spell list and give wizards access to a wizard only list.

 

[Incenjucar]

One of the unfortunate things is making the "mage" generalist the default. If the mage was a subclass that was about versatility they could make the wizard class more conceptually flexible.