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I see what you're saying - if they made a basic system with attribute increases that you could choose to turn into feats, why can't they do the same here? Each point on the Martial path is a simple increase in something that matters to Fighters, or it's a choice of complex tricks or non-standard...

Right! That would fit in with existing mechanics and give them 'spell-like' abilities. The DC could be set by their attack modifier with their current weapon (though with the changes to spell DCs, half level may be more suitable).

I appreciate that they've shown a draft of a simple character vs. a complex character. The simple character is fairly on target, though I would tweak the details a little, for a start make each ability passively boost an aspect of the Fighter rather than having so many things that affect your...

There's also this longstanding D&D lore that most demi-human races aren't keen adventurers, or rather that, because humans have such short lifespans, they go adventuring like crazy. I sort of like the 'candle that burns quickest burns brightest' idea for humans, and the attribute increase or...

Well yes, because in How to Play we get this: Those all sound sensible, and yet a canonical pushing spell like Thunderwave uses a Con saving throw. Earthquake uses Dexterity saving throws to avoid being knocked over or falling. What does this even mean? Clearly they have no idea themselves...

There are 0 Intelligence saving throws, 4 Charisma saving throws (one of which only matter to outsiders/summons) and 2 Strength saving throws, so there is really no need that I can see.

Hmm, now that I see the rules for attribute increases down on paper, I'm really starting to go off it. I get that it's simple, that's definitely an advantage if you play without feats, but I think it brings out the fundamental flaw in pre-3E (and to some extent 3E) abilities: what's the point in...

I see what they're doing with classes, and it works, I think. The 'plain' fighter abilities are indeed plain, and it works, I think. They are still obsessed with giving you d4s and d6s to roll, sometimes to add to your d20, sometimes to resolve something separately. This is very difficult to...

Surprise! It's out now.

I'm fatigued for the simple reason that everything we read about and discuss is, to us, entirely virtual. We haven't had a significant update in so many months it's silly. The sorts of things they've supposedly updated, improved and changed are so fundamental it's not useful to playtest the...

I don't mind if the ability score cap sits at 18 or 20, though I do wonder why they don't make it 18 to give the game the right feel. I would appreciate if the maximum attack modifier was the same as your maximum ability modifier, and then your maximum skill modifier could be twice that - +5...

It bothers me still on attacks, but you have inspired me with some hope. If they have an optional skill point system (please!) that allows for customisation, there could be a parallel optional weapon point system (please!), a la 2E WP and NWP. Your proficiency is determined by where you spend...

Spell levels were originally to ensure that significant effects like Wish were obtained when you were high level, whilst things like Magic Missile were available right away. We've already seen a good attempt to scale spells according to the spell slot they use - I admire this, I'd like to see...

I agree with your last statement - but doesn't this make the whole spell level, spell slot system a needlessly complex exercise? If you want to cast sleep, it's to achieve a particular effect. If you want to cast fireball, it's to achieve a particular effect. If you are low level, those effects...

Ugh, one of my least favourite features of 4th edition: everyone progresses at the same rate. One of the major advantages of bounded accuracy was that you didn't need this, because the specialist and the untrained characters wouldn't be that far apart. Fighters could get +6 to hit with weapons...

Hm, just realised through a second reading that spell save DCs will be tied to spell level. I'm not sure I like this. Firstly it's a 1-9 scale, whereas most other things are working on a 1-6 (or the sum of two 1-6s) scale. Secondly, spell effects already scale with spell level. Thirdly, how will...

Everything there seems sensible, but we'll have to see how it plays out. I'm not sure why +6/+12 rather than +5/+10, which are nice divisions of a d20. I am also happy to see the back of the skill dice, let's stick with a d20+X universal mechanic. And now, a suggestion. The problem with certain...

I think that proficiences would be better placed separately from feats. If you become a heavy armor master, it should probably be the case that you're already proficient, for instance. The question is where to put them, since we want characters to be able to acquire new proficiencies. In my...

I'm firstly pleased that they realised the trouble with giving only +1 to an ability - the +2 or +1/+1 is definitely better. Having said that, I now fear that ability scores already start much, much too high. If you use the standard array with a 15, and get race and classes bonuses to it, then...

Group skill rules are always a bit tricky. In 3rd Ed. I used to let the party nominate a leader for a certain task, and then the party's overall check would be 10+leader's skill modifier, with a penalty for each party member. I think it was -2 for those with no relevant skill points and -1...