Search results

Just noticed that the feat form of Protection Fighting Style gives -2 to an attack instead of imposing disadvantage, which seems like a pretty significant nerf. It does have the advantage that it's triggered after the attack roll and can thus be saved until it will change the outcome, but I'm...

I think fixed attitude categories and DCs are inevitably going to run into issues. Friendliness and hostility occur on a spectrum, as do levels of risk and sacrifice (and any number of additional personality traits could come into play). I'd say the game would be better off encouraging the DM to...

I like the idea of character specific known spells, but agree that it's important to have some flexibility, especially for new players. I think Tasha' probably took the wrong approach to this, though. Rather than designating specific level-ups for re-spec'ing, it would have been better to...

I think the Sharpshooter change also makes the feat a lot more flavorful. Now that the range and cover effects are the main point of the feat, it really feels like it's about sharpshooting, whereas the 2014 version was a much more generic "being good with ranged weapons" feat. The firing in...

I'm sure there's balance related reasoning in some cases, but it isn't at all consistent. I don't see any reason to think that Athlete or Weapon Training, for instance, would be imbalanced if they were added to the first level list without ASIs.

If it was only feats like Great Weapon Master, that would make more sense, but at the moment, the level 4 list looks more like "PHB Feats that weren't in the previous playtest" than a select group chosen for balance or flavor reasons. If they do retain the distinction, hopefully, they'll at...

The Arcane/Divine/Primal spell system and the associated changes to magical secrets seem like the biggest changes (with the arguable exception of spell preparation). Frankly, I don't see the advantage of this system over giving classes unique spell lists. The change to magical secrets is great...

In the UAs so far, there are essentially 3 categories of feats, 1st level, 4th level and epic boons. Putting aside the epic boons, it seems like the key distinction between 1st and 4th level feats is that the latter have built in ability score increases. Without those ASIs, I feel like these...

And now the UA has "Primary Ability" as a codified class element. That's disappointing, though not unexpected. On the plus side, this means it's potentially a topic for the next survey.

In cases like that, though, you could make the feature itself the prerequisite. To use the expertise example, if a character gains expertise through a feat, for instance, or through a future subclass in a different class group, I'd want that character to also have the option of choosing the...

Rolling a 1 giving inspiration, I've seen a lot of people suggesting this. I definitely prefer this to the previous version. A natural 20 is enough of a reward in and of itself. I'm still not sure I buy the argument that inspiration needs to be more common, though, and if it does, accomplishing...

I would say if ability scores tied to class in a deterministic sense, that gives them less reason to exist. If every effective Rogue has high DEX, then the benefits of high DEX feel like they're a built in part of playing a Rogue, rather than something distinctive. If ability scores are tied to...

I'm curious about all the praise that Phandelver is receiving. I've only playtested the first chapter a bit, but the initial dungeon really strikes me as relying on a bunch of humanoid adversaries doing nothing but waiting around for the characters to kill them. If a goblin escapes the initial...

But each of the elements is a trade-off in and of itself. Do you want your character to be proficient in Stealth or in Perception? Do you want to increase their Dexterity or their Constitution? Should they speak Dwarvish or Halfling? Those choices are more interesting if you can consider them in...

In addition to worldbuilding concerns, I'd be concerned about the potential for the PCs to end up in an impossible position. Under default rest rules, if the characters are low on HP and out of hit dice after an encounter, they can attempt to withdraw and rest, accepting whatever story...

As I see it, a Wisdom based Fighter would still very much be filling the role of a Fighter. Thematically, they'd be a nonmagical warrior drawing their adventuring capabilities through training with arms and armor. Mechanically, abilities like action surge and second wind and subclasses like...

In D&D, most classes have traditionally been associated with specific ability scores. Fighters tend to have high Strength, Wizards high Intelligence, and so forth. In 5e, conforming to these associations is usually key to building a character who will be effective in combat. For most classes...

There's nothing in the current framework that would prevent a feat or magic item from granting abilities from an additional domain. I don't think there's a point in codifying domain access, though, until those feats and magic items actually come into play- when it's not doing anything...

I don't think doing something else with subclasses would necessarily be impossible. Warlocks' patron/pact boon system essentially lets them choose one subclass from each of two categories. There's no reason Clerics couldn't do the same if the developers thought there was a compelling second...

Subclasses are core class mechanics in 5e. Every Cleric chooses a domain at level 1, and it's by far the largest within-class mechanical choice they'll make, influencing spell options, proficiencies and the channel divinity feature, as well as granting unique abilities. If that isn't a core...