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I like this chart. You could cover another half of the issue with simple advice: When deciding on treasure, check that it is possible to allocate it fairly amongst the player characters, and avoid handing out magic items that create a long term imbalance between PCs. Or shorter: Don't give out...

Both the halfling damage boost and the wizard at wills are attempts at mechanical balance between player character build choices. The "balance" here is to make more character concepts choice neutral when it comes to combat effectiveness. In the case of the Wizard, I am not convinced the...

The classes also get to allocate a bonus, which includes the prime stat for the class, so in fact the race/class combos suggested in the playtest material will give matching non-humans the options of an 18 using the default array, and humans the option of a 19. Edit: My addition sucks, and I am...

Graph of expected results 4d6 drop lowest for single die: 4d6 Probability Curve by Daniel R. Collins I had some analysis of expected variations for 6-stat characters from my own code, but that's buried somewhere, could dig it out if you want? In any case, I prefer fixed point-buy for character...

On those results I'd be thinking there's some basic numbers wrong on the dwarf or zombie. I'd expect the dwarf to need some recovery/rest on his way to 2nd level - i.e. there should be a good chance of him burning through his hit points if he tried to advance a level without rest/healing. The...

Very easy to dial this up or down according to taste.

I agree with the OP. The playtest packet smells of "Real D&D" now (not sure what that literally smells like :p). This will be a great product IMO for getting new players in. I'm less convinced than before that it is the product for me and my RPG sessions. For a while I was excited about themes...

I liked the direction 4E moved in - Psionics was effectively another style of magic, and shared a lot of the basic rules. It was just different enough to feel different, but there was only a little additional mechanics required. I also prefer, fluff-wise, the psionics-as-willpower-magic as...

I didn't even spot that in the OP . . . Why? Because the first thing I do when looking at a class is throw out all the fluff and think of what *my* background for the character would be. In the swordsage example, all I need say (as DM or player when Swordsage and Warrior are sat at the same...

Lots of boardgames (including older D&D for overland speeds, or simply to justify feet <-> yards when outside) give a bonus for especially flat surfaces such as roads. For "easy terrain" as a general combat game concept, it could make for finer-grained details, but I'm not sure if it will be...

This is, in essence, the "gamist versus simulationist" argument, with you taking the role of "simulationist" (at least in terms of character equipment). The 4E adventure writers *could* have added a special Demonic-pact-for-hobgoblin spell description, and then said that it was available to...

. . . nor in fact that the fighter that picks up a sword from a monster/NPC that could hit with it for 4d6 would do so. In short 4E damage for monsters is almost entirely unrelated to their equipment. Players however, get to "build" how their PC's damage is done using complex rules, because it...

I'm fine with all 3, they all appear in fantasy stories I like, and I think they are compatible in the same tavern/game world without issue. Of course if these are separate classes in the core rules, then none of them would be dealbreakers to D&D Next, just for a game starting for specific...

I'm with other posters here, there are at least three major "axes" of RPG design and play styles that versions of D&D mess around with (sometimes inconsistently within the same version as the OP suggests). Simple <-> Complex (Basic .... 3E & 4E) Gamist <-> Simulationist (4E ... 3E)...

Agreed. A "gamist fix" would need to work without reference to time frames or resting. 4E's milestones and encounter powers are gamist, for example, adding benefits that drive sessions towards more encounters with less focus on resting. A mechanic that offers more of a resource as players take...

1) About when do you want Fly to show up in spell lists: low level, high level, or epic? High level. Otherwise it auto-solves too many interesting scenarios 2) When do you want Long term Flight spells and magic items to be suggested to appear (if at all)? Spells never, I don't like...

For me there was a big split between AD&D and 3E. Although I enjoyed AD&D for some years of play, I eventually tired of it, playing Runequest, Rolemaster amongst other systems, and routinely cobbling together my own systems (usually loosely based around Runequest). For a while (couple of...

Cannot agree more with the highlighted text (my emphasis). The "resource game" is very loosely codified into the game, all versions. It's often a bone of contention between DM and players, plus something that over-works DMs after certain styles of story/pacing that are not supported by it...

Geometry is low down the list of concerns for TotM (probably just after physics). And it only comes up in grid play because it *has to*, thanks to a grid being a geometric construct. Starting the combat rules based on imagining static posed fighting will lead on to further rules and rulings...

I like it. It would make a *lot* of the game modular, and not in the "1e fighter plays alongside 4e warlord" kind of way. Although it is realistic that if you want to have a core game which allows bolt-on 4E-style resources and 2E-style Vancian casting, then neither of those should be core...