D&D 5E A Hint of Elegance in the Latest Playtest

[Grimmjow]

Why is it too much?

cause we dont have too roll for everything it gets old. i like rolling the d20 and then adding my bonus. but now that i think of it it wouldn't be too hard to house rule and say "you get the average (rounded up) from your skill dice as a skill bonus" so it doesn't matter too much. I can even see them saying that right there wit the skill dice if they were to be used as core rules. Useing the average as an option rule

 

[variant]

cause we dont have too roll for everything it gets old. i like rolling the d20 and then adding my bonus. but now that i think of it it wouldn't be too hard to house rule and say "you get the average (rounded up) from your skill dice as a skill bonus" so it doesn't matter too much. I can even see them saying that right there wit the skill dice if they were to be used as core rules. Useing the average as an option rule

I suggested they just put the average of the die in parentheses next to the die. They could also just put the optional rule in a sidebar. The die itself is important for the Rogue class though and I don't want to see that feature go away.

 

[Grimmjow]

I suggested they just put the average of the die in parentheses next to the die. They could also just put the optional rule in a sidebar. The die itself is important for the Rogue class though and I don't want to see that feature go away.

ah yes i forgot about the rogue....compromise?
i guess i dont play rogues so as long as i can have the solid number instead of rolling for it i'll be fine. Maybe they could say "you have x skill dice, you can either roll for it, or take average" and then go into setting limits on it and stuff. But we already do that with hit die. you either roll it or take average. could work the same way with skill die.

pluss then those times im feeling crazy and want to roll it i still can

 

[MortalPlague]

...you either roll it or take average.

You'd have to specify at the start of the campaign, I think. It couldn't be on a case by case basis, or someone would take the average sometimes, or take the roll other times, depending on the difficulty of the task.

For the record, I like the skill roll. My players are on the fence about it, but we've only used it for one session so far.

 

[ren1999]

I like the average or roll idea.
As far as reducing the bonus to+5, I would say that is ok as long as each bonus source maxes at +5. Magic, feats, ability, level, situation.

 

[Warbringer]

I actually have a different take on the mass damage bonus...

I think this is to stop having too many options for maneuvers and not having scaling dice type.

So instead of 6d12 where this looked like we were heading, we could have 12d6 ... Can you imagine the grind slow down ... 1 spend 2d6 on maneuver a, then 1 on maneuver b, followed by ...etc

This is a compromise 6d6 for maneuvers plus (21) rounded down damage, plus more on damage if you want to spend your dice this way.

At higher levels, I expect players to build their own powers as their main sticks, rather than free forming completely .... For game speed

 

[Warbringer]

Is that flat enough? .... Stats still +25

I think situation will be advantage only
Magic caps at +3
Feats cap at +2, if they even exist
Level at +5

So ability + 10 , plus advantage situationally

Works for me

 

[ren1999]

I don't know Warbringer. I got a lot of resistance not offering feats. And people grumble if there isn't at least a +3 spread. Ability Modifiers are too large when we pair them up with the other modifiers. It is like we are saying that natural ability is king. Wack those ability modifiers down to +5 max and raise the other modifiers to make them relevant. A +25 to hit and a +25 to damage is enough and the damage bonus speeds up combat when combined with multiple attacks.

 

[ren1999]

Here is what it would look like if we were to give a max of +5 bonus for each bonus type.

max level 25
level / 5 = level mod
+1 every 5 levels
lvl25(+5)

max ability 25
ability - 10 / 3 = ability mod
+1 every 3 ability score points above 10
str25(+5)

feats
+1 trainning, +1 proficiency, +1 specialty, +1 expertise, +1 mastery
Any suggestions on the order of these feats?

magic
-5 maximum for cursed items and effects
+5 maximum for blessed items and effects

Can anybody think of 2 more, a -1 and a +1 situation?

Situation Combat Modifiers

target is concealed/invisible -1

target is long range -1

ranged target is prone -1

attacker is prone -1

target is grappled, blinded, etc. +1

target is climbing, distracted, etc. +1

target moves away from adjacent attacker +1

attacker and ally are flanking target +1

 

[ren1999]

Situation could still be advantage and disadvantage with this to work.

It would go down like this.
lvl25(+5)+str25(+5)+feat+5+magic+5+advantage or disadvantage to hit.
lvl25(+5)+str25(+5)+feat+5+magic+5 damage bonus.