Level Up (A5E) A5E + alt-5E = ?

[Distracted DM]

Yeah, that sounds like standard player catastrophizing.

To the fighter: "Dude, have you looked at everything else you get now? You will not lack for ass-kicking. Don't worry about that."
To the druid: "Oh, so you didn't notice the fact that you can talk and cast (some) spells while wildshaped now, I take it?"

Yup! I made a thread on class receptions that I won't continue to repeat here

 

[mamba]

How difficult is it to mix and match elements of A5E with some of the other not-quite-5E games?

that depends on what you want to mix and match, generally speaking it is easy

Throw in A5e monsters and magic items and nothing changes for the players, allow the classes and it becomes a bit more involved (but still easy)

 

[Thomas T Rolling]

that depends on what you want to mix and match, generally speaking it is easy

Throw in A5e monsters and magic items and nothing changes for the players, allow the classes and it becomes a bit more involved (but still easy)

Honestly, I am not sure yet.

I am somewhat new to D&D 5th Edition overall. I do know that there are areas of the game that I would like to be different.

All things considered, with A5E, the upcoming 5e 2024, and a few other alternatives; I am just trying to figure out what I can use as part of my game.

As for what I want:
I would like more opportunities to choose feats.
I want to keep background features similar to what the 5e PHB has.
I would like encounter design that has more moving pieces, terrain features, and etc (a little more like 4e).
I would prefer a somewhat more grounded version of fantasy. Something like Humblewood but darker and bloodier would be cool.

 

[W'rkncacnter]

I would like more opportunities to choose feats.

you're not really gonna get this out of anything trying to keep compatibility with 5e, i think. it'd change the power scaling too much. you're better off just hitting this with a house rule (e.g. separating feats from ASIs and then giving them out at character levels 5, 9, 13, 17, and 20). if you do end up using a5e, that'll get a bit weird since synergy feats expect you to be able to pick up feats at the ASI levels, so you might just give both ASIs and a feat instead of the choice between one or the other, for example.

I want to keep background features similar to what the 5e PHB has.

a5e does this, though it also moves your starting ASIs from race (which it calls heritage) to background.

I would like encounter design that has more moving pieces, terrain features, and etc (a little more like 4e).

besides the fact that this is more of a DM side thing then a system thing, a5e does have what it calls "encounter elements" and "world actions" that help with exactly this kind of thing.

I would prefer a somewhat more grounded version of fantasy. Something like Humblewood but darker and bloodier would be cool.

i'd say a5e is a bit more grounded then 5e (since it has haven rules and yoyoing is more dangerous since it fatigues you and a few other things), but like with feats, any system trying to stay compatible with 5e (and especially 5e adventures) isn't really going to do this super hard.

if you want a good preview of a5e before you buy it, a ton of the content is available for free on the tools site. you can sort through it and see for yourself if you'd like to invest in it proper.

 

[Pauln6]

We have had our first fight playing A5e and the additional options were great fun. Still not sure about combat manoeuvres. The changes to basic manoeuvres looks very interesting and I like basic melee damage. At level 3 we were often forgetting the combat manoeuvres were there and when we remembered, they were uninspiring. I can imagine that it takes a lot of energy to pick between options at higher levels.

I was wondering how the 5.5 weapon masteries might measure up as manoeuvres for dummies? Adding those at will abilities to weapon properties could make martials quite versatile. Would it be too much?

Could a handful of manoeuvres (say up to one of each level) be allowed as short rest abilities?

 

[Distracted DM]

We have had our first fight playing A5e and the additional options were great fun. Still not sure about combat manoeuvres. The changes to basic manoeuvres looks very interesting and I like basic melee damage. At level 3 we were often forgetting the combat manoeuvres were there and when we remembered, they were uninspiring. I can imagine that it takes a lot of energy to pick between options at higher levels.

I was wondering how the 5.5 weapon masteries might measure up as manoeuvres for dummies? Adding those at will abilities to weapon properties could make martials quite versatile. Would it be too much?

Could a handful of manoeuvres (say up to one of each level) be allowed as short rest abilities?

Personally I wouldn't use both new 5e weapon masteries AND A5E maneuvers on the same character. What a5e maneuvers were y'all using that were uninspiring?

 

[Pauln6]

Personally I wouldn't use both new 5e weapon masteries AND A5E maneuvers on the same character. What a5e maneuvers were y'all using that were uninspiring?

I couldn't even tell you which ones I picked. We're all middle-aged now and learning a lot of complex options is just that bit harder. The sanguine knot one but the other pcs are still a bit in 5e mode and beyond flanking and higher ground, we haven't really vibed with synergies yet.

I was toying with things like using a manoeuvre when you spend inspiration or when you roll a critical as an alternative. Action surge was once per short rest.

Alternatively, using improved second wind might be a bargain basement alternative on top of masteries. Just spitballing.

 

[Morrus]

Personally I wouldn't use both new 5e weapon masteries AND A5E maneuvers on the same character. What a5e maneuvers were y'all using that were uninspiring?

Yeah, they're basically the same design space. It'd be like giving a wizard spells and a new magic system.

 

[Corinnguard]

Yeah, they're basically the same design space.

The 5e Weapon Masteries and A5e Combat Maneuvers are kind of trying to address the gap between martials and spellcasters in their own unique way. The Weapon Masteries does this by having it where a martial character or a multiclass-martial character can unlock a special property out of whatever weapon they happen to be handling at a given moment. A5e's Combat Maneuvers otoh gives them a maneuver or a stance that acts like a spell and works with just about any weapon, just not a specific kind of weapon. And there are lot of Combat Maneuvers in A5e than there are weapons.

 

[Morrus]

The 5e Weapon Masteries and A5e Combat Maneuvers are kind of trying to address the gap between martials and spellcasters in their own unique way. The Weapon Masteries does this by having it where a martial character or a multiclass-martial character can unlock a special property out of whatever weapon they happen to be handling at a given moment. A5e's Combat Maneuvers otoh gives them a maneuver or a stance that acts like a spell and works with just about any weapon, just not a specific kind of weapon. And there are lot of Combat Maneuvers in A5e than there are weapons.

Yes, I know.