D&D 5E D&D Podcast: A1 Playtest

[Plaguescarred]

D&D Podcast
A1 Playtest
By D&D Team

In this episode, Mike Mearls looks back at the recent D&D Next livestream game of A1: Slave Pits of the Undercity, Mike and Rodney discuss the results of the session, especially as it pertained to the deadly fight against the ghouls.

What are your thoughts?

 

[Plaguescarred]

Interesting to hear the field report. I wished there was all participants in it so we could hear from everyone.

I thought they'd have addressed the fact that Mike used an outdated ghoul statblock. There was a lot of talks about a monster that doesn't paralyze with all its 3 attacks anymore!

I pretty much agree with adding saving throw scaling bonus. This will also help against spells.

 

[Li Shenron]

I pretty much agree with adding saving throw scaling bonus. This will also help against spells.

This is pretty much what I was afraid of. It's not a huge deal, but it's a regression and it sucks. It's complexity slowly creeping once again into an edition that was supposed to be as simple as possible, but designers (and gamers) are incapable of letting go things they have understood the reason for. Because of course there is a reason for scaling ST, and it's a good reason, but a good reason doesn't make it inevitably necessary.

 

[Gundark]

This is pretty much what I was afraid of. It's not a huge deal, but it's a regression and it sucks. It's complexity slowly creeping once again into an edition that was supposed to be as simple as possible, but designers (and gamers) are incapable of letting go things they have understood the reason for. Because of course there is a reason for scaling ST, and it's a good reason, but a good reason doesn't make it inevitably necessary.

I am going to agree. It made my heart sink to hear that. I am glad that the half level thing got shot down by Rodney (who I think is a good designer).

 

[EvilDwarf]

Do we see the winner of the character sheet contest on the table? Or is that old news?

 

[Iosue]

But ST's scale in B/X, one of the rules-litest versions of D&D, and the saving throws there are a completely separate category from ability scores. I think using ability scores as saves, with a scaling saving throw bonus common to all classes and all saves gives you essentially the effect as in B/X (saves improve as characters gain levels), but is even simpler.

 

[Weather Report]

Well, from the Slave Lords Bestiary it looks like the Monk and Rogue get a bonus die to certain Ability Checks and Saving Throws.

 

[Falling Icicle]

I don't want there to be saving throw bonuses either. I didn't mind back when saves were their own thing, but now that they're just ability checks, I'd rather not have to keep track of them separately. They should just remove the spellcasting bonuses from leveling to save DCs. If save DCs don't scale, then saving throws don't need to either.

 

[Weather Report]

I am also becoming wary of the complexity creep I have been seeing, maybe I'll stick with the 1st packet.

 

[Jeff Carlsen]

I disagree with their assertion that a 10th level character should have an easier time avoiding the ghoul's effect than a 5th level. They should have an easier time dispatching a ghoul, as reflected by hit points, but a large group of ghouls should be terrifying to even a high level party precisely due to their paralyzing effects.

In general, effects that require a save should not be affected by level. Becoming more skilled and experience does not usually change your ability to resist effects once they are upon you. Exceptions should be handled on a case by case basis, using hit point, hit dice, or level thresholds as appropriate.