D&D 5E Dungeons and Dragons at Origins

[darjr]

[MENTION=2525]Mistwell[/MENTION];

I do recall that Paizo doesn't go to Origins officially for one reason or another. Though I don't think they could stop the Society events there even if they tried.

 

[Melfast]

Pathfinder at Origins

To the best of my recollection (which may not be accurate) I thought Paizo mentioned they had for the most part pulled out of Origins years ago due to some issues they had with that convention. Are you sure you were not seeing stuff put up by fans, and not Paizo itself? I think Paizo also said they refuse to submit things to their awards ceremony as well (but again, could be wrong on that).

WOTC had said they had pulled out of Origins several years ago as well. It's not Paizo or WOTC, it's that convention that caused them to withdraw their support - I guess there were some issues. Apparently it is now under new management and people were testing the waters again lightly to see if it is worth supporting again.

On the main stairway off the main exhibit area, there was a big Paizo symbol projected up on the wall, and the RPG gaming area had Paizo posters and such, although mainly/all in front of their gaming rooms. Not sure what the rules are for using the Paizo name for their fan organized Pathfinder Society stuff, but it seemed more official. They had the most events running from what I could see with events running up to 6pm on Sunday. If I recall correctly, they were pretty much all the RPG ticketed sessions on Sunday (there were a few others before lunch I think).

Mayfair and Catalyst were definitely the main sponsors of the convention, though.

 

[Mistwell]

On the main stairway off the main exhibit area, there was a big Paizo symbol projected up on the wall, and the RPG gaming area had Paizo posters and such, although mainly/all in front of their gaming rooms. Not sure what the rules are for using the Paizo name for their fan organized Pathfinder Society stuff, but it seemed more official. They had the most events running from what I could see with events running up to 6pm on Sunday. If I recall correctly, they were pretty much all the RPG ticketed sessions on Sunday (there were a few others before lunch I think).

Mayfair and Catalyst were definitely the main sponsors of the convention, though.

Well that sure sounds like official support to me.

 

[Raith5]

This has been, and will remain, my main actual "dealbreaker"-type concern about 5E. I'm hoping this is just a factor of Clerics being the only real "healing class" in the pregens, and that in practice, any "healing class" will do as well (or close enough as makes no difference). If we're back to 2E levels of "needing a Cleric", though, gosh, that's not going to fly with any of the groups I play with.

So, fingers crossed that Bards, Druids, maybe even Warlocks or the like can do a "good enough" job.

Agree. The question of healing is an "issue" for me too. There better be an option for Second Wind in DM - for those inclined!

 

[exile]

I can't speak to the level of official Paizo support at Origins, but I did play a lot of PFS games there. I could have played even more had I not taken some time to spend with my non - gamer wife.

Additionally, there was PFS prize support (boons and novels); Jason Buhlman and Erik Mona were present; and everyone playing at the time of the special received a free, exclusive mini.

 

[gyor]

Paladin's are only weak healer during the Public Playtest at very low levels, by high levels he's better at healing debuffs then the Cleric is, and descent at healing damage with both spells and Lay on Hnads. Unless things have changed with the actual PHB finished. Hiw different is the Paladin from the public playtest?

 

[darjr]

heh, looks like paizo and wotc folks hung out together at the con as well. good to see.

 

[Ruin Explorer]

I wonder if the need for a cleric/dedicated healer will be as high when using certain HP modules or items. It makes some sense in Basic (ah, the legacy!), but I am certainly interested in getting the heck out of that.

Indeed. We won't know until mid-November, I guess, which seems like quite a while, but perhaps they'll talk about it once they've got the PHB out. Certainly I'm hoping we see options to make PCs more self-sufficient, healing-wise, than is the default in 5E.

I'm going to go out on a limb here.

The spells the heal in the playtest are: Cure Wounds (touch, but high amount) Healing Word (lower amount but at range) and Prayer of Healing (multiple targets in a small area) Heal (large amount back + status removal) and mass versions of the above. Since they all improve with level, if you know one (and can get high level spell slots) you can use them just a well as a cleric can. (No delayed acquisition of Cure Light/Mod/Serious/Critical, etc)

Bards get Cure Wounds, Healing Word, and Mass Cure Wounds (based on the 5 level version, we now know they will be getting 9 spell levels) Additionally they get Lesser Restoration and Raise Dead(!)

Druids get Cure Wounds, Healing Word, Mass Cure Wounds, and Heal. (They also get regenerate and the restoration spells, and probably reincarnate based on the leaked PHB page)

So bards and druids can do the healing job well enough to fill the cleric's role.

Yeah, that looks solid, and one good thing is that there isn't, as far as I can tell, any assumption that the default Cleric is a specialized healer-Cleric, which means there is less or no delta between a Cleric and other classes with access to the same spells. I have a strong feeling that WotC are either going to forget their Warlord-related quasi-promises, and not include it as a real option at all in the PHB, or make it so they really can't even approximate those classes in terms of helping a group, but hopefully I will be surprised. As noted above, on top of that the DMG is going to need some decent self-support optional rules for groups who don't possess any of those classes, because unlike 4E, 5E intentionally doesn't have the kind of tight balance where the lack of healer can be compensated for by the sheer power of another role (for better or worse), and this playtest report certainly chimes with all the playtesting I did, earlier on, regarding the value of a "full healer".

 

[Morrus]

Well that sure sounds like official support to me.

New leadership at Origins; Paizo's testing the waters again.

 

[gyor]

The Paladin can make a great defender especially with hugh charisma and the protector fighting style.

The Paladin has his aura that boosts saves, can block an attack giving it disadvantage, has spells for defending, grants immunity to fear and charm effects at high level.

As for healing role at high level he can have has both lay on hands and spells for healing damage, lay on hands, spells, and cleansing for magical debuffs.

So the Paladin makes a good defender/leader hybrid. Heck if one goes Avenger you have a Defender/Leader/Striker Hybrid.