Everyday Heroes 5e Quickstart Guide First Impressions?

[Ghost2020]

Anyone else pick up the Everyday Heroes 5e Quickstart guide?

Thoughts on it?

Graphically, it looks very nice. I like the layout.

With all the feats, just wondering if they're missing the mark?

 

[Jer]

I'd like to know more about the base system - what parts come from the Strong/Tough/Smart/Wise class and what parts come from the other class? Are the "second classes" like subclasses that you take at 1st level or are they actually separate classes? Do I need to track my "Wise Hero" and "Sleuth" levels as separate classes in the actual game or is "Wise Sleuth" more like a class/subclass combo? And if it isn't does that mean that I could have a Strong Sleuth or a Wise Commando?

Also it seems at first glance that there's a bit of 3e design philosophy thrown in here - the numerous feats being the most glaring example. 5e (mostly) uses subclasses rather than "builds", with feats being optional and available for everyone. Feats are for creating "builds" - gives more flexibility but at a cost of more complexity during character creation and leveling up (though from the look of it I'm not sure that this is targeting the same "casual player" demo that 5e works well for, even though it's using a 5e base).

 

[Ghost2020]

I'd like to know more about the base system - what parts come from the Strong/Tough/Smart/Wise class and what parts come from the other class? Are the "second classes" like subclasses that you take at 1st level or are they actually separate classes? Do I need to track my "Wise Hero" and "Sleuth" levels as separate classes in the actual game or is "Wise Sleuth" more like a class/subclass combo? And if it isn't does that mean that I could have a Strong Sleuth or a Wise Commando?

Also it seems at first glance that there's a bit of 3e design philosophy thrown in here - the numerous feats being the most glaring example. 5e (mostly) uses subclasses rather than "builds", with feats being optional and available for everyone. Feats are for creating "builds" - gives more flexibility but at a cost of more complexity during character creation and leveling up (though from the look of it I'm not sure that this is targeting the same "casual player" demo that 5e works well for, even though it's using a 5e base).

I couldn't agree more. This feels like a mashed up d20 modern and 5e product.

 

[Ghost2020]

Definitely get the 96 page rules sample download. It's interesting.

 

[sigfried]

I'd like to know more about the base system - what parts come from the Strong/Tough/Smart/Wise class and what parts come from the other class? Are the "second classes" like subclasses that you take at 1st level or are they actually separate classes? Do I need to track my "Wise Hero" and "Sleuth" levels as separate classes in the actual game or is "Wise Sleuth" more like a class/subclass combo? And if it isn't does that mean that I could have a Strong Sleuth or a Wise Commando?

Also it seems at first glance that there's a bit of 3e design philosophy thrown in here - the numerous feats being the most glaring example. 5e (mostly) uses subclasses rather than "builds", with feats being optional and available for everyone. Feats are for creating "builds" - gives more flexibility but at a cost of more complexity during character creation and leveling up (though from the look of it I'm not sure that this is targeting the same "casual player" demo that 5e works well for, even though it's using a 5e base).

Hi there, I'm one of the two lead designers. Here's the skinny on those rules questions.

The Base Classes (Archetypes in the final rule book) give the following stuff.
-Hit Dice
-Defense Calculation
-Devence Bonus Progression

• A "core mechanic Talent" at level 1 (Reckless Attack for strong heroes for instance)
• A secondary Talent at level 2 (Power Attack for strong heroes)
• Feat picks at every even level

The Classes (Brute in the case of the first hero) give more specialized talents and benefits.

• Equipment and skill proficiencies
• Saving throw proficiencies
• Signature Talents every odd level.
• Talent progressions (like the smash damage from Brute)
• Access to specialized powers like the smart hero Plans.

You take both an Archetype and Class at level 1 and you get benefits from each and level up in both at the same time. Multiclassing is done by taking feats that grant selected sets of abilities from other Archetypes and Classes. So you always level up in your Archetype and Class, but you can mix in abilities from anywhere using feats.

Feats are a bit more like 3e than 5e in Everyday Heroes. We have broken them out into "Basic Feats" and "Advanced Feats" Basic feats offer very basic benefits like +1 to an ability score of your choice, 2 skill proficiencies, +1 wealth level, one equipment proficiency, and so on. You can take them multiple times. Newer players can take these and keep things simple. Advanced feats (which includes the multiclass feats) are for players who want to really customize their heroes mechanically and try to re-create famous movie heroes and so forth. They all can only be taken once.

Our final change is that feats come in two sizes: minor and major. When feats are granted you can either take one major feat or two minor feats. (all the basic feats are minor feats.) This resolves some of the mechanical awkwardness of feats that have a built-in ability score adjustment.