D&D (2024) First playtest thread! One D&D Character Origins.

[Parmandur]

Do we know that will be the case? My money would be on them cleaning up the clunkiness of having ASIs at certain levels but you can take a Feat instead of the DM lets you and instead making +2 to an ability score (or +1 to two ability scores) a repeatable 4th level Feat.

Feats in base 5E are such a mess, and apparently tly unpopular enough after 3E, that it made sense that they made it optional. This regime...could work.

 

[Parmandur]

I agree. The issue I see with that, however, is that one of the top cited reasons IME people pick up the Warlock is also its build-your-own-warlock approach.

Folding Patron and Pact together wouldn't necessitate taking away Invocations, though, but it would make designing a new archetype easier in many ways.

 

[Haplo781]

Personally I hope the warlock goes back to its 3.5 roots.

 

[Kurotowa]

Well, but it doesn't invalidate the books they are in totally, though. And the rules as they stand seem to allow just using 2014 versions of the Classes as needed. Do note thst we are only getting 2 new Subclass in print thine tire year, and it's already a Level 1 choice...

Let me draw an example. What I would expect to see is changes to make Blade Pact Warlock more viable out of the box, even if it makes some of the Hexblade Patron features redundant when you combine them. What I wouldn't expect to see is changes in what level Warlocks get that Pact and Patron at, making it hard to use Hexblade or Undead Patrons without additional alterations.

Now, I could be wrong. But that's where my expectations are currently calibrated. We'll have to wait to find out.

 

[Parmandur]

Let me draw an example. What I would expect to see is changes to make Blade Pact Warlock more viable out of the box, even if it makes some of the Hexblade Patron features redundant when you combine them. What I wouldn't expect to see is changes in what level Warlocks get that Pact and Patron at, making it hard to use Hexblade or Undead Patrons without additional alterations.

Now, I could be wrong. But that's where my expectations are currently calibrated. We'll have to wait to find out.

After what they dropped today, I think the possibilities are wide open. And, they might be able to get away with a brief sidebar "conversion docunent" to paper over any differences to facilitate options continuing to work.

 

[JEB]

So , the only way to get the materials is to register on DnD Beyond, and the only way to create an account is to use your google or apple account? Am I missing something?

Wow really? That blows. I can still use my Twitch account but I guess that's grandfathered.

I did predict (repeatedly lol) that WotC would lock playtest materials for this edition behind Beyond access, but I assumed Beyond didn't require to use such personal accounts.

I was able to reactivate my long-abandoned Twitch account and use it there (through the "Already have an account? Sign In" link). So someone might be able to create a new Twitch account and manage the same thing. Having to use my Google account was seriously giving me pause...

 

[Aldarc]

Well damn. This is the first I’m hearing of this but it sounds awesome!

Someone compiled Iomandra into a Homebrewery document on Reddit. Enjoy.

Iomandra is probably one of my favorite settings from a designer's homebrew. It combines 4e's implied setting with seafaring island-hopping, plus a tiny bit of Council of Wyrms.

 

[EzekielRaiden]

I agree. The issue I see with that, however, is that one of the top cited reasons IME people pick up the Warlock is also its build-your-own-warlock approach.

My approach would be to make Pact and Patron still things you choose, but both at 1st level. Patron gives you the lion's share of your abilities. Pact unlocks access to important Invocations, some of which are "necessary" to make certain approaches viable (more or less the way they are now, but more strongly connected.) Kill the Hexblade patron entirely. Have the Blade Pact give proficiency with one-handed martial weapons and with shields, and allow the Warlock to use Charisma for accuracy only, not for damage. Then have an Invocation which lets you use two-handed weapons and lets you add your Cha mod to damage, and which requires 3rd level.

Boom. Instantly fixes both the Blade Pact being kind of sucky without Hexblade, and fixes the overblown "a two-level Warlock dip is crazy!!" criticisms.

 

[Haplo781]

Someone compiled Iomandra into a Homebrewery document on Reddit. Enjoy.

Iomandra is probably one of my favorite settings from a designer's homebrew. It combines 4e's implied setting with seafaring island-hopping, plus a tiny bit of Council of Wyrms.

"What if Nentir Vale but Wind Waker"

 

[Charlaquin]

Yet. Who knows? Other changes with Rest could be coming later as it may rock the boat with pre-existing class options too much.

I suppose it’s possible, but I don’t see it. A short rest clearly still takes an hour since that’s how long you have to go into a long rest before it’s interrupted for an interruption to still net you a short rest. So, if they change anything about short rests, it would be the benefits, which they didn’t change for long rests. I suppose they could make healer’s kit dependency the default? But that seems doubtful to me. They could maybe limit the number of them you can benefit from in a 24 hour period, as long rests are so limited? Only benefit I see that having is curtailing sorlock shenanigans (assuming warlocks are still short rest based).

Not quite. "Tief" is the German word for "deep." So it's likely meant by creator Wolfgang Baur to evoke the lower planes.

Oh, that makes sense. And in that case Ardling would be even more of a linguistic counterpoint than I thought.