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

[Havrik Stoneskimmer]

In the case of a boost to wisdom, surely there are some types of criminals that would benefit or even specialize in being perceptive, noticing threatening situations, and being able to assess people - perhaps as security for some more important criminal gang, or as a lookout, or someone who ferrets out the unaffiliated con artists working in the gang's territory. That might even be worth swapping the stealth skill for insight. In any event, it should be pushing you to think of how it all works together rather than picking your best bennies a la carte.

I agree, it seems like it could lead to deeper thinking about your character's place in the world, which is always nice.

 

[MonsterEnvy]

yeah but then the shadar kia and gith got it too

Gith are not elves and live in the Astral Plane.

 

[Weiley31]

So far, I like things here and there, but I'm more neutral. Like I like the Ardlings for the reasons I stated before, and some of the stuff, like the Dwarves are pretty neat.

On the other hand, the fact they went backwards on things that were updated via currently released books, feels weird though. Especially if a new player looks at this and then looks at their buds' version of Fizban or other books. Unless it completely slipped their minds with the events of today's announcements and getting this ready for the Playtest packet. (Plus, the feedback survey unlocks on the 1st of September.)

I like what they did with Tavern Brawler. Not the first bullet point, but I like the remainder. And it changes them from being Improvised Weapons to like, something with a decent damage die that isn't 1D4. Personally, I feel like this feat works well with Monks that specialize in Unarmed Attacks. Musician is pretty cool and the Healer is interesting too.

 

[overgeeked]

Is it a bit weird that backgrounds no longer give any kind of roleplaying benefit? Like how criminals had an NPC contact in the criminal underworld, or how sailors can secure free passage on a ship. Maybe these are just abridged versions of the backgrounds and don't include that sort of thing? Or maybe they are moving away from that sort of thing since it can just be roleplayed as needed as things that naturally lead from the characters' background.

The Spelljammer set includes the Wildspacer background, which as a feature allows you to ignore the usual disadvantage on melee weapon attacks in zero gravity. I don't see anything like that here.

I think they learned the hard way that so-called "ribbon" abilities can wildly throw off games and that referees don't always apply them the say, thus creating a fractured play experience. So they're removing those ribbons and giving specific mechanical weight to backgrounds. Most from the other recent UAs have been some variant of "you get free food and lodging" as the only general RP-based perk.

 

[Thommy H-H]

The justifications for each language in the sample backgrounds fluff really appealed to me for some reason! I like the implicit worldbuilding, and that's a neat thing I hope they run with when they (presumably?) do setting-specific backgrounds. It feels like a good place to put that. Stuff like farmers knowing Halfling because they work from halfling-penned almanacs, Infernal being the "language of deception", or goblinoid generals writing tactical treatise. Feels a bit early 4E with those kinds of universal plug-and-play backstory elements.

 

[overgeeked]

On the other hand, the fact they went backwards on things that were updated via currently released books, feels weird though. Especially if a new player looks at this and then looks at their buds' version of Fizban or other books. Unless it completely slipped their minds with the events of today's announcements and getting this ready for the Playtest packet. (Plus, the feedback survey unlocks on the 1st of September.)

Gotta keep people buying Fizban's after 2024.

 

[Jefe Bergenstein]

Lucky seems potentially more balanced now that monsters don't crit.

 

[Minigiant]

Where is muh half elf!

 

[Weiley31]

Gith are not elves and live in the Astral Plane.

At least the Shardai-Kai have a legit excuse/reason for being able to use the updated Trance feature in regard to what they choose. And you don't even have to use the excuse that they are elves.

 

[WarDriveWorley]

Is it a bit weird that backgrounds no longer give any kind of roleplaying benefit? Like how criminals had an NPC contact in the criminal underworld, or how sailors can secure free passage on a ship. Maybe these are just abridged versions of the backgrounds and don't include that sort of thing? Or maybe they are moving away from that sort of thing since it can just be roleplayed as needed as things that naturally lead from the characters' background.

The Spelljammer set includes the Wildspacer background, which as a feature allows you to ignore the usual disadvantage on melee weapon attacks in zero gravity. I don't see anything like that here.

It's possible that they didn't just include that part of the backgrounds with the initial playtest drop.