Falling Icicle
Adventurer
Likes:
The overall simplicity, ease of use and flexibility of the core mechanics.
Greater Emphasis on ability scores.
Ability scores for PCs cap at 20.
Each ability score being used for saving throws.
Flatter math.
Themes and Backgrounds.
Skills that are more roleplaying based and not shackled to a single ability or class.
Characters seem very simple but I also feel like I have more freedom to do things than I ever had in the past. For example, a fighter can actually stand watch at night and be good at it! Imagine that!
Advantage/Disadvantage.
Surprise being -20 initiative instead of having convoluted rules for surprise rounds.
4e-style critical hits. Roll a 20, deal maximum damage. No threat ranges. No confirmation rolls. No crazy damage spikes.
Streamlined Conditions.
Finesse Weapons let you use your Dex instead of Str without a feat tax.
Permanent magic items are rare and precious now, not something you go to the corner magic mart to buy.
At-Will Cantrips and Orisons.
1st level spellcasters have more than just 1 spell per day.
Anyone can get a couple at-will cantrips by taking a feat. Cool!
No more caster level on spells. Spells have fixed damage, duration, etc. (aside from ability score bonuses). Excellent!
Spell save DCs are just 10 + ability mod, no matter what the spell's level is. Thank the gods.
Spells use Int/Wis modifier for damage, like in 4e (with the odd exception of magic missile). Though, what happened to implements? I hope they bring them back.
Some spells can be cast without preparation as rituals. Brilliant!
Dislikes/Concerns:
Hit Points seem to be rolled. Will this awful mechanic ever just DIE?
Hit Points seem to inflate with level just as fast as ever.
Hit Dice and Healing: I don't like having to use a healer's kit every time I use a hit dice to heal while resting. It's annoying to have to keep track of things like that, and hit dice already have a usage limit. Instead of requiring healing kits, let them grant a bonus to the roll. Carrots are better than sticks.
A rogue's sneak attack is +1d6 damage PER LEVEL? That's INSANE.
The Charmed condition notably leaves out “and the charmer's apparent allies.” Is that intentional? I'd be pretty disappointed if I charmed a creature and it could still attack my friends.
Weapon stats are a bit too basic now. There's no reason to use some weapons as others are just plain superior.
Heavy Crossbows use Strength for attack? Bwuh?
Armor is oversimplified and unblanced. There should be a valid reason to choose leather over chain, or to use a light shield instead of a heavy one. Right now there's not.
Mithral, dragonscale and adamantine aren't special materials, but types of armor. Bleh.
Alchemist fire, holy water, and acid are absolutely terrible weapons, not even worth wasting a turn let alone the cost to buy them. At the very least, they should be equivalent to an at-will minor spell.
Spells taking 1 minute per level to prepare may seem nice at low levels, but at high levels that could be a nightmare.
Alot of spells have 1 minute durations. While I far prefer this to the old 1 round/level thing, I'd rather not have to track spell durations in combat at all in this edition. They should make these spells last 5 minutes, like in 4e.
Cure spells are still conjuration instead of necromancy... argh. I know, it's a minor nitpick, but this has been bugging me since 3rd edition.
Some spell descriptions are too vague. Detect magic, for example, says that studying the auras can give you clues into the nature of the magic, but how does this work? Does studying the magic require an action? Does it require a roll? The spell also says it doesn't reveal magic that is designed to be hidden, but what does that include? Does a spell have to specifically state that it is so designed, or does this include pretty much the entire illusion school?
I do not like spells that only allow a monster to save if it has X hit points. The Power Word type spells were bad design before and they're bad design now. As much fun as totally “pwning” those poor little goblins and other creatures with less than 10 HP is, what about when these spells get used on PCs? I don't ever want to be denied a saving throw against a nasty effect just because my character happens to have low hit points at the time.
Mage Hand can't go more than 5 ft. above the ground. Why not? Would it really break the game if my wizard could use mage hand to retrieve tomes from the top shelf in the library?
Magic Missile does what spells aren't supposed to do in this edition – it scales with caster level. It starts out too weak, but eventually becomes the ultimate offensive cantrip, leaving spells like shocking grasp in the dust. Forget tradition and just make it balanced with the other minor spells!
It would be nice if Ray of Frost dealt some damage, even if only d3 + ability modifier. Let the monster save against the immobilize effect as compensation. I dislike debilitating effects that “always work” anyway.
The overall simplicity, ease of use and flexibility of the core mechanics.
Greater Emphasis on ability scores.
Ability scores for PCs cap at 20.
Each ability score being used for saving throws.
Flatter math.
Themes and Backgrounds.
Skills that are more roleplaying based and not shackled to a single ability or class.
Characters seem very simple but I also feel like I have more freedom to do things than I ever had in the past. For example, a fighter can actually stand watch at night and be good at it! Imagine that!
Advantage/Disadvantage.
Surprise being -20 initiative instead of having convoluted rules for surprise rounds.
4e-style critical hits. Roll a 20, deal maximum damage. No threat ranges. No confirmation rolls. No crazy damage spikes.
Streamlined Conditions.
Finesse Weapons let you use your Dex instead of Str without a feat tax.
Permanent magic items are rare and precious now, not something you go to the corner magic mart to buy.
At-Will Cantrips and Orisons.
1st level spellcasters have more than just 1 spell per day.
Anyone can get a couple at-will cantrips by taking a feat. Cool!
No more caster level on spells. Spells have fixed damage, duration, etc. (aside from ability score bonuses). Excellent!
Spell save DCs are just 10 + ability mod, no matter what the spell's level is. Thank the gods.
Spells use Int/Wis modifier for damage, like in 4e (with the odd exception of magic missile). Though, what happened to implements? I hope they bring them back.
Some spells can be cast without preparation as rituals. Brilliant!
Dislikes/Concerns:
Hit Points seem to be rolled. Will this awful mechanic ever just DIE?
Hit Points seem to inflate with level just as fast as ever.
Hit Dice and Healing: I don't like having to use a healer's kit every time I use a hit dice to heal while resting. It's annoying to have to keep track of things like that, and hit dice already have a usage limit. Instead of requiring healing kits, let them grant a bonus to the roll. Carrots are better than sticks.
A rogue's sneak attack is +1d6 damage PER LEVEL? That's INSANE.
The Charmed condition notably leaves out “and the charmer's apparent allies.” Is that intentional? I'd be pretty disappointed if I charmed a creature and it could still attack my friends.
Weapon stats are a bit too basic now. There's no reason to use some weapons as others are just plain superior.
Heavy Crossbows use Strength for attack? Bwuh?
Armor is oversimplified and unblanced. There should be a valid reason to choose leather over chain, or to use a light shield instead of a heavy one. Right now there's not.
Mithral, dragonscale and adamantine aren't special materials, but types of armor. Bleh.
Alchemist fire, holy water, and acid are absolutely terrible weapons, not even worth wasting a turn let alone the cost to buy them. At the very least, they should be equivalent to an at-will minor spell.
Spells taking 1 minute per level to prepare may seem nice at low levels, but at high levels that could be a nightmare.
Alot of spells have 1 minute durations. While I far prefer this to the old 1 round/level thing, I'd rather not have to track spell durations in combat at all in this edition. They should make these spells last 5 minutes, like in 4e.
Cure spells are still conjuration instead of necromancy... argh. I know, it's a minor nitpick, but this has been bugging me since 3rd edition.
Some spell descriptions are too vague. Detect magic, for example, says that studying the auras can give you clues into the nature of the magic, but how does this work? Does studying the magic require an action? Does it require a roll? The spell also says it doesn't reveal magic that is designed to be hidden, but what does that include? Does a spell have to specifically state that it is so designed, or does this include pretty much the entire illusion school?
I do not like spells that only allow a monster to save if it has X hit points. The Power Word type spells were bad design before and they're bad design now. As much fun as totally “pwning” those poor little goblins and other creatures with less than 10 HP is, what about when these spells get used on PCs? I don't ever want to be denied a saving throw against a nasty effect just because my character happens to have low hit points at the time.
Mage Hand can't go more than 5 ft. above the ground. Why not? Would it really break the game if my wizard could use mage hand to retrieve tomes from the top shelf in the library?
Magic Missile does what spells aren't supposed to do in this edition – it scales with caster level. It starts out too weak, but eventually becomes the ultimate offensive cantrip, leaving spells like shocking grasp in the dust. Forget tradition and just make it balanced with the other minor spells!
It would be nice if Ray of Frost dealt some damage, even if only d3 + ability modifier. Let the monster save against the immobilize effect as compensation. I dislike debilitating effects that “always work” anyway.
