Latest D&D Survey Says "More Feats, Please!"; Plus New Survey About DMs Guild, Monster Hunter, Inqui

WotC's Mike Mearls has reported on the latest D&D survey results. "In our last survey, we asked you which areas of D&D you thought needed expansion, and solicited feedback for the latest revision of the mystic character class and new rules for psionics." Additionally, there's a new survey up asking about DMs Guld as well as the last Unearthed Arcana (which featured the Monster Hunter, Inquisitive, and Revenant).

Find the survey results here. The most requested extra content is more feats, followed by classes, spells and races, in that order.

 

[Eric V]

What's wrong with racial feats as opposed to more generic ones?

 

[Tony Vargas]

I don't disagree, but the question is- which is the broad generalization, and which is the exception?

I think it's fair to say that most players play the kind of character they want, that optimization, huge as it was in the 3.x era, is the province of a smaller sub-set.

I appreciate having the simplified Fighter (Champion) for many reasons. And I think the spellcasting option (EK) and the more complex option (BM) are great for core options.

The 'more complex' option isn't much more complex, and doesn't buy much versatility/interest with what complexity it does add, but aside from that, sure. It's too bad there aren't any comparably simple full-caster options, nor any non-caster options that rise to the level of versatility/interest (paying the price in complexity) that casters do. It means that if your preference is driven or limited by such system consideration, you're funneled into one set of concepts or the other. Want simple, you must play a mundane character. Want something significantly more interesting, you must choose from among the concepts that use magic.

Are these 5e tiers? Which classes are in which tier?

Six of 'em, actually, they were a ranking of class versatility often taken as a measure of class power, devised for 3.5 and most relevant in that edition, (though they could certainly be applied to 5e, there'd be no 'Tier 6' at all, and Tier 5 might be sparse-to-empty). Fighter was Tier 5 (Tier 4 with a late-edition variation in use), the traditional Vancian casters - Wizard, Cleric, & Druid - were Tier 1.

The point being that fighters were popular to play, even when the conventional wisdom was that they were quite inferior.

 

[Imaro]

Six of 'em, actually, they were a ranking of class versatility often taken as a measure of class power, devised for 3.5 and most relevant in that edition, (though they could certainly be applied to 5e, there'd be no 'Tier 6' at all, and Tier 5 might be sparse-to-empty). Fighter was Tier 5 (Tier 4 with a late-edition variation in use), the traditional Vancian casters - Wizard, Cleric, & Druid - were Tier 1.

The point being that fighters were popular to play, even when the conventional wisdom was that they were quite inferior.

You have some form of data that support the assertion that they were the most popular class to play in 3.x?

 

[Salamandyr]

What's wrong with racial feats as opposed to more generic ones?

Because they're only available to certain races. They put a roleplaying tax on interesting mechanical concepts.

"I'm thinking I'd really like to play a Barbarian with the noble background; kind of a Barbarian Prince".

"Oh, neat. You should check out the half-orc then. With the new feats, half orcs really rock as barbarians!"

"That feat does look pretty cool. I'd love to do that in the game, but I guess I will have to skip it."

"Why? It's an awesome feat!"

"Because then I'd have to play a half-orc!"

 

[Tony Vargas]

What's wrong with racial feats as opposed to more generic ones?

They can turn into 'feat taxes' for a race or race/class combination when they're used to 'fix' shortcomings of either. Then, if those shortcoming are ever resolved another way...

 

[Ahglock]

While I want more feats the one thing Id really like is a martial option more like the early play test fighter. Battle master x5 with one attack per round. Define it in some way it doesn't work with multiple attacks if you multi class

 

[Jeff Carlsen]

One of the things in the late playtest packets were feats that provided the core elements of what would have been a prestige class in 3E. For example, the Arcane Archer feat. Some of these concepts are better handled as subclasses, but for others, I'd really like to see a number of feats that layer on one interesting mechanical concept to any character who wants it. I wouldn't mind if they had role-playing requirements like membership in an organization or the like.

 

[MechaPilot]

I'm disappointed that a desire for more races didn't get much love. In my feedback I stated that I wanted to see more races, especially more monstrous races. I've played the standard fantasy races so many times that I can't stand them anymore: it's sort of like when your parents catch you smoking (or drinking) and they make you smoke until you get sick and never want to do it again. Unfortunately, even the non-traditional races are getting a little stale for me. There's only so many times you can go Tiefling or Dragonborn before you long for something else. Right now I'm scratching that itch with a couple of homebrew races (slimes and merfolk, mostly), but I'd love some official monstrous races to sink my teeth into.

 

[JohnnyNitro]

I'm disappointed that a desire for more races didn't get much love. In my feedback I stated that I wanted to see more races, especially more monstrous races. I've played the standard fantasy races so many times that I can't stand them anymore: it's sort of like when your parents catch you smoking (or drinking) and they make you smoke until you get sick and never want to do it again. Unfortunately, even the non-traditional races are getting a little stale for me. There's only so many times you can go Tiefling or Dragonborn before you long for something else. Right now I'm scratching that itch with a couple of homebrew races (slimes and merfolk, mostly), but I'd love some official monstrous races to sink my teeth into.

If you haven't seen it yet, the Magic: TG Zendikar PDF has Vampire and Goblin PC's available

 

[MechaPilot]

If you haven't seen it yet, the Magic: TG Zendikar PDF has Vampire and Goblin PC's available

I haven't seen it yet. Thanks for the heads-up.