Blog (A5E) Level Up: Works In Progress

Here’s a quick glance at some of the nearly completed parts of the Level Up: Advanced 5th Edition core rulebook! Awesome layout by Frank Michienzi. Art from Claudio Pozas and Shen Fei. Writing from a diverse team of awesome D&D experts.

 

[Jeff Carpenter]

Looking Good! I like the "shinny math dice".

Are you rolling out a starter module or a low cost quickstart PDF? I have long thought that a dynamic starter modules can help launch a system.

I wasnt a big 5e fan at first, but the sandboxish nature of Lost Mines made me want to keep playing and kept me engaged until i learned to like the system. A weaker module have soured me.

 

[ART!]

That looks great! Strong but uncluttered layout design, and some lovely art.

 

[FitzTheRuke]

Looking Good! I like the "shinny math dice".

Are you rolling out a starter module or a low cost quickstart PDF? I have long thought that a dynamic starter modules can help launch a system.

I wasnt a big 5e fan at first, but the sandboxish nature of Lost Mines made me want to keep playing and kept me engaged until i learned to like the system. A weaker module have soured me.

I think a sizable chunk of the 4e hate was because of the adventures, most of which (especially early on) did little to spotlight that editions strengths, and a lot to showcase its weaknesses. (I'm not trying to bash 4e - I liked it well enough, but not most of the adventures.)

Edit to add, on the subject of the article: Level Up intrigues me. Looks very good so far!

 

[atherion-foehammer]

I like shiny math rocks!

 

[embee]

I like shiny math rocks!

"Clickety clackety! Time to attackety!"

The battle cry of choice at my table.

 

[Zio_the_dark]

Really can't wait for this to come out
Will be in the cart for sure!!

 

[dave2008]

Question for @Morrus: am I supposed to be able to read these previews, because my old eyes most surely cannot!

PS - It looks good though!

 

[FitzTheRuke]

Ducks in

Oh we're still on this?

ducks back out

Hey, Morrus - I wanna talk about Level Up! When are we gonna see some monsters? Have I missed that somehow? Monsters (that and the way skills and tools work) are some of my only complaints about 5e. The stuff I've seen so far in Level Up looks good too, but it doesn't address much of what I care about when it comes to "fixing" (I don't like that word, but still...) 5e.

You have anything to say on that?

 

[Morrus]

When are we gonna see some monsters? Have I missed that somehow?

You have!

Level Up’s Monsters: The Stat Block — Level Up: Advanced 5th Edition (A5E)

We’re publishing a heroic fantasy RPG, so we need monsters. A whole damn book of them.

www.levelup5e.com

Level Up’s Monsters: Ecology — Level Up: Advanced 5th Edition (A5E)

In another post, I talked about the updates we’re making to monster stat blocks. Today, I want to talk about the changes we’re making to the rest of the monster entry.

www.levelup5e.com

 

[FitzTheRuke]

You have!

Hey, there they are! Looking good here.

 

[dave2008]

Hey, there they are! Looking good here.

Ya, I don't really need/want most of the changes proposed in LevelUP, but the monster book looks to be one of the best monster books out there (possibly for any RPG) and I am excited to get that book.

 

[Morrus]

 

[Morrus]

 

[FitzTheRuke]

I think that the only thing that I don't like about that gnome, and I'm not passionate about this objection, is the +1 agility. It's pretty much "always on" except when you fight things small or smaller, which makes it somewhat easy to forget (either leaving your AC too high when you fight something small, or too low the rest of the time if you don't just add it in). I generally don't like things that happen a lot-of-the-time-but-not-always (or at very easy to remember specific triggers). It's certainly not deal-breaking, though.

 

[Horwath]

I think that the only thing that I don't like about that gnome, and I'm not passionate about this objection, is the +1 agility. It's pretty much "always on" except when you fight things small or smaller, which makes it somewhat easy to forget (either leaving your AC too high when you fight something small, or too low the rest of the time if you don't just add it in). I generally don't like things that happen a lot-of-the-time-but-not-always (or at very easy to remember specific triggers). It's certainly not deal-breaking, though.

Second this.
It's like ability is written to be more complex than it's needed to bee.
If +1 AC is too strong, then don't write it in. Having it work 90-95% of the time and being forced to manage it seems little silly.

Either make it work 100% all the time or find something else to describe "agility":
+5ft move speed or proficiency in Acrobatics or Stealth. Or expertise in one of those 2 skills.

This is hairsplitting, but Cunning reflexes should be renamed. It works great for dexterity save, strength saves could be a stretch for naming it this way, but constitution? what is cunning in having reflexes in constitution saves? You communicate with your white blood cells and giving them instructions?

"Natural resilience" of "Small folk tenacity" might be better name to have all 3 saves under the same umbrella.

 

[Twiggly the Gnome]

Second this.
It's like ability is written to be more complex than it's needed to bee.
If +1 AC is too strong, then don't write it in. Having it work 90-95% of the time and being forced to manage it seems little silly.

Either make it work 100% all the time or find something else to describe "agility":
+5ft move speed or proficiency in Acrobatics or Stealth. Or expertise in one of those 2 skills.

I had suggested making it a lesser displacement effect (building on natural illusion), and like Blur, is foiled only by blind sight or True Seeing.

This is hairsplitting, but Cunning reflexes should be renamed. It works great for dexterity save, strength saves could be a stretch for naming it this way, but constitution? what is cunning in having reflexes in constitution saves? You communicate with your white blood cells and giving them instructions?

"Natural resilience" of "Small folk tenacity" might be better name to have all 3 saves under the same umbrella.

This ability seems to be a compliment to gnome cunning, perhaps something like gnomish kilter.

 

[Horwath]

I had suggested making it a lesser displacement effect (building on natural illusion), and like Blur, is foiled only by blind sight or True Seeing.

Something like:
When you get hit by an attack, as a reaction, you can become blurred until the end of your next turn. All attack suffer disadvantage vs you and you can make Stealth check with advantage even without any cover.
you can use this ability a number of times equal to your proficiency modifier. Regain all uses after long rest.

 

[Morrus]

 

[Horwath]

View attachment 133504​

I would not put culture traits that overlap with class traits, feels like losing out either in class features or culture features.

I'm talking about Rapid escape from cirkusfolk. Maybe add some option to take instead of Disengage as bonus action so it does not overlap with rogues cunning action. Proficiency in Acrobatics or Sleight of hand would be nice option or Performance