More snippets of 5E information

[Morrus]

Some very minor (and I mean minor) bits and pieces have trickled in over the last day or so. I've added them to the D&D 5E Info page, but here's a summary of what's new:

• Snippets from a WotC designers' Google+ Hangout playtest confirm the existence of dwarves, lurkers, critical hits, paladins, clerics, trolls (which are vulnerable to fire in some way), clerics, and an unonsciousness status. Mainly no-brainers.
  • "Playtesting in the Lost Caverns of Tsojcanth. My dwarf just slew a lurker with a well-timed crit to save the swallowed paladin." - Monte Cook.
  • "Playtested in the Lost Caverns of Tsojcanth. My cleric burned several downed trolls before they could finish off the unconscious paladin." - Bruce Cordell.
• "I will say my Fighter was +X to hit, rolled dice a lot" - Dave C. of Baldman Games (which runs DDXP); this appears to confirm that + to hit remains, as opposed to some other mechanic. (Thanks to kmdietri).
• A selection of podcasts discussing the upcoming edition (thanks to Michael for the links):
  • Dice Monkey Radio Bonus Episode 1: DnD Next Speculation – 6 hosts including Jenn of Jennisodes, Michael of Online Dungeon Master, Michael of The Id DM speculate and give wish lists for the next iteration of D&D.
  • DnD Next 1st Reaction RAW (The Tome) – Tome show hosts Tracy, and Jeff are joined by producer Sam and talk about the D&D Next. They express their hopes, aspirations and fears about the game. Tracy has played an early set of rules, so you may want to read into her musings.
  • Going Last Session 51, Doubleclicks interview, and Dungeons and Dragons 5th edition – General Gaming news podcast. They cover all the news of the week, but feature story is on 5E. Second half of the show is Doubleclicks interview.
  • RPG Circus Season 4 Episode 1 – And then there was 5ed? – The show begins with rambling about Dancey’s EN World Post and Escapist Article. Then transition into 5E talk and speculation. They lean less toward game mechanics and more toward talking about D&D’s relationship to the gaming market.

 

[Jiggawatts]

The swallowed paladin....the unconcious paladin....

Looks like Lawful Stupid is still a Paladin prerequisite.

 

[Alphastream]

It may perhaps be worth noting that John Schindehette of Art Order (handling the art for WotC) has asked for ideas on what the art should look like for D&D Next. He links a number of posts that address issues like gender equality, which may signal a willingness to consider women in reasonable armor and realistic poses.

I think it was also John that shared a tiny bit about the art process for D&D Next, but I can't recall.

 

[1Mac]

• "Playtesting in the Lost Caverns of Tsojcanth. My dwarf just slew a lurker with a well-timed crit to save the swallowed paladin." - Monte Cook.
• "Playtested in the Lost Caverns of Tsojcanth. My cleric burned several downed trolls before they could finish off the unconscious paladin." - Bruce Cordell.

These are clearly results from a Mad-Libs-style 5e playtest tweet generator.

 

[frankthedm]

lurker... swallowed paladin.

Sounds like "swallow" will be a generic term for engulf-type attacks since the lurker used to be a 'wrap around you' monster.

 

[bargle0]

Sounds like "swallow" will be a generic term for engulf-type attacks since the lurker used to be a 'wrap around you' monster.

Let the speculation about grab mechanics begin.

 

[Tilenas]

• "Playtesting in the Lost Caverns of Tsojcanth. My dwarf just slew a lurker with a well-timed crit to save the swallowed paladin." - Monte Cook.
• "Playtested in the Lost Caverns of Tsojcanth. My cleric burned several downed trolls before they could finish off the unconscious paladin." - Bruce Cordell.

...reading between the lines, it seems like the new paladin still sucks /jk.

 

[Rex Blunder]

These are clearly results from a Mad-Libs-style 5e playtest tweet generator.

Hilarious! And a great idea.

Behold the PLAYTEST REPORT GENERATOR:

Sample output:

• Just escaped Scourge of the Slave Lords. My fighter Charmed a swarm of downed mimics with a critical hit, much to the chagrin of the despairing paladin.
• Playtested in In the Dungeons of the Slave Lords. My eladrin sniped a bunch of wights, humiliating the prone paladin.
• TPK in Labyrinth of Madness! My dwarf just defeated a Portuguese man-o-war with no help from the helpless paladin.
• Playtesting in The Dancing Hut of Baba Yaga. My shardmind killed a nitwit illithid, but it was too late for the stinking paladin.
• Played in Expedition to the Barrier Peaks. My eladrin just pwned a skeleton. That was the end of the swallowed paladin.

Repeat until the new edition has been entirely revealed!

 

[Mark CMG]

Thanks for the updates, Morrus!

Hilarious! And a great idea.

Behold the PLAYTEST REPORT GENERATOR:

Sample output:

• Just escaped Scourge of the Slave Lords. My fighter Charmed a swarm of downed mimics with a critical hit, much to the chagrin of the despairing paladin.
• Playtested in In the Dungeons of the Slave Lords. My eladrin sniped a bunch of wights, humiliating the prone paladin.
• TPK in Labyrinth of Madness! My dwarf just defeated a Portuguese man-o-war with no help from the helpless paladin.
• Playtesting in The Dancing Hut of Baba Yaga. My shardmind killed a nitwit illithid, but it was too late for the stinking paladin.
• Played in Expedition to the Barrier Peaks. My eladrin just pwned a skeleton. That was the end of the swallowed paladin.

Repeat until the new edition has been entirely revealed!

That is hilarious!

 

[1Mac]

Hilarious! And a great idea.

Behold the PLAYTEST REPORT GENERATOR

Excellent! I am both proud and humbled to have been the inspiration.

 

[Mortellan]

Too funny! I love it.

 

[Achan hiArusa]

Hilarious! And a great idea.

Behold the PLAYTEST REPORT GENERATOR:

Sample output:

• Just escaped Scourge of the Slave Lords. My fighter Charmed a swarm of downed mimics with a critical hit, much to the chagrin of the despairing paladin.
• Playtested in In the Dungeons of the Slave Lords. My eladrin sniped a bunch of wights, humiliating the prone paladin.
• TPK in Labyrinth of Madness! My dwarf just defeated a Portuguese man-o-war with no help from the helpless paladin.
• Playtesting in The Dancing Hut of Baba Yaga. My shardmind killed a nitwit illithid, but it was too late for the stinking paladin.
• Played in Expedition to the Barrier Peaks. My eladrin just pwned a skeleton. That was the end of the swallowed paladin.

Repeat until the new edition has been entirely revealed!

That reminds me, I haven't downloaded ProgressQuest on my current computer.

 

[Riley]

Hilarious! And a great idea.

Behold the PLAYTEST REPORT GENERATOR:

• Playtested in Queen of the Spiders! My vicar slew three troglodytes by accident, much to the chagrin of the contemptible paladin.
• Played in Assault on the Aerie of the Slave Lords. My Scoundrel just critically missed two storm giants who killed the poisoned paladin.
• Playtesting in Scourge of the Slave Lords. My vicar just critted three illithids by accident and then gave a stern lecture to the player of the nitwit paladin.
• Game night: White Plume Mountain. My barbarian headshotted a ghoul to save the confused paladin.
• Playtested in The Dancing Hut of Baba Yaga. My specialty priest just used a daily power on a goblin, humiliating the useless paladin.

Thanks, Rex! I can hit refresh on this thing all day, and just keep on laughing.

 

[Aeolius]

Looks like Lawful Stupid is still a Paladin prerequisite.

Yes, but in 5e paladin rhymes with Aladdin.

 

[Lord Rasputin]

Skills al la Tweet

Check out this Google+ thread. Apparently, Over the Edge is akin to Risus's skill system, or the wildcard skill option in GURPS Dungeon Fantasy.

 

[Rex Blunder]

Check out this Google+ thread. Apparently, Over the Edge is akin to Risus's skill system, or the wildcard skill option in GURPS Dungeon Fantasy.

Is Tweet talking about D&D, or his own game that he's about to announce (I know he's working on one)?

 

[Morrus]

Is Tweet talking about D&D, or his own game that he's about to announce (I know he's working on one)?

His own as far as I can tell.

 

[buddhafrog]

Love these short, quick 5e updates. I hope they continue as they are an easy way to find the new info trickling out all in one location (I imagine they also are/will be good in getting people to your home page instead of straight to the forums).

I enjoy the podcast links you've included, also.

Great job, thanks.

 

[FitzTheRuke]

Looks like Monte Cook is saying people will be able to play with different character options AT THE SAME TABLE.

I'm really curious to see how my first-edition-style-fighter can play with your third-edition-style Wizard, but I really REALLY hope they can pull it off.

 

[buddhafrog]

Looks like Monte Cook is saying people will be able to play with different character options AT THE SAME TABLE.

I'm really curious to see how my first-edition-style-fighter can play with your third-edition-style Wizard, but I really REALLY hope they can pull it off.

I assume most people are very surprised by this. I don't know how it would be possible... I can't see how this is possible. More power to them. They might strip down the overall complexity a little and well as make even less-optioned Essential-type characters. Not sure, but this is good news.

I for one am extremely excited about 5e.