D&D 5E New D&D Next Playtest package is up (19/9/2013) [merged threads]

[Li Shenron]

Besides the announced additions, basically all other changes in this packet are practically irrelevant to me.

OTOH, none of the changes I was hoping for was done: still the genetically superior and boring humans, the discrepancies in subclasses starting level, the heavy imbalance of spells ST towards Dex/Wis/Con, the nearly ubiquitous + bonuses to attacks for magic weapons...

Still interested, but shifting one step towards not-buying.

 

[Bluenose]

Fighter's Second Wind is now temporary hit points, and scales terribly. Probably worth using before every fight, and then forgetting about. And Gladiator got a name change to Weaponmaster, I see.

If I'm reading it correctly the Barbarian's Rage ends if they take no damage in a round or they don't make any attacks. That should surely say and.

Do proficiencies stack with each other? I can see people stacking up proficiencies in different areas to get huge bonuses to particular skills. Not that they aren't needed with task DCs ranging from 10 to 35. Though the advice jsut to look at the roll and go with your gut feeling is still there.

What's the DC to save against the Dragonborn breath weapon? Doesn't seem to be specified anywhere.

And the Kender has a 25% chance to pull a piece of non-magical equipment out of their pocket. That does include plate armour. Deep pockets there.

And no Sorceror, Warlock, or Warlord sub-classes. In fact, no new sub-classes at all. I guess they're not important enough to the system to need much testing.

 

[Cyberen]

You lose Extra Attacks and Fighting Style, which IS a big deal.

 

[Majoru Oakheart]

You lose Extra Attacks and Fighting Style, which IS a big deal.

At higher levels, perhaps. I think at first level, you are losing out on the ability to protect yourself from 1d6+1 points of damage, an average of 1 more hitpoint and perhaps +1 to to your AC. In exchange you get spells. I think spells win in that equation.

I think as you go up levels you'll probably regret more and more not being a fighter.

 

[Chris_Nightwing]

There is such a rule. First extra attack at Fighter 5 or 8 levels in Fighter, Ranger, Paladin. Second extra attack at Figher 11.

This is rather clunky though, no? A special rule for a single special ability. Caster levels are at least the main gist of several classes, so their rule seems better justified.

 

[1of3]

I guess our mileage to clunkiness differs.

 

[pemerton]

Wizards get their 1st tradition benefit at 6th, but on the charts they're still at 5th like the last package.

Druids have a weaker spell chart than other full casters (because of Wildshape?) but still get the full benefit of the multi-class table.

 

[1of3]

Druid seems to be lacking an update. They say so in the Read First concerning Wildshape, but that probably applies to spells as well. Cf. Cleric.

The cleric’s Spells per Day progression has been improved to match the standard spellcasting progression, granting the cleric more spells.

Using the current Druid for multiclassing is especially odd as the Druid of the Land gets additional spells by class feature.

 

[pemerton]

Am I right in thinking that Swift Quiver gives +2 attacks, not +4 attacks, because the extra attack from the ranger's class feature is not itself an instance of the attack action. Surely there is a clearer way to express this!

 

[Blackbrrd]

At higher levels, perhaps. I think at first level, you are losing out on the ability to protect yourself from 1d6+1 points of damage, an average of 1 more hitpoint and perhaps +1 to to your AC. In exchange you get spells. I think spells win in that equation.

I think as you go up levels you'll probably regret more and more not being a fighter.

Clerics don't get a free Fighting style and at low levels, spells aren't very good. Spells do get better higher up, but then the Fighter gets additional attacks. I think the balance looks ok (after just browsing the rules).