D&D (2024) Playtest: Is the Human Terrible?

[fluffybunbunkittens]

I would be interested in a game where the only stat-raising method is through feats...

I just really liked that feeling of realizing you're at an odd score and going looking through applicable +1 to stat feats.

(not that we need to be able to raise stats, but we're going to have it anyway)

 

[Yaarel]

This doesn't look like the design goal any longer. If all of them were the same approximate value, there would be no levels attached to them. It looks like we are going to see feats that are ASI equivalent to +0(1st level), +1(4th level) and +2(8th level). I expect that with the level changes and feats no longer being optional, there will be another avenue to receive them than having to choose between ASIs and Feats.

My hope is.

Every level 1 feat is worth a +2 ability score improvement. Then each feat at each tier higher, at levels 4, 8, 12, 16, and 19, are incrementally even better.

Tho that said. I would be fine if, the level 4 feats are the ones that are the +2 asi standard, while the level 1 background feats are incrementally less, and levels 8 and higher are incrementally more.

It seems, the designers dont want feats to improve the abilities at level 1. That is fine with me.



The Players Handbook feats are generally terrible. Xanathars starts to get the feat design space right, but its race-gating prereqs are bad. Tashas generally nails it.

 

[Yaarel]

I would be interested in a game where the only stat-raising method is through feats...

I just really liked that feeling of realizing you're at an odd score and going looking through applicable +1 to stat feats.

(not that we need to be able to raise stats, but we're going to have it anyway)

In my games, that pretty much is how it is.

You gain a feat at each four-level "tier". If you want to use your feat to boost your abilities, that is fine.

 

[Maxperson]

My hope is.

Every level 1 feat is worth a +2 ability score improvement. Then each feat at each tier higher, at levels 4, 8, 12, 16, and 19, are incrementally even better.

Tho that said. I would be fine if, the level 4 feats are the ones that are the +2 asi standard, while the level 1 background feats are incrementally less, and levels 8 and higher are incrementally more.

It seems, the designers dont want feats to improve the abilities at level 1. That is fine with me.

I'm not sure you completely understood what I was saying. I think that the design they seem to be going for will necessitate a separation of feats and ASIs. Perhaps to a similar system as 3e had where you get them separately within your class as you level. Or maybe ASIs will just go away.

Either way, the feats will not have to be balanced around stat increase equivalents.

 

[Yaarel]

I'm not sure you completely understood what I was saying. I think that the design they seem to be going for will necessitate a separation of feats and ASIs. Perhaps to a similar system as 3e had where you get them separately within your class as you level. Or maybe ASIs will just go away.

Either way, the feats will not have to be balanced around stat increase equivalents.

My impression is, the designers dont want an asi to be possible at level 1, so that the background is the only way to improve the ability scores.

But at higher levels, one can use a feat for an asi.

Regarding game balance, Tashas makes a successful effort to balance a feat with the value of an asi. I expect more of this.

Initially, the level prereqs didnt relate to the amount of design space, and were mainly for pointless gatekeeping. But I suspect, future level prereqs will correspond to increasingly powerful amounts of design space. So a level 12 feat will be obviously better than a level 4 feat.

A way to measure this is, the Toughness feat increases its value via its number of hit points while leveling. Thus supplying a metric by which to compare other feats.

 

[TwoSix]

I'm not sure you completely understood what I was saying. I think that the design they seem to be going for will necessitate a separation of feats and ASIs. Perhaps to a similar system as 3e had where you get them separately within your class as you level. Or maybe ASIs will just go away.

Either way, the feats will not have to be balanced around stat increase equivalents.

My personal expectation is that ASI in the class description will be replaced with "Feat", and a getting a +1 to 2 stats will be a feat. I think getting a +2 to one stat at an ASI level will go away, to discourage tunnel visioning to get a 20.

 

[Maxperson]

My personal expectation is that ASI in the class description will be replaced with "Feat", and a getting a +1 to 2 stats will be a feat. I think getting a +2 to one stat at an ASI level will go away, to discourage tunnel visioning to get a 20.

That's a possibility that I hadn't considered.

 

[Maxperson]

My impression is, the designers dont want an asi to be possible at level 1, so that the background is the only way to improve the ability scores.

How can you get an ASI at level 1 in the 2014 rules? The only stat bonuses I know of at level 1 are those from race, which might be moving to background in 2024, so it will still be there. The Vhuman can get a feat that gives an additional +1, but that's not really an ASI.

 

[Yaarel]

My personal expectation is that ASI in the class description will be replaced with "Feat", and a getting a +1 to 2 stats will be a feat. I think getting a +2 to one stat at an ASI level will go away, to discourage tunnel visioning to get a 20.

I can live with that.

 

[TwoSix]

I can live with that.

I've always preferred feats to tunneling to 20, so I'm a fan.