Rant After Play-Test

[MichaelSomething]

Wait, the OP isn't being sarcastic for humor purposes?

 

[Texicles]

I'm not sure what your previous experience with beta testing for games is, but in a beta (this might even be considered alpha), providing feedback is the point.

What kind of feedback you ask?

Developers want to hear about things like feel and flow. Does combat feel as though it runs smoothly? If not, what specific things harm the flow?

Does one character feel grossly underpowered when compared to another? If so, give specific reasons why you feel this way.

What developers DO NOT want/need from playtesting is editing. Playtest/beta content is very often done before content is truly edited for grammar and absolute mathematical consistency. If you feel that there is some game-breaking contradiction, point it out, but a number off by 1 or 2 is not a cause for concern.


In order to address your specific concern:
- Wizards get cantrips. A thorough reading of the character sheet and spell list will clear this up for you.

 

[B.T.]

While there might be math errors, I'm also certain that we aren't seeing all the rules in play. For instance, I think characters who are proficient with a weapon gain a +2 bonus on attack rolls with it, which is why the cleric has a +4 bonus with his warhammer instead of a +2 bonus.

 

[mkill]

I feel insulted. We're on EN World here having really beneficial arguments on how to improve the game such as...

Oh gimme a break. 90% of the great 5E rules ideas I read on forums are crap*. If the dev team ignores them, it's a Good Thing.

* Sturgeon's Law

 

[Mercule]

So, they gave you an invitation to see the unfinished product and you're upset because it isn't finished.

Just so you're aware, if a chef ever invites you to tour his kitchen, brace yourself for seeing raw food. Hopefully, having the ingredients still separate does add injury to that insult.

 

[Cadfan]

Its not actually crazy to be upset that playtest materials aren't, in your opinion, sufficiently polished to be released as a playtest. There's a difference between an alpha and a beta product. I'm not in the playtest so I don't know whether the OP is right or not, but at least he doesn't deserve to be treated like he's insane for having the opinion he has, as a matter of principle. It IS insulting when companies shift their basic alpha testing onto volunteers. It IS taking advantage of them. I don't know if that's happening, but its at least possible.

 

[Libramarian]

MoradinCleric's Warhammer vs ac+sit mod:+0=21 vs Gnoll 3's 14 is a hit! Gnoll 3 takes 8 points damage leaving 3 hit points.
Gnoll 5's HandAxe vs ac+sit mod:+0=20 vs DwarfFighter's 15 is a hit! DwarfFighter takes 5 points damage leaving 15 hit points.
Gnoll 1's HandAxe vs ac+sit mod:+0=18 vs DwarfFighter's 15 is a hit! DwarfFighter takes 5 points damage leaving 10 hit points.
HalflingRogue's Dagger vs ac+sit mod:+0=7 vs Gnoll 1's 14 is a miss!
Gnoll 3's HandAxe vs ac+sit mod:+0=16 vs ElfWizard's 11 is a hit! ElfWizard takes 6 points damage leaving 10 hit points.
ElfWizard's ShockingGrasp +2 sit mod if target wears armor vs dex+sit mod:+2=17 vs Gnoll 2's 10 is a hit! Gnoll 2 takes 14 points damage leaving -3 hit points.
Gnoll 4's HandAxe vs ac+sit mod:+0=12 vs MoradinCleric's 18 is a miss!
MoradinCleric's Warhammer vs ac+sit mod:+0=19 vs Gnoll 3's 14 is a hit! Gnoll 3 takes 9 points damage leaving -6 hit points.
Gnoll 5's HandAxe vs ac+sit mod:+0=8 vs DwarfFighter's 15 is a miss!
Gnoll 1's HandAxe vs ac+sit mod:+0=10 vs DwarfFighter's 15 is a miss!
DwarfFighter's GreatAxe vs ac+sit mod:+0=11 vs Gnoll 1's 14 is a miss!
HalflingRogue's Dagger vs ac+sit mod:+0=23 vs Gnoll 1's 14 is a hit! Gnoll 1 takes 6 points damage leaving 5 hit points.
ElfWizard's ShockingGrasp +2 sit mod if target wears armor vs dex+sit mod:+2=20 vs Gnoll 4's 10 is a hit! Gnoll 4 takes 9 points damage leaving 2 hit points.
Gnoll 4's HandAxe vs ac+sit mod:+0=23 vs ElfWizard's 11 is a hit! ElfWizard takes 8 points damage leaving 2 hit points.
MoradinCleric's Warhammer vs ac+sit mod:+0=8 vs Gnoll 4's 14 is a miss!
Gnoll 5's HandAxe vs ac+sit mod:+0=4 vs DwarfFighter's 15 is a miss!
Gnoll 1's HandAxe vs ac+sit mod:+0=19 vs DwarfFighter's 15 is a hit! DwarfFighter takes 3 points damage leaving 7 hit points.
DwarfFighter's GreatAxe vs ac+sit mod:+0=21 vs Gnoll 1's 14 is a hit! Gnoll 1 takes 18 points damage leaving -13 hit points.
HalflingRogue's ThrownDagger ranged 20 vs ac+sit mod:+0=9 vs Gnoll 5's 14 is a miss!
ElfWizard's ShockingGrasp +2 sit mod if target wears armor vs dex+sit mod:+2=17 vs Gnoll 4's 10 is a hit! Gnoll 4 takes 14 points damage leaving -12 hit points.
MoradinCleric's Warhammer vs ac+sit mod:+0=23 vs Gnoll 5's 14 is a hit! Gnoll 5 takes 12 points damage leaving -1 hit points.

What a fascinating scene, lol.

 

[Morrus]

Its not actually crazy to be upset that playtest materials aren't, in your opinion, sufficiently polished to be released as a playtest. There's a difference between an alpha and a beta product. I'm not in the playtest so I don't know whether the OP is right or not, but at least he doesn't deserve to be treated like he's insane for having the opinion he has, as a matter of principle. It IS insulting when companies shift their basic alpha testing onto volunteers. It IS taking advantage of them. I don't know if that's happening, but its at least possible.

It's what the fans pretty much demanded. So WotC did it. Guess they simply can't win, whatever they do.

 

[FireLance]

Another thing to bear in mind is the boxed text on page 2 of the Caves of Chaos adventure:

What Is This Adventure Testing?

The Caves of Chaos isn't meant to be a hard test of the play balance between player characters (PCs) and monsters. That process is a continuing one as we refine the rules for monsters, characters and encounter building. Although you should keep an eye on how elements of the rules interact, this adventure is intended to explore how well the rules support different styles of play.

...

Do the rules allow you the freedom to play the Dungeons and Dragons (r) game way you like? How about the adventure? What elements of it didn't work out? What things did you change to suit your taste?

It looks like at this stage, WotC is looking to get feedback on how the rules work together at the broad, macro level, instead of the minutiae of balance. Or to put it another way, it seems that WotC is just trying to answer one key question at this stage: when you were playing, did the rules get in your way?

 

[slobster]

It looks like at this stage, WotC is looking to get feedback on how the rules work together at the broad, macro level, instead of the minutiae of balance. Or to put it another way, it seems that WotC is just trying to answer one key question at this stage: when you were playing, did the rules get in your way?

Can't xp you yet, but this is as concise an explanation of what the playtest is about as I've seen. It should be in the introductory paragraph of every handout they include in the playtest. Love it.