D&D (2024) One D&D Survey Feedback: Weapon Mastery Spectacular; Warlock and Wizard Mixed Reactions

Jeremy Crawford discusses the results of the Packet 5 Survey:

• Weapon Mastery at 80% approval, and all options except for Flex scored similarly. Crawford says that Flex is mathematically one of the most powerful properties, but will need some attention because people didn't feel like it was. This feature is in the 2024 PHB for 6 Classes, guaranteed at this point.
• Barbarian scored well, particularly the individual features, average satisfaction of 80% for each feature. Beserker got 84% satisfaction, while the 2014 Beserker in the 2020 Big Class Survey got 29% satisfaction.
• Fighter received well, overall 75% satisfaction. Champion scored 54% in the Big Class Survey, but this new one got 74%.
• Sorcerer in the Big Class Survey got 60%, this UA Sorcerer got 72%. Lots of enthusiasm for the Metamagic revisions. Careful Spell got 92% satisfaction. Twin Spell was the exception, at 60%. Draconic Sorcerer got 73%, new Dragon Wings feature was not well received but will be fixed back to being on all the time by the return to 2014 Aubclass progression.
• Class specific Spell lists are back in UA 7 coming soon, the unified Spell lists are out.
• Warlock feedback reflected mixed feelings in the player base. Pact magic is coming back in next iteration. Next Warlock will be more like 2014, Mystic Arcanum will be a core feature, but will still see some adjustments based on feedback to allow for more frequent use of Spells. Eldritch Invocations were well received. Crawford felt it was a good test, because they learned what players felt. They found the idiosyncracy of the Warlock is exactly what people like about it, so theybare keeping it distinct. Next version will get even more Eldritch Invocation options.
• Wizard got a mixed reception. Biggest problem people had was wanting a Wizard specific Spell list, not a shared Arcane list that made the Wizard less distinct. Evoker well received.

 

[darjr]

Barbarian was super popular too.

 

[DavyGreenwind]

Man, I hope they continue to let the Bard choose a Spell list. That was one of my favorite things out of all the playtests.

 

[Parmandur]

Barbarian was super popular too.

Yup, I just updated the post with more of a sunmary.

 

[Remathilis]

Class specific Spell lists are back in UA 7 coming soon, the unified Spell lists are out.l

So all the sound and fury about class specific spells is gone. That gives me little hope for paladin smite remaining a spell, viscous mockery is going back to a 1d4, and the sorcerer and wizard specific spells are gone.

Pact magic is coming back in next iteration. Next Warlock will be more like 2014.

Sad panda noises.

...
Sigh. I think I'm going back to not bothering with the surveys anymore. This isn't even looking like an update, it's just errata and weapon mastery.

 

[Neonchameleon]

I notice they didn't say how unpopular making the warlock a half-caster was. Just that it's enough that they're bringing back pact magic.

 

[Remathilis]

I notice they didn't say how unpopular making the warlock a half-caster was. Just that it's enough that they're bringing back pact magic.

I'm pretty sure that 80%+ would have been needed to make such a large change.

Also, I just realized that bards picking its spell list is also going away for a bard specific list.

 

[Mirrorrorrim]

1. Weapon Mastery is good. Weapon Expert and Weapon Adept can certainly be tweaked to be more interesting as a higher level ability. I wish the names of the abilities ascended using appropriate definitions from least skilled to most skilled. Does the word "Mastery" deserve to be the base ability, and "Expert" and "Adept" occur later? Why not throw an homage to older editions, and call the system "Weapon Specialization like the old days, and advance to "Weapon Mastery" at higher levels?
2. I recognize Flex is mathematically competitive and I continue to say that I like it. However, I'm curious how the designers might tweak it to make the crowd like it more.
3. Regarding the commentary about the Barbarian and Fighter classes rating lower than all their component abilities, I think that means that people like what already exists, but they want more added to the class, so the sum of the parts better match the class as a whole.
4. Sorcerer Metamagic - Careful Spell matching Evoker's ability is great. Seeking Spell and Twin Spell certainly need tweaks.
5. Sorcerer Dragon Wings going back to a higher level and therefore being always on seems appropriate.
6. Pact Magic coming back? If they keep it as it was, that suuuucks. There was a reason why people don't like it recharging on a Short Rest. I'm curious what they mean by getting access to those spells more often. Maybe they break it away from Short Rests and turn it to a 10-minute "Commune with Patron ritual" that can only be performed X times per day?
7. Warlock going back to Charisma only.... awwwwwww. I really liked that. I hope they keep the stronger pact cantrips as they made each Warlock feel very different.
8. Going back to Class Spell list with the main reason being Wizards deserve to have the largest, most prolific spell list. WOW. Did not expect that. Will there still be Source lists for universal options, as well as and Class lists? I loved the Bard being able to choose from different spell lists. If they go to class spell lists, EVERY spell on individual class lists should make sense for the class, and they shouldn't add chaff. For instance, the Sorcerer spell list could remove spells that have mandatory costly components (like Chromatic Orb, Clairvoyance, Teleportation Circle, Resurrection, Gate, etc). Keep them focused on innate magic, and remove the need for material components overall, no longer needing mundane material components for spells. (Though magic item focuses can still be used.)

 

[tetrasodium]

Losing the shared lists is a big loss I think. The frustrating part is that rather than admit bard/sorc/warlock can't be full casters with the full wizard list and a bunch of base class abilities they decided to throw out the whole concept without even doing something like cutting it by 2/3 & making the rest wizard or exclusive with specific subclass exceptions

 

[Neonchameleon]

I'm pretty sure that 80%+ would have been needed to make such a large change.

I'm pretty sure that if it had made 60% they'd have done what they said they would and tried to iterate on the concept.

Also, I just realized that bards picking its spell list is also going away for a bard specific list.

So bards are actual ... bards? Rather than the magic class?

I think there was something in the "pick your spell list" - but to me it took away the bardery part.