That was never my experience. Wild Shaping was at least 80% used for exploration instead of combat. Only Moon Druids would focus on using it for combat--which was sort of the point.
Except they were using wild shape as a sack of hit point and getting knocked out of wild shape while triggering the "when at 0 hit point" triggers and events. Not getting knocked out of wild shape makes using wild shape more effective.
Of course, they also got nerfed that they cannot heal themselves while in wild shape...
Moon druids have 3 times the thp as other druids from wild shape, added spells prepped, added a better AC mechanism, added a CON save bonus, added teleportation, and added radiant damage. They can heal after the fight.
I disagree. The point was if you wild shaped into a squishy spider to explore the bandit hideout, and were squished, you reverted because your wild shape HP was so low. Having a spider with 50+ hit points is the ridiculous part.
Why was that the point? I thought the point was to be able to scout the bandit hideout without getting caught and safely make it back. The point isn't to get squished in the first place. ;-)
To coin a movie phrase, "So you make plans that fail?" ;-)
Adjusting something so it is more useful, etc. is still MOAR POWER.
Being able to use something more often doesn't make something more powerful. EG +1d6 three times a day is still +1d6 three times a day regardless of having more chance to use that +1d6 three times a day.
MOAR POWER is something that needs examined on a case by case basis.
Meh... IME it was an afterthought bard players forgot about as often as they remembered.
That's a rationalization to ignore the point. Song of Rest > no Song of Rest. While someone might forget an ability that's there no one can use an ability that no longer exists, and it wasn't just an afterthought for everybody.
And a stupid change to boot! So, now you don't add it to Initiative (no big deal since Initiative is cyclical), but removing it from tool proficiencies, instruments, etc. is moronic, since that is really what the feature should be used for.
Is it a stupid change, though? That depends on the intent of the ability. The flip side of your argument might be that it was a flat bonus to many things that might not have been intended.
Jack of All Trades was a great ability because it applied to so many rolls that normally didn't get a bonus. It was definitely a much better ability in the 2014 version, but restricting it might be one of those things where it's been restricted intentionally because of how much it was applied. Nerfs happed. Now bards casting Dispel Magic no longer have that bonus (which I believe they should have), but did bards really need a bonus to everything?
If it's meant to be a minor skill benefit then it's now working as intended better regardless of being a nerf to the ability.
If you say so... bards aren't something I've bothered to look at really yet.
Magical Secrets is still an excellent ability. It's just a bit frustrating that the 2014 version was built into the spells known as a bonus when the 2024 version is built into the spells prepped as an existing part of those spells prepped.
The loss of access to spells most bards were never taking from other lists is practically insignificant given where the best spell choices are found anyway. The only way to keep up with the access to higher level spells prepped now is to give up lower level spells, which wasn't as true in the 2014 version
The way it's worded also precludes adding cantrips with Magical Secrets, but the Magical Discoveries ability of the Lore Collage specifically allows for adding cantrips still.
Which makes it more powerful since is it not likely to be lost...
That doesn't make it more powerful. It's still just a d6, d8, d10, or d12 bonus that can be used once by the person with the Bardic Inspiration. When it's used within 2 minutes or 22 minutes doesn't change that.
So, more useful... more powerful.
No, because it's still just a situational benefit. The 2024 version applies to a single save for one person using a reaction. The 2014 version applies to all saves within 30' range at the cost of an action.
All allies is more powerful than one ally, and the 2014 version came a level sooner too. The issue is in the action economy because the ability itself wasn't something most players would spend an action on given the situational nature of such an ability.
Counter Charm didn't become more powerful. Technically it's less powerful. What it did was become more streamlined within the action economy the players are willing to use for such an ability.
So, more "improvements" then...?
Yes, there are improvements within the subclasses to go with the not improvements in the base class. That's kind of the point. Not everything was a buff or intended to buff classes. Some changes were buffs, some were nerfs, some were just streamlining abilities, and some changes were more of a side-grade.
