darkdragoon
First Post
A couple nice things baked into the basic character choice but otherwise very disappointing.
The inevitable playtest poll
- Thread starter Kzach
- Start date
underfoot007ct
First Post
"Lemon" is a current "code" used in a poll as the option available for the: "I just like polls/Bacon/Lemony Lemons etc". In other words, it indicates that you are not giving an official response to the poll (rather than saying something be it good or bad when you have no real capacity to). My frustrationrant
I have since been able to download the material and I'm seeing lots of good things as well as some things that I would like to see change. So my response now would be: Like some things, dislike some things.
Does that help you understand my position as well as what "Lemon" is referring to in the poll?
Best Regards
Herremann the Wise
Maybe we can use common English in polls & avoid secret code words. Last I knew lemons "sucked". I also this polls like this are useful, but need more choices.
I feel you pain, I got my playtest about 3 hours ago, after trying for about 8 hours. I have looked at the rules & chars, quickly skimmed the beastiary. Anyways, the link does really work, if you try enough times.
Err... not quite.
My bad. I thought the whole 'lemon curry' meme was well enough known here that I didn't need to explain it. Seems I was wrong.
Lemon curry was an option given in polls here (or was it Nutkinland?) by a poster (not sure what nick he used here) that is a very obscure Monty Python reference.
Essentially it's just a 'catch-all' response. So if your option isn't covered by the options presented, you vote Lemon Curry and explain why.
Serendipity
Explorer
Generally I dig it. Until I actually playtest the thing I can't say, but from what I'm reading, there's very little I actually dislike about it. (the two d20 for advantage/disad thing is kind of clunky, and I suspect with some players, they'll default to adding modifiers to both rolls for some reason, at least at first)
Not going to stop me from playing S&W or AD&D1 (and why would it) but I like what I read so far.
Not going to stop me from playing S&W or AD&D1 (and why would it) but I like what I read so far.
Noir le Lotus
First Post
Lemon because I can't download the playtest !! 
By the way, congrats to WotC for such an irritating way to get your playtest :
- receive mail "Playtest is ready to download !! Click here"
- click the link, WotC server is slow
- connexion to WotC server (after 5 minutes trying to remember my password), server is even slower
- agree to all the useless legal stuff.
- "you are registered for the playtest, you will receive a mail in 30 mins with a link to download it !!" WTF ??? I registered months ago and now you are telling me that you needed to register me again to send me your playtest ?
- 45 mins later, receive the new mail with the link
- during 3 hours, clicked the link => ERROR ...
WotC really didn't learn a thing of Pathfinder playtest ...
By the way, congrats to WotC for such an irritating way to get your playtest :
- receive mail "Playtest is ready to download !! Click here"
- click the link, WotC server is slow
- connexion to WotC server (after 5 minutes trying to remember my password), server is even slower
- agree to all the useless legal stuff.
- "you are registered for the playtest, you will receive a mail in 30 mins with a link to download it !!" WTF ??? I registered months ago and now you are telling me that you needed to register me again to send me your playtest ?
- 45 mins later, receive the new mail with the link
- during 3 hours, clicked the link => ERROR ...
WotC really didn't learn a thing of Pathfinder playtest ...
Consonant Dude
First Post
I couldn't vote because the poll options are terrible but I like most things about this playtest package!
I sincerely hope they will keep this streamlined vibe for the duration of the core game's development because this is the way to make an enjoyable game and allow this hobby to regain popularity.
The math is going in the right direction, everything is very flavorful. I find the mechanics mostly clear and empowering to BOTH players and DMs. They're going back to a game of imagination, which is the right way to go.
I love most of it.. Here are a few things that still need work for me:
Everything regarding HPs: Not too sure about the new HP progression and how they use CON. Also not sure about the healing rules. I'm hoping this is fine tuned.
Ability scores: I understand that keeping ability scores on top of ability modifiers is a sacred cow. But it's an awful one unless they find a use for them. This package is trying to find use for scores but it's still pretty lame. They're going in the right direction but they need to do better than that to justify their inclusion. Otherwise, it's useless clutter in 2012.
Characters still a little busy. With skills, backgrounds, classes, races, themes, etc... I still find it's a little too much. Wish they would find more elegant ways to define characters.
I wish DnD would have a proper trait system. Maybe look at aspects from FATE as a starting point. Something like drama points or FATE points is also a must.
But color me VERY pleasantly surprised. This has the potential to be the best edition of DnD ever and one of the best roleplaying games this hobby has known.
They weren't kidding when they said they were being inspired by every previous incarnation of the game. It shows, and they mostly took the best parts.
I sincerely hope they will keep this streamlined vibe for the duration of the core game's development because this is the way to make an enjoyable game and allow this hobby to regain popularity.
The math is going in the right direction, everything is very flavorful. I find the mechanics mostly clear and empowering to BOTH players and DMs. They're going back to a game of imagination, which is the right way to go.
I love most of it.. Here are a few things that still need work for me:
Everything regarding HPs: Not too sure about the new HP progression and how they use CON. Also not sure about the healing rules. I'm hoping this is fine tuned.
Ability scores: I understand that keeping ability scores on top of ability modifiers is a sacred cow. But it's an awful one unless they find a use for them. This package is trying to find use for scores but it's still pretty lame. They're going in the right direction but they need to do better than that to justify their inclusion. Otherwise, it's useless clutter in 2012.
Characters still a little busy. With skills, backgrounds, classes, races, themes, etc... I still find it's a little too much. Wish they would find more elegant ways to define characters.
I wish DnD would have a proper trait system. Maybe look at aspects from FATE as a starting point. Something like drama points or FATE points is also a must.
But color me VERY pleasantly surprised. This has the potential to be the best edition of DnD ever and one of the best roleplaying games this hobby has known.
They weren't kidding when they said they were being inspired by every previous incarnation of the game. It shows, and they mostly took the best parts.
Li Shenron
Legend
Love almost everything so far. 
I have my own bunch of concerns, I am really anxious to run the adventure and see how they turn out.
Among the things that I specifically want to test:
- advantage/disadvantage: easy, but sometimes I may still need to use circumstance bonuses, and how to deal with multiple significant (dis)advantages
- ability thresholds: an improved version of Take10 or is there a hidden danger of removing randomness too much?
- find/disarm traps: seems to get rid of the "search every 5sqft" problem, however could also get rid of the thrills - need to check how to make it work with Search
- improvised weapons... if I'm reading it right I cannot test this with the pregenerated characters
- light crossbows suddenly seem to be a very bad choice
- splitting up movement in combat might mean that if you get the monster stuck, it will be trivial to just move in + whack + move out, and stay always out of reach
- rogue sneak attack: compared to 3ed it sounds like it will be much more difficult to enable your SA damage by tactical choices
- all the lesser actions in combat are much cheaper in terms of time compared to 3e, I really want to see how combat goes now! (but thank God the combat actions/reactions rules are now VERY simple)
- Stealth definitely needs to be tested as a whole, it's easier than before tho not completely different
- Ready (big change here!!) not usable to interrupt someone else's action BUT this is organic with how spellcasting interruption works (also big change!!)
- did I overlook something or Nat20 is an auto-crit but not an auto-hit at this stage? critical hits now feels more like a "safe event" rather than a potential disappointment, but at the same time there is no chance for over-the-top result, so the "feeling" of this at the gaming table should be checked in practice
- spells and ranged attacks in melee not at all dangerous per se, just inconvenient
- dying/healing rules are not yet fully clear to me, they seem to make death less common than in 3ed
- cantrips at will may give too much "high-magic" flavor by default
Overall there is little in these draft rules that doesn't feel interesting to try out!
I have my own bunch of concerns, I am really anxious to run the adventure and see how they turn out.
Among the things that I specifically want to test:
- advantage/disadvantage: easy, but sometimes I may still need to use circumstance bonuses, and how to deal with multiple significant (dis)advantages
- ability thresholds: an improved version of Take10 or is there a hidden danger of removing randomness too much?
- find/disarm traps: seems to get rid of the "search every 5sqft" problem, however could also get rid of the thrills - need to check how to make it work with Search
- improvised weapons... if I'm reading it right I cannot test this with the pregenerated characters
- light crossbows suddenly seem to be a very bad choice
- splitting up movement in combat might mean that if you get the monster stuck, it will be trivial to just move in + whack + move out, and stay always out of reach
- rogue sneak attack: compared to 3ed it sounds like it will be much more difficult to enable your SA damage by tactical choices
- all the lesser actions in combat are much cheaper in terms of time compared to 3e, I really want to see how combat goes now! (but thank God the combat actions/reactions rules are now VERY simple)
- Stealth definitely needs to be tested as a whole, it's easier than before tho not completely different
- Ready (big change here!!) not usable to interrupt someone else's action BUT this is organic with how spellcasting interruption works (also big change!!)
- did I overlook something or Nat20 is an auto-crit but not an auto-hit at this stage? critical hits now feels more like a "safe event" rather than a potential disappointment, but at the same time there is no chance for over-the-top result, so the "feeling" of this at the gaming table should be checked in practice
- spells and ranged attacks in melee not at all dangerous per se, just inconvenient
- dying/healing rules are not yet fully clear to me, they seem to make death less common than in 3ed
- cantrips at will may give too much "high-magic" flavor by default
Overall there is little in these draft rules that doesn't feel interesting to try out!
MoonSong
Rules-lawyering drama queen but not a munchkin
I like it so far,(specially since mundane gear seems to be back) I just have some minor worries:
-I like that they simplified combat, what I don't like is that they removed simple elements that reduced DM fiat in combat whithout adding too much complexity (would have it hurt too much to keep flanking and minor actions? You don't need a grid to define flanking)
-The extended rest HP reset, and the baseline for dying doesn't feel deadly enough.
-The schroedinger's spell prepparation seems good to make casters easier to play, but I feel like it doesn't leaves much room for the sorcerer to be different enough in the future.
-The class and racial bonusses to ability scores seem to be a little too high. However the skill bonuses seem to be high enough so a rogue with Int 12 doesn't get overshadowed by the wizard. That is good on my book, not so sure about he hard cap on ability scores though.
-I like that they simplified combat, what I don't like is that they removed simple elements that reduced DM fiat in combat whithout adding too much complexity (would have it hurt too much to keep flanking and minor actions? You don't need a grid to define flanking)
-The extended rest HP reset, and the baseline for dying doesn't feel deadly enough.
-The schroedinger's spell prepparation seems good to make casters easier to play, but I feel like it doesn't leaves much room for the sorcerer to be different enough in the future.
-The class and racial bonusses to ability scores seem to be a little too high. However the skill bonuses seem to be high enough so a rogue with Int 12 doesn't get overshadowed by the wizard. That is good on my book, not so sure about he hard cap on ability scores though.
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