The (Non-)Playtest Experience, or How the Hit Die Mechanic was a Non-Starter

[Blood & Bones]

Wow, so your group was so closed minded that one thing killed the whole playtest for you before you even rolled dice?
D&D Next won't be for you. Go play something else.

The funny thing is... it's just a play test! For all we know, the hit die mechanic is a module or dial that could be left out or dialed back. If the game doesn't have feedback from it's toughest critics, it's not going to be the best that it could be. Frankly, I would preferred that the group play through it, gritting their teeth the whole time, and give a ton of constructive, but negative, feedback then just say "this is a non-starter." That seems like a cop-out to me.

 

[rounser]

Agree with the OP. Design team still turning out suspension-of-disbelief destroying gamist stuff ala 4E if this is any judge.

 

[FireLance]

Now that the full post is up, I'd like to point out one vitally important fact: full recovery of hit points after a long rest is not the Hit Die mechanic. The Hit Die mechanic is what allows characters to regain hit points non-magically through the application of healing herbs during a short rest. Based on what I've read, the group was objecting to full recovery of hit points and Hit Dice after a long rest, or possibly the fact that a long rest is defined as eight hours, and not the Hit Die mechanic as such.

 

[Remathilis]

The funny thing is... it's just a play test! For all we know, the hit die mechanic is a module or dial that could be left out or dialed back. If the game doesn't have feedback from it's toughest critics, it's not going to be the best that it could be. Frankly, I would preferred that the group play through it, gritting their teeth the whole time, and give a ton of constructive, but negative, feedback then just say "this is a non-starter." That seems like a cop-out to me.

Sounds to me like some thinly veiled WotC bashing. So the healing (right now) is set too high. Boo hoo. The whole game is ruined! Time to start again. Anyone who is so closed minded that one rule forces them to refrain from seeing if the whole system is any good doesn't have any feedback worth giving.

 

[Cadfan]

If I went through the trouble of getting people to agree to a game, studying the playtest rules, sitting down to play, and was treated like that... I think my "friend" and I would have a serious talk about respect.

 

[Agamon]

...or How Closed-Mindedness was a Non-Starter

Is this person aware that this is just the beta of just the core game, that there will almost certainly be an optional module to change how hp/healing works, and maybe it's worth gritting his teeth through that one thing that might not work in his mind in certain situations and try the actual game out?

Playing and then reporting that something isn't liked will be taken more seriously than "we looked at it and threw up a bit in our mouths".

Ah well, nerdrage forever and all that.

 

[rounser]

If a character is unconscious (which, by the way the designers define it, is the only time a character has taken a serious hit in combat),

I think this goes to the heart of the problem - the designers think that they're allowed to redefine D&D's fundamental assumptions.

They don't understand that many D&D fans will not give them license to do that. The game is over 30 years old, and they're trying to pretend that what existing players understand about D&D doesn't matter.

Just as many balked at 4E's retconning and break with the D&D universe as 30 years of understanding had it, the designers think they are free to reinvent the meaning of fundamental D&D conceits, using existing names, and expect people to wear it.

I doubt everyone will, and see another fantasy heartbreaker with the D&D name on the cover in the making.

 

[Blood & Bones]

Sounds to me like some thinly veiled WotC bashing. So the healing (right now) is set too high. Boo hoo. The whole game is ruined! Time to start again. Anyone who is so closed minded that one rule forces them to refrain from seeing if the whole system is any good doesn't have any feedback worth giving.

Ah - I wouldn't go that far... There is no reason to point fingers and ascribe suspicion when most fools will confirm it all by themselves. They may be a group of die-hard 2nd edition grognards... I used to play with such a group. Ironically enough, this is exactly the type of group that WotC is trying to recapture with the new edition, while maintaining the attention of newer players. I think if the OP's group knew a little bit more about the design philosophy behind this new edition, they wouldn't be so fast to pass judgement.

 

[On Puget Sound]

The rule that guarantees full HP recovery after a night's rest has been in place for a long time. It just used to cost gold - 15 gp per CLW wand charge or 50 gp per CLW potion in 3rd, if I remember correctly. So if you want to restore this thing you think is "realism", leave the 4e/ 5e rule exactly as it is, and then add "also, deduct some money."

 

[AngryMojo]

If I was publishing a game and one of my playtesting groups said this, they would no longer be a playtesting group. I'm pretty sure refusing to play because you dislike one mechanic means you're out of the target audience for the game, and that type of behavior is something I quite frankly don't tolerate at my table. As was said before, if after all my DM prep a player pulled this at my table, we'd be having a conversation about respect more than willingness to try new things.