D&D 5E What are the things in D&D Next you don't like?

[Minigiant]

The fact that the designers still haven't learned that mechanical dice wankery for every aspect of the game is a big turnoff for those who prefer to let players actually play instead of serving as mobile die rollers.

It wasn't always that way. The first open playtest was pretty much a freeform roleplaying storytelling system with some combat rules. When the playtester revolted, saying they want some real game elements in their D&D, the designers kind of overdid it. And the dicelovers of the fandom fed them more and more.

I think the biggest thing about D&D Next is how the diversity of the fandom took them by surprise. The evolution of the playtest packets shows this.

 

[1of3]

It wasn't always that way. The first open playtest was pretty much a freeform roleplaying storytelling system with some combat rules.

In fact, I still consider DDN rather light in rules. Not only is it much simpler than 4e or 3.x (at least up to now), but also much more free than certain kinds of storygames (Polaris, Capes, My Life with Master).

 

[Blackbrrd]

This, I can get behind.

It would be quite simple to do. Put bonus languages on odd Int, bonus AC on odd Dex, item attunement on odd Cha, calculate HP in a way that cares about the full score, and something for Wisdom.


Other than that: Prerequisites for Multiclassing. They do not harm players with a ready build, but those player who would like an organic character development.

They also do not make sense the way they are, even if you accept them: Archers do not require Str. Why would a chararcter multiclassing into Fighter to become a better archer require Str?

The weird part here is that Archers don't require strength. 120 pound pull bows don't draw themselves...

 

[1of3]

The weird part here is that Archers don't require strength. 120 pound pull bows don't draw themselves...

Indeed. But then again the Bow in the equipment list has nothing to do with real world bows and the STR score has nothing to do with anything usually related to people's bodies.

 

[MoonSong]

Mostly what has already been told:

• Godly humans.- heck it was a hard pill to wallow when they got the mandatory floating +2 in order to remove penalties form the other classes, now it is way worse
• Feats.- They are too fiddly, and despite being fiddly they don't let enough room for customization (basically a worse of two worlds scenario), and multiple proficiency overlap sucks. I felt bad in 3.x when my sorcerer with a martial proficiency became paladin, because basically I wasted a feat, now this feel comes from everywhere.
• Lack of skill/language/proficiency granularity.- Linked to the above, we need some way to get more proficiencies on the run without having to spend big ugly fiddly feats on them, in 2e and 3.x it was easy, just use skill points/NWP slot to train a new skill, witht the weapons is worse, a feat granting a bunch of weapon proficiencies is wasted when all you want is a halberd or a single bow.
• Multiclassing.- I will never like multiclassing ability prerrequisites, I have already ranted enough about them, I reported a five paragraph response on the last survey detailing the issues with them, they are too high for player who desire organic growth and barely noticeable for powergamers who will abuse multiple classes. And they also are single minded and don't make sense

 

[Jeff Carlsen]

My biggest dislike is human ability score modifiers. Similarly, I dislike the lack of racial penalties. (I understand the arguments against. I just don't find them compelling)

I also dislike that spell saves haven't been spread out across the ability scores.

But, mostly I like the game. If I were in charge, I'd probably make a few small changes, but these are the big ones.

 

[Yora]

The fact that the designers still haven't learned that mechanical dice wankery for every aspect of the game is a big turnoff for those who prefer to let players actually play instead of serving as mobile die rollers.

All my thoughts on modern game design of the past 5 years condensed into a single sentence!

 

[Storminator]

There's a lot of the playtest material I don't like - enough that I'm unlikely to play if the finished product looks like the test.

But we really don't know what the game is going to look like, do we? Seems a bit premature to call things out before we see what they decide to keep.

PS

 

[The Human Target]

All my thoughts on modern game design of the past 5 years condensed into a single sentence!

The opposite of that hyperbole for me.

 

[Derren]

Characters being born to do non combat things instead of learning them (skills by attribute rolls).