What do you expect/hope to see in future playtest packets? (+)

[JEB]

I can't wait for some DM-facing UAs. I'm not even sure what they'd look like, but I don't care: I want to see them. Also Monsters, though that wasn't what I was talking about.

Didn't they mention that monsters would be in the playtest? (Having trouble finding a reference, though.)

 

[Parmandur]

Didn't they mention that monsters would be in the playtest? (Having trouble finding a reference, though.)

They have suggested that is in the cards, but mostly all they've said is that there will be some Monster Manual and DMG tests once thebPHB material is nailed down.

 

[tetrasodium]

Didn't they mention that monsters would be in the playtest? (Having trouble finding a reference, though.)

I think so but those are the easiest thing for a gm to change. So far the ua packets for 6e have been extremely player focused. Even the gm facing section in the rules glossary has been fairly minimal and loaded with player facing stuff like the light weapon property and umm., Truesight(?) Mechanics. They would do well to give us a packet that is more gm focused than just monsters if they want to encourage more feedback from the small fraction of their customers responsible for the majority of their income* before publishing it.

If "new monster statblocks are the best they can do in that regard they are pretty much shouting that the new systems coming from mcdm & Darlington press are where those customers should look if they care about system level gm support. Bob world builder had a nice video on it recently and mcdm had one called what are dungeons for the nicely ties into why wotc needs to step up here.


* Or whatever the wording was in that stockholders presentation thing a while back

 

[FitzTheRuke]

It is possible that you are correct but as it is, beside Paladin Spell, they have barely touched spellcasting. At the very least they could make find traps useful. However, they have not mentioned (as far as I know) the feedback on the proposed spell changes. I would be shocked it this is all we get.

Yeah, I think we'll see quite a few more spell-tweaking. Probably not as much as we'd like to see, but MORE, for sure.

I mean, you don't think they'll leave "Animate Objects" as-is, do you? In fact, EVERY monster-conjuring or polymorphing or animating will likely be changed, once they finally figure out how to do proper statblocks. They're close, but not there yet.

 

[FitzTheRuke]

Didn't they mention that monsters would be in the playtest? (Having trouble finding a reference, though.)

Yup. Looking forward to it.

 

[shadowoflameth]

What do you expect/hope to see in future playtest packets? Assuming that all the changes made in the first packet stick around and keeping in mind the design goals that have been discussed publicly, how do you build off those changes to make an interesting and fun 5.5e?

I want to see more monsters redesigned around having recharge abilities. The abilities may or may not begin an encounter charged.
I also expect to see more spells redesigned to require saving throws rather than targeting AC. That would help ease the blow of losing critical hits on spells. I also expect to see feats, class features, and maybe new spells or magic items that improve martial characters' crits. More damage on crit, wider crit range, crit effects that apply to class features like sneak attack, etc.

I don't necessarily expect to get what I hope for, but I hope to geta couple of simple things.

1. That they stop with the un-thematic and USELESS 10 minute restrictions on things like flight and Goliaths using large size. Goliaths aren't shapeshifters and if you have wings you can fly. It doesn't break the game especially at 5th and higher where many parties have someone or several someones who can change size or fly anyway. The 10 minute restrictions, even if they made it 1 minute, detract from the fun for a reason that doesn't exist. It's a bad and needless mechanic. They assume that this restriction will curb abuse. It won't. 10 minutes (or one) is plenty of time to cheese many challenges and flight or reach are not out of line with the kinds of abilities that characters get at early levels anyway.

2. The other thing I strongly hope for is a good fix for the Monk. Give them a fighting style at 1st. The Unarmed Fighting Style could fix the damage for unarmed strikes. If they do this, remove needless Ki point restrictions on abilities like Step of the Wind, that don't deserve that requirement, and if they FINALLY, stop making USELESS sub-classes, the monk will feel like he measures up in play. Over and over, WoTC has published sub-classes that are empirically weaker than what the monk already has without using his subclass. ALL of the official subclasses are very weak and most make the monk worse not better to play. They assume that Stunning Strike is so strong that it justifies this, but it doesn't Stunning Strike is not that strong and even if it was, that doesn't make penalizing the rest of the class progression a good answer. So, give them actually strong sub-classes that do justice to the themes, or at least ones that compliment the monks strong points. Then make Unarmed Strikes a weapon type that can have mastery properties. Everything I've seen so far says that those are very popular in play-testing so maybe that at least will happen. (End of Rant).

 

[Mind of tempest]

I don't necessarily expect to get what I hope for, but I hope to geta couple of simple things.

1. That they stop with the un-thematic and USELESS 10 minute restrictions on things like flight and Goliaths using large size. Goliaths aren't shapeshifters and if you have wings you can fly. It doesn't break the game especially at 5th and higher where many parties have someone or several someones who can change size or fly anyway. The 10 minute restrictions, even if they made it 1 minute, detract from the fun for a reason that doesn't exist. It's a bad and needless mechanic. They assume that this restriction will curb abuse. It won't. 10 minutes (or one) is plenty of time to cheese many challenges and flight or reach are not out of line with the kinds of abilities that characters get at early levels anyway.

2. The other thing I strongly hope for is a good fix for the Monk. Give them a fighting style at 1st. The Unarmed Fighting Style could fix the damage for unarmed strikes. If they do this, remove needless Ki point restrictions on abilities like Step of the Wind, that don't deserve that requirement, and if they FINALLY, stop making USELESS sub-classes, the monk will feel like he measures up in play. Over and over, WoTC has published sub-classes that are empirically weaker than what the monk already has without using his subclass. ALL of the official subclasses are very weak and most make the monk worse not better to play. They assume that Stunning Strike is so strong that it justifies this, but it doesn't Stunning Strike is not that strong and even if it was, that doesn't make penalizing the rest of the class progression a good answer. So, give them actually strong sub-classes that do justice to the themes, or at least ones that compliment the monks strong points. Then make Unarmed Strikes a weapon type that can have mastery properties. Everything I've seen so far says that those are very popular in play-testing so maybe that at least will happen. (End of Rant).

man the monk needs to be better?

 

[shadowoflameth]

man the monk needs to be better?

A lot better. Tried to play it. a d4 at 1st in melee only is less than having proficiency with a dagger. Stunning strike DC depends on a stat that is not usually your top one and it's save or suck. The rogue can dash or disengage as a bonus action without spending Ki Points. The Open Hand is the strongest sub class in the PHB and everything it can due at early levels a Fighter with feats can do sooner except stunning strike. Everything the Shadow Monk can do, a rogue with feats can do sooner with the same exception, Everything the 4 elements monk can do same thing. An unarmed style fighter who goes Eldritch Knight is going to be a stronger fighter and a stronger caster.

 

[Mind of tempest]

A lot better. Tried to play it. a d4 at 1st in melee only is less than having proficiency with a dagger. Stunning strike DC depends on a stat that is not usually your top one and it's save or suck. The rogue can dash or disengage as a bonus action without spending Ki Points. The Open Hand is the strongest sub class in the PHB and everything it can due at early levels a Fighter with feats can do sooner except stunning strike. Everything the Shadow Monk can do, a rogue with feats can do sooner with the same exception, Everything the 4 elements monk can do same thing. An unarmed style fighter who goes Eldritch Knight is going to be a stronger fighter and a stronger caster.

they have neither the ambition nor the inspiration to make a better monk.

 

[Willie the Duck]

nevermind.

 

[tetrasodium]

A lot better. Tried to play it. a d4 at 1st in melee only is less than having proficiency with a dagger. Stunning strike DC depends on a stat that is not usually your top one and it's save or suck. The rogue can dash or disengage as a bonus action without spending Ki Points. The Open Hand is the strongest sub class in the PHB and everything it can due at early levels a Fighter with feats can do sooner except stunning strike. Everything the Shadow Monk can do, a rogue with feats can do sooner with the same exception, Everything the 4 elements monk can do same thing. An unarmed style fighter who goes Eldritch Knight is going to be a stronger fighter and a stronger caster.

except it's not just 1d4. At level 1 monk it's It's 1d4+[STR mod or DEX mod] + bonus action:{1d4+[STR mod or DEX mod]}. Then at 5th there is a second attack.

 

[Emberashh]

I called it that they were going to give Wizard buffs, so I expect the Monk to have even more ribbon abilities, a nerfed Stunning Strike, and an even more severe Ki shortage.

 

[shadowoflameth]

except it's not just 1d4. At level 1 monk it's It's 1d4+[STR mod or DEX mod] + bonus action:{1d4+[STR mod or DEX mod]}. Then at 5th there is a second attack.

Yes, but the same monk could do that by just wielding two daggers. The Martial arts ability doesn't add much. If he spends a Ki point, he can do another strike, but the rogue can do a second 1d4 attack as well just by dual wielding and potentially sneak attack with one of them.

 

[shadowoflameth]

and the dagger wielder can throw it. With one feat, you take your unarmed strike to 1d6 or 1d8 and that's as high as the 5e monk gets through half the level progression and it's still only as good as light melee weapons.

 

[shadowoflameth]

Pair that with a not great AC and not great HP. and the unarmed style fighter can compare very well.

 

[Mind of tempest]

I called it that they were going to give Wizard buffs, so I expect the Monk to have even more ribbon abilities, a nerfed Stunning Strike, and an even more severe Ki shortage.

what they need is just 5 times the ki it would be powerful but at least useful.

 

[tetrasodium]

Yes, but the same monk could do that by just wielding two daggers. The Martial arts ability doesn't add much. If he spends a Ki point, he can do another strike, but the rogue can do a second 1d4 attack as well just by dual wielding and potentially sneak attack with one of them.

dual daggers only adds an attribute mod to one of the attacks, a level one monk adds it to both attacks they make & no Ki is needed for that.

Spoiler

When you use the Attack action with an unarmed
strike or a monk weapon on your turn, you can make
one unarm ed strike as a bonus action. For example, if
you take the Attack action and attack with a quarter-
staff, you can also make an unarm ed strike as a bonus
action, assuming you haven't already taken a bonus
action this turn.

Unlike when dual wielding the monk gets to add attribute mod to both attacks till level 5 when they add it to all three attacks they make each round.

 

[LuisCarlos17f]

I am interested into future PC species.

And I suggest "subclass backgrounds", designed to be used with certain subclasses. Like this you can feel your PC is different from first level.

 

[shadowoflameth]

dual daggers only adds an attribute mod to one of the attacks, a level one monk adds it to both attacks they make & no Ki is needed for that.

Spoiler

When you use the Attack action with an unarmed
strike or a monk weapon on your turn, you can make
one unarm ed strike as a bonus action. For example, if
you take the Attack action and attack with a quarter-
staff, you can also make an unarm ed strike as a bonus
action, assuming you haven't already taken a bonus
action this turn.

Unlike when dual wielding the monk gets to add attribute mod to both attacks till level 5 when they add it to all three attacks they make each round.

True, and that helps, but still d4s. The monk makes the Quarterstaff a better choice at low levels. Still doesn't measure up to the damage of the rogue of the same level with one sneak attack/turn even if the monk makes an extra attack.

 

[doctorbadwolf]

. The other thing I strongly hope for is a good fix for the Monk. Give them a fighting style at 1st. The Unarmed Fighting Style could fix the damage for unarmed strikes. If they do this, remove needless Ki point restrictions on abilities like Step of the Wind, that don't deserve that requirement, and if they FINALLY, stop making USELESS sub-classes, the monk will feel like he measures up in play. Over and over, WoTC has published sub-classes that are empirically weaker than what the monk already has without using his subclass. ALL of the official subclasses are very weak and most make the monk worse not better to play. They assume that Stunning Strike is so strong that it justifies this, but it doesn't Stunning Strike is not that strong and even if it was, that doesn't make penalizing the rest of the class progression a good answer. So, give them actually strong sub-classes that do justice to the themes, or at least ones that compliment the monks strong points. Then make Unarmed Strikes a weapon type that can have mastery properties. Everything I've seen so far says that those are very popular in play-testing so maybe that at least will happen. (End of Rant).

There is maybe one monk subclass that is a trap to use.

Drunken Master makes FoB also disengage and gives a solid reaction ability.

Open Hand gives secondary effects to FoB for no extra cost, and a solid late level ability.

Sun Soul gives increased range, ant-will radiant damage, and some spells at a good ki cost. Even if you never throw a radiant fireball, the level 3 makes it an improvement on not having a subclass.

Astral whatever and dragon guy I don’t care about enough to even reread for a review.

Mercy is just good. Occasional ability that costs more than it should, or does less than it should, mostly on the healing side, but action economy is solid and it’s very fun, and the subclass adds a lot to the character.

Shadow needs better action economy, and bring the teleport at level 3, adding the advantage clause at level 6, but overall it’s still solid.