D&D (2024) What do you expect/hope to see in future playtest packets? (+)

[Parmandur]

Unfortunately, as I've explained in another thread, they do not want useful feedback. They want to know if people like what they presented. That's all. I have to agree with @Parmandur. We won't see the purported monster recharge abilities until release, or possibly a locked-in preview before then.

We already have them, in several printed books, anyways.

 

[Micah Sweet]

We already have them, in several printed books, anyways.

The proof is in the 2024 Monster Manual.

 

[orangefruitbat]

This thread has been sitting dormant for seven months and some newer playtest packets have come out. Most of the packets have been about giving players new goodies, which are nice, but don't really reflect the problems of the current game. Here are some things that I still have not seen (but still have at least some hope that they might occur):

1) more dangerous and interesting monsters (at least for CR 3+). Most monsters are not scary enough to PCs once they reach 3rd level or so. I don't think monster HP should go up (don't want to make combats go longer), but I think monster damage should increase. Monsters should have more special abilities or riders that attach to their standard attacks. 5E monsters are kinda boring compared to 4E or PF2E. I was actually pretty sceptical about weapon mastery properties at first, but they could make 'NPC' monsters (like veterans, knights, bandits, noble, etc.) more interesting. Monsters should have more skills as well for the purpose of opposed roles (in particular, Athletics). Note: since the playtest seems to be increasing character abilities, monsters will need to be increased even to maintain parity.

2) fix the EL math (that's pretty much a given)

3) provide some some of penalty to PCs who recover from the dying condition. I like the 3 death save concept, but I dislike the cycle of how unconscious characters can get 1 HP of healing, pop up, get dropped again, get 1 HP of healing pop up... The game would benefit from either having failed death saves be removed on a long rest (like 4E), or something like the wounded condition from PF2 (maybe a level of exhaustion?)

4) change short rests to 5-15 minutes and limit characters to 2-3 short rests per day. Shorter short rests are obviously much more available to characters and wouldn't normally impact the game fiction in the way that 1 hour rests do. This would fix most of the game problems that WOTC is trying to solve by moving everything to X times per day AND result in less nova-ing behaviour than the current solution. Seems so obvious, I don't know why we haven't seen it yet.

5) give characters something to do with their wealth. In the current edition, there isn't anything interesting to buy with treasure (unless you want to buy plate armour or add spells to your spell book). Yes, you can buy property, but that doesn't fit many campaigns.

 

[Micah Sweet]

This thread has been sitting dormant for seven months and some newer playtest packets have come out. Most of the packets have been about giving players new goodies, which are nice, but don't really reflect the problems of the current game. Here are some things that I still have not seen (but still have at least some hope that they might occur):

1) more dangerous and interesting monsters (at least for CR 3+). Most monsters are not scary enough to PCs once they reach 3rd level or so. I don't think monster HP should go up (don't want to make combats go longer), but I think monster damage should increase. Monsters should have more special abilities or riders that attach to their standard attacks. 5E monsters are kinda boring compared to 4E or PF2E. I was actually pretty sceptical about weapon mastery properties at first, but they could make 'NPC' monsters (like veterans, knights, bandits, noble, etc.) more interesting. Monsters should have more skills as well for the purpose of opposed roles (in particular, Athletics). Note: since the playtest seems to be increasing character abilities, monsters will need to be increased even to maintain parity.

2) fix the EL math (that's pretty much a given)

3) provide some some of penalty to PCs who recover from the dying condition. I like the 3 death save concept, but I dislike the cycle of how unconscious characters can get 1 HP of healing, pop up, get dropped again, get 1 HP of healing pop up... The game would benefit from either having failed death saves be removed on a long rest (like 4E), or something like the wounded condition from PF2 (maybe a level of exhaustion?)

4) change short rests to 5-15 minutes and limit characters to 2-3 short rests per day. Shorter short rests are obviously much more available to characters and wouldn't normally impact the game fiction in the way that 1 hour rests do. This would fix most of the game problems that WOTC is trying to solve by moving everything to X times per day AND result in less nova-ing behaviour than the current solution. Seems so obvious, I don't know why we haven't seen it yet.

5) give characters something to do with their wealth. In the current edition, there isn't anything interesting to buy with treasure (unless you want to buy plate armour or add spells to your spell book). Yes, you can buy property, but that doesn't fit many campaigns.

Most if these issues have been solved by 3pp 5e publishers, if you're interested.

 

[Bacon Bits]

I hope to see spells at spell level 7 and higher wholly overhauled and remade from the ground up. I think that's essential to making the game playable at high level.

I hope to see mechanics that encourage the PCs to go on adventures they want to go on to accomplish goals they want, instead of just doing what the DM puts in front of them. I'm a bit tired of world-ending railroad crises.

 

[orangefruitbat]

Most if these issues have been solved by 3pp 5e publishers, if you're interested.

Of course, but what I'm interested in is an improved OneD&D. I have tons of 3rd party books (and other gaming systems) already.

 

[Micah Sweet]

Of course, but what I'm interested in is an improved OneD&D. I have tons of 3rd party books (and other gaming systems) already.

Any particular reason your 5e has to be "official" to work for you? Just curious.

 

[orangefruitbat]

Any particular reason your 5e has to be "official" to work for you? Just curious.

It's just a matter of managing complexity. I'll happily run or play other games, and I'm happy to run 3rd party 5E adventures. But I don't really want to keep track of 3rd party classes, spells or rules mechanics that are distinct from the "official rules" (3rd party 5E monsters are OK). I have scars from my 3E days. I'd rather just play a different system then. For example, I like Level Up (and hope to play it shortly), but I don't see myself combining LU with standard 5E. As a DM, I'd probably be happiest playing OSE or Shadowdark (or my personal favourite, WFRP), but my players really like 5E. What I want with OneD&D (and probably won't get) is a ruleset that all my players like (mechanical options and toys for all!), but gives me an unobtrusive ruleset to craft a campaign from.

 

[ChameleonX]

What I hope for:

- Bard as in UA.

- Barbarian as in UA.

- The Druid's Wild Shape given far more options for the stat blocks or just reverted to the 2014 version. Possibly as Circle of the Moon features, with elemental focus spun off into it's own subclass.

- Fighter given improved Weapon Masteries at higher levels, instead of just more of the weaker ones. Remove the lame restriction on Action Surge, or just specifically forbid Magic Actions. Also, let Indomitable scale with Second Wind.

- Reverse the nerf to Paladin smite. Paladin given Weapon Masteries.

- Monk Ki renamed to Psi points. Flurry of Blows costs no Psi. Apply Weapon Mastery to unarmed strikes. Nerf Stunning Strike. Psi points are recharged with a 1 minute meditation 2/day, rather than on a short rest.

- Ranger given Weapon Masteries. Give them back Natural Explorer and Primeval Awareness IN ADDITION to the new features.

- Rogue: reverse the nerf to Sneak Attack.

- Sorcerer is given a special cantrip based on their bloodline, rather than just Chaos Bolt. Otherwise the same as the UA.

- Warlock gets Pact Magic, but recharges slots with 1 minute ritual 2/day, instead of on a short rest. Return 2014 Mystic Arcanum. Otherwise as UA.

- Wizard as UA.

 

[d24454_modern]

I hope to see spells at spell level 7 and higher wholly overhauled and remade from the ground up. I think that's essential to making the game playable at high level.

I hope to see mechanics that encourage the PCs to go on adventures they want to go on to accomplish goals they want, instead of just doing what the DM puts in front of them. I'm a bit tired of world-ending railroad crises.

Do you want them to be weaker?