Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition - Now your playing with Playtests!

[Dienekes]

Now he was banned before I got a chance to see what he wrote, but I'll throw in, yeah the Fighter is looking a bit lackluster.

Now part of that is probably because I'm new here and missed something (speaking of everyone seems to have a +3 to attack or spells that comes out of nowhere).

They're not as plain as 3.5 fighter just with Fighter's Surge. But that seems all we've got so far. It's still pretty generic: I attack. This turn I attack twice! Hell even the old trip, disarm, bull rush options appear to be gone.

I haven't really looked over spells yet, but from a precursory look Ray of Frost looks problematic.

And on the note on spells the Save mechanic looks potentially problematic. When facing a warrior type if you want him to be less effective you know you have to pump up AC. If you want to hold your own against a properly prepared spellcaster, you could potentially have to keep all your ability scores high. While it doesn't look that way yet (all spells seem to be Dex, Con, or Will saves except one Int check) it's something to watch out for.

[Chess435]

Does this forum have policies against it?

Yes, I believe it does.

[Textor44]

Does this forum have policies against it?

The playtest is bound by an NDA agreement pertaining to the rule mechanics, so "reproducing" them on the forums digitally would be a violation of the NDA agreement from Wizards, so I'd assume that GitP would frown upon that.

[Pyromancer999]

Does this forum have policies against it?

Not sure, although there's a good chance that WotC might try to get the forums shut down or something similar if it happens.

[Scowling Dragon]

Then Im not risking it.

[Yora]

This forum has extremely rabbid censorship rules. But I think we are forbidden to talk about them.

Either I'm having problems or the Sword and Board one is dead as well :(

Yes, it has been taken down. Wait for 30 minutes and google again.

[Clawhound]

I'm glad that the fighter is dirt simple. That's the point. The core should be dirty dirt simple. That way, you can play BASIC D&D if you want to. (Or, at least, as close as you can get to it.)

Then again, because it's more freeform, you can do what we old geezers did in the old days and make stuff up. Turn over some tables. Throw marbles. Push somebody underneath the chandelier while the rogue unties the rope. It's all great fun when there aren't really any rules.

[Ichneumon]

Well, I've finally read through the whole thing and I quite like it. Sure, it will still require work (like adding options for martial maneuvers for one thing). But I like the core system they've produced and if the final game will look anything like this. I'll likely purchase the game and enjoy it.

[Scowling Dragon]

You know. Yeah. Its fun. Il buy it. Its like a 4e that I could get behind. Simple, yet has most of the stuff I want.

It may not be the one true game for everybody but it just feels...Solid and fun.

[J.Gellert]

I like how it feels "familiar" again. For example, it's High Elf instead of Eladrin.

It's really far too early to tell if I'll ever play it, but so far so good.

[Textor44]

You know. Yeah. Its fun. Il buy it. Its like a 4e that I could get behind. Simple, yet has most of the stuff I want.

It may not be the one true game for everybody but it just feels...Solid and fun.

Well, since this is just the first of many iterations, it may evolve to be something that a lot more people can get behind. As long as people fill out the surveys Wizard sends out with honesty and constructive feedback, I think 5e may become the best version of D&D yet.

[Ziegander]

I hate to be what seems to be the sole debbie downer here, but I like basically nothing that I'm seeing here. The rules seem to be familiar and yet poorly thought out, if at all. Spells still dominate everything else (Ray of Frost is 100% broken). Clerics are even better than they used to be (Now better than Wizards?). Oh, except healing is still abysmally bad, and possibly worse than it used to be. Fighters are absolutely retarded. Rituals are just extra spells at-will if casters want to spend some extra time and materials to use them. Non-casters can't access rituals at all.

[Ichneumon]

I like how it feels "familiar" again. For example, it's High Elf instead of Eladrin.

It's really far too early to tell if I'll ever play it, but so far so good.

Yeah, I liked that too. I had mixed feelings though about the fact that all the races include their subrace name, yet nowhere could I find any information on whether those sub-races have any mechanical difference. I'm assuming that's something they're still working on. Yet even if they don't, I guess I could like it.

[Ranting Fool]

Well I've finally gotten my hands on it and have had a nice read. I am quietly optimistic about it (That and for the first time in ages I won't be the DM as since it's a pre-made people are willing to have a go) looking forward to this weekend and a proper play test.

[Ranting Fool]

As long as people fill out the surveys Wizard sends out with honesty and constructive feedback, I think 5e may become the best version of D&D yet.

+1

They asked for feedback, and feedback they shall have !

[Craft (Cheese)]

Not quite finished reading through everything yet, but first impressions:

- As far as I can tell, Clerics are basically Favored Souls now, casting just like a 3.5 Sorcerer.

- There's no separation between arcane and divine spells?

[EatAtEmrakuls]

I'm glad that the fighter is dirt simple. That's the point. The core should be dirty dirt simple. That way, you can play BASIC D&D if you want to. (Or, at least, as close as you can get to it.)

Then again, because it's more freeform, you can do what we old geezers did in the old days and make stuff up. Turn over some tables. Throw marbles. Push somebody underneath the chandelier while the rogue unties the rope. It's all great fun when there aren't really any rules.

And when my Fighter is taking on Cthulhu, turning over tables and throwing marbles is going to help...how?

[Scowling Dragon]

Non-casters can't access rituals at all.

Thats good.

I agree that there are some poorly balanced spells that needsa fixing.

Also, I know its none of my buisnes but please cut down on the word "Retarded". I use it too sometimes, but it just becomes annoying and looses impact if you wave it around to much.

Im also tired of being aggressive towards WOTC. Yes their shmucks sometimes but thier trying. And I will respect that.

If THEY try and WE try then maybe we can just have peace.

[PairO'Dice Lost]

- There's no separation between arcane and divine spells?

The spells listed are only those used in the playtest, and the character sheets list which PCs have access to which spells. I assume that there will be different spell lists in the final version which list which classes get which spells.

[EatAtEmrakuls]

Looks pretty terrible.

Fighters are once again "I attack!" monkeys and nothing more.

Armor doesnt make sense.
Sudded Leather, 25gp, 13+Dex Mod AC, Light Armor.
Ringmail, 35gp, 13+Half Dex mod AC, Medium armor.

y u cost more for less ringmail?

10ft pole costs more than a 10ft ladder.

The Hit Die recovery mechanic is a much worse version of Healing Surges, except now it requires a kit to use and keep track of how many uses of the kit you have. Still only get 1 recovery per level.

Editing in more info:

Medusa has a save or die. It goes off every time a PC starts its turn. They make a DC 12 Con check or they are instantly turn to stone. Permanently. You can get around this by covering your eyes, which makes you roll twice to hit (Take worse result), and gives the Medusa two rolls to hit you, take better result. If you are surprised you don't get a chance to negate the save or die.

Thoughts from another forum-goer on what is, admittedly, a less biased forum.

Also, the mundane gear list looks like it was copy+pasted from the SRD.

[Scots Dragon]

And when my Fighter is taking on Cthulhu, turning over tables and throwing marbles is going to help...how?

Now, correct me if I'm wrong, but since this playtest is relatively low-level as things go... wouldn't you be facing off against Cthulhu with hypothetical class features that you gained somewhat after your most prominent enemies stopped being goblins and kobolds?

[EatAtEmrakuls]

Now, correct me if I'm wrong, but since this playtest is relatively low-level as things go... wouldn't you be facing off against Cthulhu with hypothetical class features that you gained somewhat after your most prominent enemies stopped being goblins and kobolds?

I really don't expect this 5e Fighter to gain more impressive abilities, since the only Fighter in any recollection of have capable of such feats was the 4e fighter, which we all know this will not even come close to resembling.

[Scots Dragon]

I really don't expect this 5e Fighter to gain more impressive abilities, since the only Fighter in any recollection of have capable of such feats was the 4e fighter, which we all know this will not even come close to resembling.

There have been explicit statements that this is 'bare bones' and that later material will introduce the more interesting fighter abilities from earlier editions. And if you're really, really irritated at the changes from 4th edition when it comes to the fighter, you do have an opportunity to respond with constructive criticism as part of the fact that this is a public playtest.

Note the latter word; it's a test. This is not a finalised product.

[Yora]

Now I've looked at it. "Trimmed down 3.5e". Might as well call it 3.6e. Sweet, I like.

[EatAtEmrakuls]

There have been explicit statements that this is 'bare bones' and that later material will introduce the more interesting fighter abilities from earlier editions. And if you're really, really irritated at the changes from 4th edition when it comes to the fighter, you do have an opportunity to respond with constructive criticism as part of the fact that this is a public playtest.

Note the latter word; it's a test. This is not a finalised product.

Which I will be doing, as soon as my play-test concludes tonight.

[Katana_Geldar]

I don't like how they've taken away skills. It's a BIG step back.

[EatAtEmrakuls]

Now I've looked at it. "Trimmed down 3.5e". Might as well call it 3.6e. Sweet, I like.

..This is a sentiment I do not understand in the slightest.

3.5 already exists. It has more years of source material backing it.

Why would you ever want a new edition to resemble it almost exactly, even if you did like the prior version? You could easily houserule 3.5 at this point and it would be identical to this playtest.

[Scowling Dragon]

I don't like how they've taken away skills. It's a BIG step back.

I agree with this. I like skill points.

[Ziegander]

Thats good.

I agree that there are some poorly balanced spells that needsa fixing.

Also, I know its none of my buisnes but please cut down on the word "Retarded". I use it too sometimes, but it just becomes annoying and looses impact if you wave it around to much.

Im also tired of being aggressive towards WOTC. Yes their shmucks sometimes but thier trying. And I will respect that.

If THEY try and WE try then maybe we can just have peace.

I said I didn't like anything I read. That's not being aggressive, that's stating my feelings.

The Fighter, compared to ALL three of the other classes literally reads as if it is mentally deficient. Retarded is pretty fitting.

One more thing that really sucks about the new rules set:

Ability scores as saves. Seems like a cool idea. In practice it means that you need a good score in everything to not get helplessly ganked at some point. It means that the Fighter is in even more trouble than ever before because all he does is attack AC, but Wizards and Clerics can attack at least seven different defenses!

[EatAtEmrakuls]

I agree with this. I like skill points.

Training was fine. And less messy.