Quote from: JeremyR on February 14, 2023, 07:35:51 PM
I don't think Black Flag has much of a point anymore

Originally it was going to be an unofficial 5e for people who wanted to continue to publish 5e products, using their ORC license.

Now that seems unnecessary.

The only thing it really exists for now is for fans of Kobold Press to switch to, because they really like Kobold Press. But I don't know how big a following they have and there doesn't seem to be a good reason to stop playing 5e since OneD&D seems 5.5e more than something radically different.

I agree with all of this at first reading. 

Then I remember that WoTC can always pull this licensing fiasco again at any minute.  A 5E clone to fall back on, complete with a license, may be a good idea.  It was a great idea during the middle of the fiasco, but it does feel like less of an issue.  But that's the problem.  It only feels that way.  Greed and profit margins at corporations with shareholders are not to be underestimated. 

Kobold Press is doing a good thing here.  By all means give them feedback, but I'm not expecting miracles, or even innovations out of their first RPG.  The bar should set at 5E compatible.

Reading the BF Playtest really made me even less enthusiastic for 5e based RPGing. I definitely want less 5e, less D&D, and more diverse systems in my life going forward.

Quote from: S'mon on February 15, 2023, 04:03:27 AMand more diverse systems in my life going forward.

Meh.

WotC pretty much drove the stake through Black Flag by releasing the SRD 5.1 under CC-by-4.0. You don't NEED a whole new system now, just substitutes for the elements not included in the SRD.

For example, some sort of melee combat focused Bard subclass to sub in for College of Valor/Swords.

Basically a book of a dozen subraces, two dozen subclasses, and replacements for backgrounds and feats as a supplement to the totally free SRD5.1 is all you'd really need for a 5e retroclone-like experience.

Quote from: Chris24601 on February 15, 2023, 08:36:36 AM
Meh.

WotC pretty much drove the stake through Black Flag by releasing the SRD 5.1 under CC-by-4.0. You don't NEED a whole new system now, just substitutes for the elements not included in the SRD.

For example, some sort of melee combat focused Bard subclass to sub in for College of Valor/Swords.

Basically a book of a dozen subraces, two dozen subclasses, and replacements for backgrounds and feats as a supplement to the totally free SRD5.1 is all you'd really need for a 5e retroclone-like experience.

Probably, but at this point they've already cast their lot; there was no guarantee that Wizards would fold the way it did, and they might still try to poison the well some other way (even if I can't think of a way now, it doesn't mean that they can't think of a way later). In any case, I'm all for yet another contender. If it fails, it fails; maybe there is some idea there which might turn out useful for stealing.

Quote from: Wtrmute on February 14, 2023, 01:42:39 PM
That would be funny. Here's the distribution for 74d6 keep highest 3 (on average, you'll roll 17.998)...

I know it's back aways, but I laugh every time I see the 17.998 average, and the graph that is just a bar at 18.  That was an excellent graph.

Another issue is that it now sounds like increasing CON doesn't add HP for prior levels. I thought maybe that was just my interpretation but I've shown the text to 5E GMs and that's how they read it as well.

At this point I'm fairly sure OneDnD is going to be OGL/CC. They don't have much choice unless they totally break 5E compatibility. Given that, I don't see what Black Flag gives me if this playtest is what they plan on putting into it. I want a faster to play 5E, without everyone including cows having dark vision, that tones down the power a bit. This playtest seems to be going in the opposite direction and feels like something someone could've whipped up in a weekend. Not a great start for a publisher everyone brags about.