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[D&D Next] Last playtest packet today

Started by Sacrosanct, September 19, 2013, 10:32:45 PM

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The Ent

#15
September 20, 2013, 05:39:52 AM
Quote from: BarefootGaijin;692359Who needs dice at this stage anyway?

I prefer'em.

Point-buy stats work well in GURPS, but in D&D it mainly produces bland cookie-cutter dudes imo.

BarefootGaijin

#16
September 20, 2013, 06:24:45 AM
Quote from: The Ent;692361I prefer'em.

Point-buy stats work well in GURPS, but in D&D it mainly produces bland cookie-cutter dudes imo.

I didn't mean to imply point-buy, I meant fudge it all the way through character generation (without magically producing scores of 18s).
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JonWake

#17
September 20, 2013, 06:31:01 AM
Quote from: jibbajibba;692345Just not very well whereas a monk gets improved AC through training and gains far fewer HP.
So you have 2 incongruous ways of getting the same effect.

And of course touch attacks etc particularly relevant to fighters in a duel to first blood situation.

AC bonus improving 1 per 2 levels for fighters seems like a good houserule to me.

That will break the game.  ACs will outpace to hit modifiers, so instead of getting more accurate as you level, you'll actually get less accurate while HPs continue to increase, making fighters perpetually more difficult to hit and damage, leaving everyone else in the dust.

Its inconsistent, but it works at the table.

The Ent

#18
September 20, 2013, 06:33:31 AM
Quote from: BarefootGaijin;692363I didn't mean to imply point-buy, I meant fudge it all the way through character generation (without magically producing scores of 18s).

Well, okay, I can see that one. Not sure I'd do that myself but, seems an okay way of doing it.

jibbajibba

#19
September 20, 2013, 06:42:04 AM Last Edit: September 20, 2013, 06:48:29 AM by jibbajibba
Quote from: JonWake;692365That will break the game.  ACs will outpace to hit modifiers, so instead of getting more accurate as you level, you'll actually get less accurate while HPs continue to increase, making fighters perpetually more difficult to hit and damage, leaving everyone else in the dust.

Its inconsistent, but it works at the table.

so tweak the numbers or never have any of your characters demand a duel to first blood in no armour.
Cos if you do highest initiative wins :)

May be all classes get a AC bonus at the same rate as THACO. then it's as hard for a 10th level Fighter to hit another 10th level fighter in a duel as it is for a 1st to hit a first but the fighter will be far better at combat and will cream anyone else ... whcih is fine with me as they can't change into trees, teleport, fly etc .... (of course my heartbreaker works basically like this)
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The Traveller

#20
September 20, 2013, 07:03:55 AM
Quote from: Sacrosanct;692314From a rather broad observation, it comes down to:

Action = roll plus prof bonus + attribute bonus, and compare vs. DC value

And that's it.  you don't have this list of situational modifiers like a "to hit" chart, skill bonus, feat bonus, specialization bonus, etc.  And it's the same mechanic for every class, and for every action.  You don't have some use % dice while others use the d20 for instance.
How do they differentiate proficiencies versus skills?
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JonWake

#21
September 20, 2013, 07:09:25 AM
Quote from: The Traveller;692369How do they differentiate proficiencies versus skills?

There is none. Proficiency is a catch-all term for 'gets this bonus when attempting tasks related to this.'

The Ent

#22
September 20, 2013, 07:15:03 AM
I like the sound of the proficiencies. I really do. Sounds like a neat idea.

The Traveller

#23
September 20, 2013, 07:19:55 AM
Quote from: JonWake;692370There is none. Proficiency is a catch-all term for 'gets this bonus when attempting tasks related to this.'
That's weird. Why not just use skills?
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JonWake

#24
September 20, 2013, 07:22:36 AM
Quote from: The Ent;692372I like the sound of the proficiencies. I really do. Sounds like a neat idea.

It's pretty damn flexible. You could easily dispense with skills altogether and just give the Proficiency bonus to any checks made with a couple attributes (sort of how Castles and Crusades does it), or make Backgrounds into big catch all categories like "Pirate of the Blood Seas" and give the bonus to anything the GM says is applicable.  

Next week I have a group that's been playing the Next playtest for the last five months; we'll see how it works at the table.

JonWake

#25
September 20, 2013, 07:25:57 AM
Quote from: The Traveller;692373That's weird. Why not just use skills?

Flexibility, probably. Characters get proficiency in a half dozen things from several categories: thieves tools, horses, sailing, weapons, armor, the like. You could call it a skill and would do the exact same thing.

jibbajibba

#26
September 20, 2013, 08:55:03 AM
So you get 'skills', which you check versus your stats, from your background and you progress in them through proficiencies which are tied to your class?

is that roughly it?
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estar

#27
September 20, 2013, 09:23:49 AM
Quote from: hamstertamer;692346That's pretty much a total killer for multi-classing, I don't think there will be many multi-classed characters by players with game mastery (understanding of the rules). I honestly think they should just remove multi-classing as an option for now. I don't think it's a bad thing really, if they want to be the anti-multi-classing edition (in reaction to previous editions), that's fine, but just say so and remove it instead of making it a trap option for newbies.

You do realize that D&D is about ROLEPLAYING as well as being a game. If a player wants to be a thief/magic-user then that what he will be. If it is an inferior option then that make sense as the character is spreading his attention over multiple professions. The old adage of "Jack of all trades, master of none".

hamstertamer

#28
September 20, 2013, 09:42:17 AM
Quote from: estar;692393You do realize that D&D is about ROLEPLAYING as well as being a game.  If a player wants to be a thief/magic-user then that what he will be. If it is an inferior option then that make sense as the character is spreading his attention over multiple professions. The old adage of "Jack of all trades, master of none".

QuoteYou do realize that D&D is about ROLEPLAYING as well as being a game.

You do realize that was a dumb statement as well as being a trite one.

Anyway back to the discussion at hand, the whole idea of the hidden trap in their multi-classing system was to make multi-classing a bad option. If they don't like multi-classing then fine, just remove it, but don't punish people who do.  In other words, if someone wants to be a thief/magic-user the game  shouldn't try to demotivate them for wanting to.
Gary Gygax - "It is suggested that you urge your players to provide painted figures representing their characters, henchmen, and hirelings involved in play."

estar

#29
September 20, 2013, 09:53:38 AM
Quote from: jibbajibba;692391So you get 'skills', which you check versus your stats, from your background and you progress in them through proficiencies which are tied to your class?

is that roughly it?

There is a proficiency bonus that increases as you level. You get the use the bonus for skills that you have proficiency plus your attribute bonus. Otherwise you get to use just your attribute bonus. It looks broadly similar to the abilities I used in my Majestic Wilderlands supplement.

My guess for the terminology is the same reason why I used ability instead of skill in my supplement. The game allows the character to attempt any actions but some characters are better at certain things than others.

Look at 'How to Play', look at 'Feats and Skills', and finally look at Classes. None of the things in 'How to Play' is restricted to any particular classes. Anybody can stealth, climb, pick locks, or use any of other skills.
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