D&D Next

Bah I only managed to download it just now ...

My priorities today are to get stupid Ditzie working, then read Next

Just finished reading the "How to Play" thoroughly and I have no idea how I feel about it...the whole game feels like it is moving to a simpler system. Lower Hit Points overall, static DCs that never even get into the 30s, lower damage overall. It seems like you won't have AC, DCs, Skill checks in the 30s and 40s in higher levels and that the whole game will feel like its played at a "lower level." Which I think I'm okay with?

Things I Like

• The Advantages/Disadvantages system is awesome. I like it. A lot. Like a lot a lot.
• The Hit Dice mechanic is nice. Not as powerful as Healing Surges but it scales nicely.
• The -20 Initiative to Surprised creatures is a nice mechanic.
• I like the Coup De Grace mechanic. It was too weak in 4th and silly in 3.5. This one just makes sense.
• I like the critical hits.
• The return of slashing, bludgeoning, piercing damage. I like that. A lot.
• The Death Saving Throws are very good. I like the idea of slowly bleeding away as you try to make the saves.
• I like all of the conditions. I assume there will be more added (no Petrified, for example.) Plus, intoxicated! Hah!
• I think I like incidental actions. It seems like if you're not attacking or moving, you can just sort of do it?
• I like the return of the many creature sizes, reaches, space, etc.

Things I'm Indifferent About

• Are there no opportunity attacks anymore? Casters can just cast when they want?
• Rolling for hit points at each level is a nice throw-back and using your Con if your roll is lower will benefit warriors. Wizards will still be hosed but that's fine because they're keeping the "Start with reasonable HP at first level" bit.
• Half-Cover and Three-Quarters Cover? Did they really have to go back to those names?
• I wonder why they made the Short Rests 10 minutes instead of 5 and the Long Rests 8 hours instead of 6.
• Electrum? They felt this was missing...?
• I wonder if the DC system will change or if bonuses are going to stay more static throughout the levels. For example, if climbing an oiled rope is DC 26 and you get a +x from Strength, will it always be 26 and you'll always get +x from Strength? I think I like this but I'll have to see more.
• Like the DCs, I have mixed feelings on the Saving Throw system. I will have to wait and see how it pans out.
• I want to see the Skills section. The character sheets make reference to it but there's no details.

Things I Hate

• The weapons seem dull again with no interesting properties to make them stand apart from one another.
• The entire Armor section seems bloody awful.
• Going back to the old style of spells is terrible. Everything about the spell sections just makes me cringe, from the terrible format to the cone/sphere/cylinder/cloud system (which is clunky and was streamlined wonderfully in 4th) to the varying effects based on hit points. This alone could stop me playing the next edition.

I have to disagree on the spells, its designed to be more rough to it can be used by approximation without a grid. Same with the lack of OAs. I don't think they've done much with the armour and weapons yet, from what I can tell that seems like a WIP, but I like how they broke it down with finesse weapons and they seem to be allowing theives to sneak attack with other weapons than just daggers, which adds some versatility and scimitars are now finesse! awesome. I'm liking it so far, but I have a group to play test with to see how it comes out in action.

I think the skills have turned back into a similar to non-weapon prof. from 2nd ed. You have a few specializations, the rest are ability checks. I think they left this blank on purpose for feedback too.

I'll really have to see how it plays out. My group considers of half who started with 1st and 2nd ed. and some who dabbled in 3.5 and play 4e. It will be interesting for sure. I started in 2nd ed, and am DMing.

Don't get me wrong, I won't miss the OAs. They aren't a mechanic I felt was particularly amazing or terrible. And yeah, the equipment section seems sparse. As I said earlier (I think), all of my opinions are taken with a heavy grain of salt as this is only the first play packet.

I've always hated Vancian casting and never liked 2nd Ed. spells and wasn't really a fan of 3rd ed. spells.

Sounds like they've adopted a lot of the great stuff in Pathfinder into it then

Still not had a chance to read any of it ... I've posted my question on the Ditzie forum, but as it's my first post, I need to wait for an Admin (it's the guy who wrote ditzie and he has a day job, and he's probably not awake yet ... or at work) so I can post my map and stick you peeps on it.

You are going to catch the giants, but I'd like to have it on ditzie as it makes a huge difference and will streamline the combats amazingly ...

That and my stealing of Ty's Stat's spreadsheet means you players can write your own narrative about the combat ... it makes it so much better ...

Yeah, that posting of enemies defenses worked out really well, didn't it? I'm pretty pleased with how that experiment turned out.

Yep ... it works brilliantly ...

this sounds a lot like the google doc spread sheets I've used in games, it does work awesomely.

A few of the games other people run that I'm in also post defenses and I've liked that method. =)

Well, you peeps didn't take much persuasion ...