I have D&D Next beta access

[J1M]

Sure I'm not the only one, but let's make this a thread to discuss it.

Spell slots and preparation are back. Everything so far looks pretty tame. Strangest thing I noticed on first glance was the template for a level elf 1 wizard has 16hp, while the dwarf fighter has 20hp.

 

[Father Walker]

Any chance of leaking some more solid stuff to us? Like pdf or something?

Strangest thing I noticed on first glance was the template for a level elf 1 wizard has 16hp, while the dwarf fighter has 20hp.

What's so strange about it? Weren't characters in 4th Edition pretty resistant?

 

[Xor]

I got one too. Still looking it over. I actually have a bunch of gamer friends over, maybe we'll play a quick game.

 

[CappenVarra]

I don't care about templates, but some details about lvl1 character creation (compared to older versions) would be nice...

 

[Excidium]

https://www.rapidshare.com/#!download|206|2019077717|Next_Playtest.zip|5738

Courtesy of /tg/

 

[Father Walker]

https://www.rapidshare.com/#!download|206|2019077717|Next_Playtest.zip|5738

Courtesy of /tg/

 

[Captain Shrek]

https://www.rapidshare.com/#!download|206|2019077717|Next_Playtest.zip|5738

Courtesy of /tg/

 

[CappenVarra]

Inspecting...

 

[Azalin]

https://www.rapidshare.com/#!download|206|2019077717|Next_Playtest.zip|5738

Courtesy of /tg/

 

[Father Walker]

This thing looks... oddly good! I might actually buy it if they present similar attitude in the final product.

 

[felipepepe]

Sadly I don't have a group to play with, but a look on the character sheets was very interesting...especially the Slayer perk and the Wizard casting unlimited Magic Missles...

 

[Azalin]

I don't have the time to check them properly right now but a quick check it looks good,not sure why Chain Mail is a heavy armor or why a scimitar or a short sword is a finesse weapon though

 

[waywardOne]

or why a scimitar or a short sword is a finesse weapon though

As compared to previous editions or compared to reality?

 

[Azalin]

or why a scimitar or a short sword is a finesse weapon though

As compared to previous editions or compared to reality?

Mostly previous rules,in 3e you could get finesse weapons were rapier and light weapons if I recall correctly,short sword was in but scimitar wasn't.

 

[Shannow]

Well, the scimitar was a low dmg rng, high crit chance weapon like the rapier anyway, so that's not a big jump. I wasn't even aware that it wasn't supposed to be a finesse weapon (though I only ever played the computer games and never a finesse character). And chain mail...well, in the real world it actually is heavy armor depending on its design, but I don't see why that should have changed in the DnD rules...

 

[felipepepe]

Perhaps they decided to make things easier: All leather armor = light armor; all metal armor = heavy armor...

 

[Mangoose]

or why a scimitar or a short sword is a finesse weapon though

As compared to previous editions or compared to reality?

Mostly previous rules,in 3e you could get finesse weapons were rapier and light weapons if I recall correctly,short sword was in but scimitar wasn't.

Drizzt.

 

[Father Walker]

Btw, they've got +1 for using Caves of Chaos as a test module.

And another +1 for Monte Cook leaving the WotC

 

[felipepepe]

Oh boy, I have to find a good group to play again, I keep looking at those .pdfs and wanting to play....

 

[waywardOne]

Btw, they've got +1 for using Caves of Chaos as a test module.

I recognized the map, unchanged from the original... except was the text oriented portrait in the original? I'll have to get my original 'B2: Keep on the Borderlands' out of storage and verify.

 

[Ulminati]

How has Grunker not frothed all over this thread yet?

 

[hoverdog]

he's probably masturbating furiously right now. with both hands. that's why he can't write on the forums.

 

[Father Walker]

How has Grunker not frothed all over this thread yet?

We can try to lure him:

HEY GRUNKER I HERD NEW EDITIONS OF D&D SUCK BALLS LOL!11

All we can do now is wait

 

[CappenVarra]

Read through the playtest quickly once, general impression was rather... positive. Things are mostly simple and make sense (attribute saving throws are definite incline etc.), and the overall presentation has a bit of a retro-clone feel - meaning, it takes long term D&D elements and shapes them in a mostly coherent & focused whole. (Of course, that will change once a crapload of "advanced" rules and options are added, but that's not the point). Not all is rainbows and ponies though (e.g., they explain that hit points are not actual wounds, that chars only have minor cuts and bruises when they're at half HP, and only get actual serious wounds when they hit 0 HP etc. - bit the healing spell is still called Cure Light Wounds - which doesn't make sense if it heals HPs that are decidedly not wounds, or at least aren't wounds all the time). Will read again when I have time and join the dicuss! session...

 

[deuxhero]

e.g., they explain that hit points are not actual wounds, that chars only have minor cuts and bruises when they're at half HP, and only get actual serious wounds when they hit 0 HP etc. - bit the healing spell is still called Cure Light Wounds - which doesn't make sense if it heals HPs that are decidedly not wounds, or at least aren't wounds all the time

I've never understood why devs felt the need to do this in a fantasy game where people that tell the laws of physics to sit down and shut up are relatively common. I'm perfectly OK with a "heroic" fighter being able to survive reentry or take 100 swords to the face.

or why a scimitar or a short sword is a finesse weapon though

As compared to previous editions or compared to reality?

Mostly previous rules,in 3e you could get finesse weapons were rapier and light weapons if I recall correctly,short sword was in but scimitar wasn't.

And the scimitar was the same as a rapier except it did slashing damage and couldn't be finessed (and you could 2 hand it, but that is irrelevant when finessing). It makes sense thematically(Scimitars and weapons like fencing sabers, and yes *sigh* katanas, that would share statistics all are stereotypically "agile" blades) so it is perfectly reasonable.

It's not like the base weapon ever mattered for finesse users anyways (all your base damage comes from SA). Rapier (or shortsword if TWF) was only used because bards and rogues get proficiency in it.

Now a bigger question is if you can actually slash things with a shortsword now (3e's were inexplicably piercing only).