As many here know, I've been running quite a lot of 5E lately.
I've been running the Temple of elemental Evil and a few side quests thrown in for good measure.

The party is now at level 5 and close to level 6.
It consists of:

Halfling, Open hand Monk
Tielfing Moon Druid
Human Champion Fighter
Halfling, Wild Sorceror

There has been a bit of up and down with the power levels of the various characters.

I should start with that I didn't just assume short rests would go ok whenever the party wanted to. They had to plan things out and ofter stick it out when abilities that recharged on short rests had run out, such as KI points, wild shape etc..

Druid
At first, it seemed like perhaps the Druid would have the upper hand, but I noted the Damage output was generally lower than the other classes. Although the extra HPs gained from Shapechanging was really nice. but the limitations of no spells when in beast form was quite limiting.
Also it's important to note that if you want to change back to your normal form before the change duration runs out, that costs a shape change slot.
So what it gained, it lost in other ways.

Monk
The Monk KI abilities and improved movement speed were a real boon for the Monk. As it gets those extra KI attacks, it's generally low damage is counterbalanced by more attacks, so it's a real combat monster.
It had a fairly average AC though and not fantastic HPs, so the Monk tended to get dropped to zero HPs the most.

Fighter
What with the fighter decent HPs and AC. Plus using a Greatsword, which deals out quite a bit of damage and action surges etc.  
Whilst not the most exciting character to run at low level, was always the last one standing and the hardest to hit.
He got a lot more interesting as he went up levels with his additional abilities and feats.
His damage output had ups and downs and was the class most susceptible to crappy dice rolls, due to getting less attacks than other classes (although higher damage).

Sorceror
The wild Sorceror was a great class to play. The Wild magic roll hardly ever came off though (only rolled 1 a couple of times) .
The Sorcery points are really useful and Meta magic really boosts the class and makes it interesting.
For ranged damage, the Sorceror is really deadly and saved the day a few times when things were looking really bad.
Just don't let things get close to him though.  Fairly easy to hit (even with Mage Armor) and not a lot of HPs.

All in all, I liked all the classes and races so far that we played.
Perhaps at level 5, the Moon Druid is lagging behind a bit in damage output as it doesn't get those extra attacks the Fighter and Monk got at level 5.
Although it did get level 3 spells and Call lightning, which under the right circumstances is nasty.
It'll be able to change to CR 2 beasts next level though, so that will be interesting to see how it balances out.
   
All in, in my experience all the whining about the Moon Druid being overpowered is unfounded, as the other classes are very good too.
I wouldn't say all the classes are absolutely balanced at every level. But I didn't experience any "This is terribly unbalanced " moments.

I think the classes most affected so far by the lack of Short rests is the Druid and Monk (shapechanging slots and KI slots respectively)

The most affected by lack of Long rests are the Sorceror and Druid (spells)

The Fighter seemed the most resilient with lack of Short or Long rests.


What are other people's experiences with 5E so far balance wise?
I don't mean your personal opinions based on what you read in the PHB, but by actual gameplay experience.

Quote from: danskmacabre;798297It had a fairly average AC though and not fantastic HPs, so the Monk tended to get dropped to zero HPs the most.
.

This is my experience as well.  In the game we're playing (we're level 4 now), I'm playing a shadow monk and I've dropped about 4 times.  More than any other PC by a wide margin.  I can move all over the place, but can't take that many hits before I'm dropped.

Quote from: Sacrosanct;798301This is my experience as well.  In the game we're playing (we're level 4 now), I'm playing a shadow monk and I've dropped about 4 times.  More than any other PC by a wide margin.  I can move all over the place, but can't take that many hits before I'm dropped.

I put in some magic items later on and one thing I put in was a +1 ring of protection.
I had actually intended it for the Sorceror, but after some discussion the players decided to give it to the Monk, as he was going down so often.
That +1 AC made a real difference to him and he stayed up far more often.

I found the Monk was great at stopping mobs running away, as he was so fast and had the knockdown abilities etc.
As he could catch up so easily, he'd force enemies to use a disengage action, thus slowing them down.
It's just when fighting solo, toe to toe against a heavy hitter, he suffered somewhat.
But then I guess that's the job of the Fighter, who performed that role very well.

Quote from: Sacrosanct;798301This is my experience as well.  In the game we're playing (we're level 4 now), I'm playing a shadow monk and I've dropped about 4 times.  More than any other PC by a wide margin.  I can move all over the place, but can't take that many hits before I'm dropped.

In our group of a Human Monk, Tiefling Barbarian, Dragonborn Ranger and Halfling Warlock (NPC), the Monk has definitely sustained the most abuse and dropped the most here as well.

I think it's because Dex and Wis are your primary attributes (so not likely to have a CON bonus), and you have the HP of a rogue, but can't really attack at range like a rogue can.  Or have cunning action like a rogue to disengage for free.

The fighter in our group has a very high AC, so he hardly gets hit, and the barbarian has damage resistance.  That leaves me as the 3rd melee fighter (I'm also the scout since we don't have a rogue).  I don't mind it so much (going down), and figure it will get better the higher level we go.  Once I get shadow step I foresee me using that a lot.

My campaign started with a Ranger, Bard, Sorcerer, and Wizard.  At low levels, the Ranger was awesome, the Sorcerer and Wizard so so, and the Bard sucked raw eggs.  Around 3rd or 4th level, the Bard switched to Barbarian and is much happier for it.

Hitting 5th level was a huge boost in power for everyone.  Two fireballs in a round is incredibly nasty.

Now they are 6th level.  The Sorcerer and Wizard are stout cookies, but must be careful with stretching their spell load.  When relying on cantrips they are terrible.  Even their 1st and 2nd level spells are noticeably weakening.

The Barbarian is an absolute beast who can handle rediculous amounts of punishment.  He is also useless at range, so battle planning matters a lot.  

The Ranger is starting to fade, particularly in having a weak chin.  Goes down in a lot of fights.  The player admits, however, to not really utilizing his spellcasting.  He plans to focus on that and see how it goes.  The thoughts of switching to a different character are percollating.

There things worry me.

How can a bard choose to become a barbarian? Was he always a barbarian tribe guy but focused on the bard stuff (Scald?) One one day did he strip off his Motley and decide he was going to grow a beard and learn to curse in an accent. Is he a real barbarian or the bard just acting as a barbarian?

How can the monk plan to use Shadow step a lot? Is this something he has discussed as an accolyte " One day grasshopper you will learn to use shadow step, you should use this a lot in combat as monks are fragile having a low con and only d8 HP"

Didn't sacro say this monk dipped into a level or sorcerer to get a ranged cantrip spell for backup? How can that work? I think I will just master the arts of magic in case I get stuck without a bow or ammo... hold on...

Sounds scarily like 3e or a tactical combat sim to me

The bard retired to become an NPC ally of the party, spreading word of their deeds in Neverwinter.  The player rolled up a barbarian.  I have never been bothered by a player switching PCs.  Minimum XP of the lowest level party member, no magic items.

5e certainly feels like a blend of 3e and AD&D, but my games are no tactical sim.  

We have spent nearly as much time dicking around Neverwinter as we have adventuring.  Last session had a great time where the elf wizard brought back the dragon's carcass to mount in his family's Neverwinter mansion (noble background).  

I am using an ad hoc way to track their fame in the city.  A couple sessions ago, the ranger pissed off the various noble families at a party.  He was banned from the town.  Becoming a dragon slayer bought him enough goodwill that the guards finally let him in the gates again last session.  We all laughed our guts out.

Of course, we also do DnD adventure stuff.  Something like 50/50 between time spent in adventure and pure roleplay.  The roleplay part does not matter all that much what the PCs' abilities are.  In the adventure part, it does.  And if a player is not happy with their PC's performance, I let them switch if they want.  No big deal.

Quote from: jibbajibba;798446Sounds scarily like 3e or a tactical combat sim to me

Cherry picking magic items in first edition is like 3e. Min-maxing has been with the hobby since the beginning. Hell I won a AD&D 1st fight tourney because I knew how broken a 7th level Druid was with the right magic items (picked with a limited budget)

Three decades ago a younger me would have sniffed my nose and looked down on the idea. Now I don't really give a crap. My goal it make sure my campaign is fun and players are immersed regardless of their play style except those who insist on being a dick.

Quote from: estar;798462How was that role-played?

Happened about halfway through the Phandalin adventure.  The bard was from Neverwinter, so he went back to his old tavern singing ways.  The barbarian is a dwarf, cousin of the dwarves in the Phandalin adventure.  He heard word of his cousins' being kidnapped and went to Phandalin to find them.  Obvious hookup with the party since they were looking for the dwarves as well.

Quote from: jibbajibba;798446There things worry me.

How can a bard choose to become a barbarian? Was he always a barbarian tribe guy but focused on the bard stuff (Scald?) One one day did he strip off his Motley and decide he was going to grow a beard and learn to curse in an accent. Is he a real barbarian or the bard just acting as a barbarian?

How can the monk plan to use Shadow step a lot? Is this something he has discussed as an accolyte " One day grasshopper you will learn to use shadow step, you should use this a lot in combat as monks are fragile having a low con and only d8 HP"

Didn't sacro say this monk dipped into a level or sorcerer to get a ranged cantrip spell for backup? How can that work? I think I will just master the arts of magic in case I get stuck without a bow or ammo... hold on...

Sounds scarily like 3e or a tactical combat sim to me

1a: I think in the example given he meant the player was retiring the Bard and starting up a new character who was a Barbarian?

1b: As for multiclassing. That ones allways going to be all sorts of goofy tricky. One way to look at it is a sort of "going back to nature" sort of deal or the bard trying to tap into some sort of "primal rage music". Wizard is harder to justify but do-able. Perhaps the wizard is fed up of getting stomped in melee, or has some sort of ancestral ties, or takes to living with a barbarian kingdom and is a natural for it. Maybee its part of some sort of long term plan?

2: Same as with some real world training. If I want to be a painter I train more for painting than sculpting. (Assuming I have a tallent for either.) In martial arts is seems that some do indeed have a sort of "plan" for getting XYZ techniques for whatever reason. And often you need to work through the lesser techniques to gain understanding of the higher ones. (Which is something D&D martial arts should play more off of.)

3: Yeah. This bugs me too a little as it feels way too much like gaming the system rather than playing a character. Why not just use a bow? Or spend a feat to gain a cantrip? Though you can weave the cantrip into the martial arts as a technique rather than pure magic. Like the meteor hammer or iron ribbon attacks. etc. There are ways to make it feel less gamey.

3a: addendum: and Sacro explained his reasonings and method below.

I think at this point, between this and the other thread, jibba is just trolling for luz.  It sure seems 90% of his complaints in both are based on incorrect assumptions, even after being pointed out the inaccuracies

as for my monk, shadow step is a class feature, just like a paladin in 1e leading how to call a warhorse or cast spells, or any of the numerous abilities a 1e monk got later on.  And for my cantrip, I DID take a feat at 1st level to get it (human) because it fit with his background of being part of a dark monastic order

Quote from: Sacrosanct;798508I think at this point, between this and the other thread, jibba is just trolling for luz.  It sure seems 90% of his complaints in both are based on incorrect assumptions, even after being pointed out the inaccuracies

as for my monk, shadow step is a class feature, just like a paladin in 1e leading how to call a warhorse or cast spells, or any of the numerous abilities a 1e monk got later on.  And for my cantrip, I DID take a feat at 1st level to get it (human) because it fit with his background of being part of a dark monastic order

well ...

At this point I am just trolling because 5e is starting to feel more like 3e than 1e or 2e...
Basically people using feats or multiclassing to create builds rather than developing characters though play, people looking to future class power and/or feats as a way of increasing Damage per round or whatever.

I really hated that so much I never moved to 3e. I had hoped we woudl get a 5e that was more about "how does my character develop through time and experience" rather than how can I add more stuff to my character to enable it to do y.
I know multiclassing is optional - so I have already banned it. I am still on the fence with feats. I didn't allow humans to pick feats at first level for sure but I was hoping that I could allow them at 4th as a way to give the party that nice jump to mid level. Maybe I allow at 4th but don't allow another til much later ... we will see.

I am quite worried about the Warlock with EB extra damage, Spell sniper etc who can chuck 2 EBs 600 feet and deal 1d10+3 a round, every round, for ever

Quote from: jibbajibba;798568well ...

At this point I am just trolling because 5e is starting to feel more like 3e than 1e or 2e...
Basically people using feats or multiclassing to create builds rather than developing characters though play, people looking to future class power and/or feats as a way of increasing Damage per round or whatever.

I really hated that so much I never moved to 3e. I had hoped we woudl get a 5e that was more about "how does my character develop through time and experience" rather than how can I add more stuff to my character to enable it to do y.
I know multiclassing is optional - so I have already banned it. I am still on the fence with feats. I didn't allow humans to pick feats at first level for sure but I was hoping that I could allow them at 4th as a way to give the party that nice jump to mid level. Maybe I allow at 4th but don't allow another til much later ... we will see.

I think 5e is supposed to be adaptable to run with a 3e feel, a 4e feel, or a 1e/2e feel (probably more 2e - actually it's closest to C&C), depending on the preference of the players & the group.
I think I'll be aiming for a sort of 1e/2e plus 4e mash-up; stomping on 3eisms such as the multiclassing, but probably allow Feats ok.

Regarding Multiclassing. I've never been that attracted to it, but then I never played DnD v3 or 3.5 .

I Ran and played PF, but hardly anyone took Multiclassed characters, as the PF classes seemed pretty well rounded anyway.
5E seems to be even more well rounded.

I doubt I'll ban Multiclassing, but I don't expect it to be a problem or people particularly wanting to either.

As to Feats, there's not that many of them and they seem OK to me.