Fresh thread to talk about your opinions on the D&DN playtest documents, the rules, the way your tests are going, and so on.

Trying to organize a playtest now. Read the rules. Certainly haven't had a chance to absorb everything. There is a bit too much 4E in there for my taste (especially with some of the class abilities and healing) but i am also seeing things I like.

They could have made it more basic, but, eh, here is what I like:

- Introduction is well written, and is not pushing miniatures as was 3.x. The introduction says you might use visual aids, or none at all. The intro stresses that this is a game that takes place in your imagination.

- No mini-centric mechanics like 5' step, AoO, and all that 4e garbage.

- In the adventure, monster stats are one line, like in real D&D.

Things I didn't like:

- Advantage/disadvantage w/ rolls. WTF?! Where did they get this from? This doesn't feel like D&D in any way.

Not sure I'll have the time to knock a playtest together.

I've given the rules a quick gander and I like what I see. Looks like 4e Essentials taken to its logical conclusion, i.e. Castles & Crusades. Seriously, though, the ability score-centric core task resolution mechanic feels very C&C-ish. It seems that there's not much of a formal skill list, i.e. that "Backgrounds" and "Themes" for the most part list "stuff your character is good at" rather than skills plucked off of a big whoopin' list. If that's the case, I'm happy to see D&D divorcing itself of a rigid skill system (a feature that hundreds of other RPGs do better and that often brought useless complication to the table. Use Rope, anyone?), and revert to its more freewheeling roots.

I even liked the Fighter's special abilities. The ones I've read feel like the sort of thing an experienced fighting man can pull out, do not stifle player's options (heh heh) regarding creative tactics (e.g. you don't have to have a Shield Bash power or feat to knock the orc senseless with your shield), and do not seem to operate on some abstract economy mandated by game balance.

I like what I see just fine, but I already have enough versions of D&D as is. Still, I'll read this and the following documents (and the threads they'll spawn) with great interest. Who knows, they may yet wrangle a sale out of me.

No To Hit Bonuses for Class or Level.

As soon as I can download them I will.  Their site is running really slowly.  Guess everyone is hitting the server at one time

Stirges look awesomely dangerous.

File is on RapidShare, and easily gotten there:

[EDITED: I'm sorry but unless we're sure this doesn't violated what WoTC wants to do with their intellectual property, I can't allow these links here - RPGPundit]

Quote from: danbuter;541802File is on RapidShare, and easily gotten there:

Thanks loads danbuter, I was trying to wade through the molasses of the Wizard's site when I thought to check here and voila, you have solved the problem

Wizards seem to have gotten a power boost, at least for low level. Cantrips are better than I expected, and cast at-will. They also start with more 1st level spells.

Quote from: Sigmund;541803Thanks loads danbuter, I was trying to wade through the molasses of the Wizard's site when I thought to check here and voila, you have solved the problem

It was also posted in the D&D Next thread, which is where I got the link. Kudos to whoever did the real upload!

They are already fucking this up.  I have to sign up, agree to a bunch of corporate blither-blather, and then wait for an hour to get an e-mail allowing me to download the playtest?  Paizo's system was so much easier.

Quote from: estar;541796No To Hit Bonuses for Class or Level.

This may, in fact, be brilliant.

Keeping the 'hit' bonuses and 'AC's under tight control is important, in my opinion.

Death = Neg Con Score + Level. It's gonna take some big guns to kill PC's.

Monsters beyond the redshirt level, have a shitload of hit points. 132 for the Minotaur. 88 for the Ogre. The Kobold Chief has 44.

Well, i for one don't see this as a return to its old school roots.