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Post by leicamaster on May 24, 2012 9:45:48 GMT -6
Has anyone taken a look at the new playtest material?!?!?
It reminds me of BD&D!!!!
I am sooooooooooo excited to play this weekend.
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Azafuse
Level 5 Thaumaturgist
Posts: 245
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Post by Azafuse on May 24, 2012 10:13:08 GMT -6
After some issues, I've downloaded it too.
PC Sheets look pretty neat and clean (they don't make my head spin like 3E ones used to do). I am still reading the rules, but I pretty like the thin holmesian flavour of this first playtest mateial.
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Post by kesher on May 24, 2012 12:04:16 GMT -6
Downloading as I write this, and yeah, not surprisingly, their site's been a bit slow today...
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Post by kesher on May 24, 2012 12:25:56 GMT -6
I am now experiencing intense angst, as the link in my email to the playtest documents keeps giving me a "Bad URL" message...
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Azafuse
Level 5 Thaumaturgist
Posts: 245
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Post by Azafuse on May 24, 2012 13:00:45 GMT -6
According to the heat on WotC's forum, it seems 5E has a lot of h473r5 (mainly from blogosphere) and much more downloaders. ;D
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mp
Level 2 Seer
Posts: 44
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Post by mp on May 24, 2012 14:04:17 GMT -6
It's soooo neat and easy game. I think I'll incorporate some of those rules into my Swords & Wizardry rules;).
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Post by kesher on May 24, 2012 14:24:24 GMT -6
It's looking like a batch of initial email links were corrupted, and the servers are choked. I'm breathing deeply and being patient. So, those of you who have it, explicate!
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jasmith
Level 5 Thaumaturgist
Posts: 316
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Post by jasmith on May 24, 2012 14:47:22 GMT -6
A few quick things I'm not liking:
Wizards get a significant power increase. 3 memorized first level spells, then several at-wills.
Magic missile is an at-will, it auto-hits for 1d4+1. Multiple missiles at higher levels.
Full overnight, non-magical healing, so long as you have 1 hp.
Minotaur has 132 hp (anything that's not a redshirt is pretty beefy, hp wise. IIRC the Ogre had like 88.)
Death is negative con score + level. So, a 5th level PC with a con of 12, dies at -17.
Any healing spell will bring you to 1 hp, as the roll will count from 0.
The fighter has a feat/them/whatever that lets him do a few points of damage, whenever he misses his attack.
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Post by kesher on May 24, 2012 14:53:49 GMT -6
Interesting. My gut response is almost the opposite of yours! I like the wizard having more punch at 1st level. I houserule that in anyway. Magic missile dosn't bother me either; again, my tendency is to houserule something like that. I love the healing! I've never, in 30 years of playing D&D, forced someone to wait a month to be entirely healed. Now, that says more about my play-style than anything else, but there you go. Not sure what I think about those HP totals. Unless characters are doing more damage than "normal", that's gotta bog down combat. Personally, I'm sick of characters dying like flies, so the neg con thing I see as positive. Same with the healing spells. That feat/theme/whatever sounds kinda cool to me... So! I can't wait to get my freaking hands on the actual document! And hear about everyone's experiences actually playing... (and thanks for posting this!)
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Azafuse
Level 5 Thaumaturgist
Posts: 245
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Post by Azafuse on May 24, 2012 15:04:57 GMT -6
So, those of you who have it, explicate! Well, according to NDA we can't say too much. Anyway: - Playtest rules cover 3 levels
- starting adventure is Cave of Chaos (as already known)
- There are 5 pregen characters as already known (a Fighter, a Rogue, a Wizard, a Battle Cleric and a Healer Cleric)
- There are no rules for character creation (this first playtest is aimed to use pregen PCs)
- Character sheets are 1 page (Fighter and Rogue) or 2 pages long
- Character sheets are pretty user friendly (stats cover just 1/5 of the first page, remaining 4/5 are covered by some fluff)
- DMG is 9 pages long
- PHB is 31 pages long
- Bestiary is 34 pages long
- you can play with no Clerics.. but I can't say why ;D
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Post by kesher on May 24, 2012 15:19:24 GMT -6
You know, I was actually a bit confused about the NDA (not that that stopped me from clicking "I agree"...)
You're not supposed to talk about specifics but you can talk about your experience playing? And then over on the WotC boards, all they're talking about are the specifics.
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jasmith
Level 5 Thaumaturgist
Posts: 316
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Post by jasmith on May 24, 2012 15:25:11 GMT -6
You know, I was actually a bit confused about the NDA (not that that stopped me from clicking "I agree"...) You're not supposed to talk about specifics but you can talk about your experience playing? And then over on the WotC boards, all they're talking about are the specifics. Otherwise, I don't see how we can talk about the playtest materials at all. Confidentiality. As part of your participation as a DnD Next Playtester, you will receive Playtest materials that are proprietary and highly confidential to Wizards. You agree not to copy, excerpt, distribute (either in physical or digital format), publish, display, disseminate, release and/or transmit, in whole or in part, or create derivative materials from any of the Playtest Materials provided to you. You further agree that you will not use the Playtest Materials for your own benefit (other than to participate in the play test) or to the benefit of any third party. Notwithstanding the foregoing, you may publicly discuss your thoughts regarding the D&D Next Playtest Materials and your play testing experience. If you have previously executed a Nondisclosure Agreement with Wizards related to D&D Next play testing, the terms and conditions of that NDA are still effective regarding the content of the Playtest Materials, however, Wizards releases you from any and all confidentiality requirements related to your thoughts regarding the D&D Next Playtest Materials and your play testing experience.
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Azafuse
Level 5 Thaumaturgist
Posts: 245
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Post by Azafuse on May 24, 2012 15:36:44 GMT -6
You're not supposed to talk about specifics but you can talk about your experience playing? And then over on the WotC boards, all they're talking about are the specifics. NDA makes it look more as a Massive Closed Beta than an Open Beta. Anyway, IIRC Mearls said in a recent interview (I don't remember which one) that rule feedbacks are going to be handled through specific surveys more than through official boards.
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Post by darkling on May 24, 2012 21:36:28 GMT -6
Anyway, IIRC Mearls said in a recent interview (I don't remember which one) that rule feedbacks are going to be handled through specific surveys more than through official boards. They definitely give that implication. I like what I have seen so far. Honestly this feels, to me, very close to the D&D I have always wanted. I counted at least three things my group uses as OD&D houserules that have been implemented and I am very excited to give this a whirl.
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Post by Mike on May 25, 2012 4:04:28 GMT -6
It's still too crunchy for my liking but less so than 3E and that can only be for the good.
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Post by waysoftheearth on May 25, 2012 4:20:17 GMT -6
Looks like they have pulled the download due to excessive traffic Why am I so disappointed?
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Post by Finarvyn on May 25, 2012 4:41:49 GMT -6
I was able to get the download to work. I haven't looked at the material yet, but there seems to be a lot of it: player file, DM file, beastiary, module, 5 pre-gen character sheets.
Certainly enough to get a decent feel for how the system will play and to help me determine if I have interest in pursuing it farther. What I've seen in this thread sounds encouraging, overall.
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Post by waysoftheearth on May 25, 2012 5:08:58 GMT -6
This is all I've seen so far...
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Azafuse
Level 5 Thaumaturgist
Posts: 245
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Post by Azafuse on May 25, 2012 5:51:01 GMT -6
Looks like they have pulled the download due to excessive traffic Have you tried this download link?
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Post by waysoftheearth on May 25, 2012 5:56:45 GMT -6
Looks like they have pulled the download due to excessive traffic Have you tried this download link? Only about 700 times ;D
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Azafuse
Level 5 Thaumaturgist
Posts: 245
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Post by Azafuse on May 25, 2012 6:37:31 GMT -6
D'oh! >.<
Anyway, I see too many blogs already breaking the NDA: bad story.
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Post by kesher on May 25, 2012 6:39:01 GMT -6
Looks like the links (including the one above) are all working now!
I got the materials last night, and am, honestly, super-excited by what I've read so far! More later...
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Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
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Post by Deleted on May 25, 2012 8:06:08 GMT -6
Looks like the links (including the one above) are all working now! Not for me, they aren't.
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Koren n'Rhys
Level 6 Magician
Got your mirrorshades?
Posts: 355
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Post by Koren n'Rhys on May 25, 2012 8:16:17 GMT -6
If WotC thought that iffy NDA was going to prevent this from being splashed across the internet they were seriously deluding themselves. I mean, asking people not to share it is one thing, but the whole point of a playtest is to get it out there and drum up interest while as many people as possible find the bugs.
Anyway, I'm still reading, but I see a lot to like (and draw ideas from for my game). It adds a bit of crunch sure, but that was expected. It certainly seems to be swinging back to normal 3x/PF style and not the wackiness that was 4e, yet is written for the sensibilities of modern players.
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Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
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Post by Deleted on May 25, 2012 8:28:51 GMT -6
Well, then. Here are my impressions ... a complete inability to download the play-test packet 24 hours later.
I expected some server lag time, even some service interruptions. In my opinion, however, 24 hours is enough time for a company of WotC's caliber (and a product release this big) to remedy the situation.
I will keep trying, because I'm genuinely interested in this new product. First impressions are important, and this initial frustration will be difficult to overcome.
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Post by kesher on May 25, 2012 9:11:00 GMT -6
Given that the NDF was only 1.5 pages long, and given the above statement from it, I read that as giving permission to talk about anything in the materials, from writing style to mechanics, and anything regarding using those materials, both here and on my blog. If they have a problem with that, they can let me know.
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Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
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Post by Deleted on May 25, 2012 9:25:10 GMT -6
Playtest packet downloaded.
I like the way the provided explanations for ability scores. Descriptive without being wordy.
I'm impressed with they way they've managed to make the six abilities more important to game-play. For example, the smarter you are the better your spells work. By the same token, smart people resist spell effects better.
More as I continue reading (unless someone else covers the point before I do).
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Post by Zenopus on May 25, 2012 9:27:30 GMT -6
Given that the NDF was only 1.5 pages long, and given the above statement from it, I read that as giving permission to talk about anything in the materials, from writing style to mechanics, and anything regarding using those materials, both here and on my blog. If they have a problem with that, they can let me know. I agree. The impression I get is that they don't want the pdfs copied because they want everyone to sign up so they will participate in the surveys. But they specifically say you can talk about it. Also, the new document is not an "NDA", it's a "Playtest Agreement", and rescinds the previous NDA.
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Post by kesher on May 25, 2012 9:36:06 GMT -6
That is a very good point...
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Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
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Post by Deleted on May 25, 2012 10:07:16 GMT -6
Another point I like, perception checks do not override player's stated actions. A player not looking inside a chest of drawers, for example, would have no chance of finding an object hidden within.
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