And if they feel that spells with attack rolls, smite, and sneak attack are too powerful with crits they could be reduced rather than removed from the crits. I suggest that none weapon crit damage is adding half the dice rounded up. This would turn 1dX into 2dX, 2dX into 3dX, 3dX into 5dX, and so on.
My feedback Dragon Breath needs to be brought in line with Fizbans
Tavern Brawler is proving at my tables to be a pointless feat that no one will probably take in it's current form.
Inspiration I like it but, reduce the other ways of gaining advantage in the game making it RAW that to help someone with a skill roll you have to be proficient, or possibly remove flanking.
Half Races, need a lot of work
Backgrounds, the way they have asked about each example one suggests that in the new PHB custom will not be the defacto route pushed. I suggested having no sample backgrounds in the PHB and have all players create from scratch.
Nat 20's and Nat 1's on ability checks, I am still back and forth on this but it feels like it should be a defined optional rule in the PHB not RAW.
I've always played critical success and critical failure rules, but the inspo on every crit success should deffo be optional. Inspiration is such an excellent tool for getting people to roleplay that it should only be an rp reward.
Example: my current game has a lot of different levels of experience around the table and while the new players are all deeply invested in their backstories some of the more experienced ones weren't going to bother with a backstory at all until I laid out the backstory as prime way for inspiration in session 0.
That enticement saved me a lot of work trying to tease out a character from someone in game, makes encounters more interesting and story is deeper because I can plan for what they're likely to do. Especially in a game of 12 PCs.
I've always played critical success and critical failure rules, but the inspo on every crit success should deffo be optional. Inspiration is such an excellent tool for getting people to roleplay that it should only be an rp reward.
Example: my current game has a lot of different levels of experience around the table and while the new players are all deeply invested in their backstories some of the more experienced ones weren't going to bother with a backstory at all until I laid out the backstory as prime way for inspiration in session 0.
That enticement saved me a lot of work trying to tease out a character from someone in game, makes encounters more interesting and story is deeper because I can plan for what they're likely to do. Especially in a game of 12 PCs.
I think the reason why they are making it an actual mechanical reward is that people just tended to forget it existed. Like I never once seen inspiration rewarded in AL even for role playing aside from the mechnically introduced ways via renown. In my home games, we always forget about inspiration and it goes unused.
I guess the idea is to make it something people are actually aware of and to make it a thing for more crunchy groups.
I've always played critical success and critical failure rules, but the inspo on every crit success should deffo be optional. Inspiration is such an excellent tool for getting people to roleplay that it should only be an rp reward.
Example: my current game has a lot of different levels of experience around the table and while the new players are all deeply invested in their backstories some of the more experienced ones weren't going to bother with a backstory at all until I laid out the backstory as prime way for inspiration in session 0.
That enticement saved me a lot of work trying to tease out a character from someone in game, makes encounters more interesting and story is deeper because I can plan for what they're likely to do. Especially in a game of 12 PCs.
Some players don't wan't to roleplay, I have never run DM inspiration at my tables because players don't need it, plus, I am usually trying to figure out in game ways to take advantage away not give more of it.
In response to your issue around Nat 1 autofailing even when modifiers take it over the DC: My opinion is you *shouldn't be rolling* in that case. The exception may be in combat, where you should roll without the DM potentially giving away information about the DC (such as a creatures AC).
Generally though, if a roll occurs, it should have a chance of success and a chance of failure, otherwise it's wasting time.
Making it an optional rule, a bit like feats in 5e, may be a good way to go though.
I've always played critical success and critical failure rules, but the inspo on every crit success should deffo be optional. Inspiration is such an excellent tool for getting people to roleplay that it should only be an rp reward.
Example: my current game has a lot of different levels of experience around the table and while the new players are all deeply invested in their backstories some of the more experienced ones weren't going to bother with a backstory at all until I laid out the backstory as prime way for inspiration in session 0.
That enticement saved me a lot of work trying to tease out a character from someone in game, makes encounters more interesting and story is deeper because I can plan for what they're likely to do. Especially in a game of 12 PCs.
This is a very good point.
I hadn't considered any issues with the inspiration mechanics listed in this playtest, but this point you raise is huge actually. Inspiration should really be solely restricted to being an optional reward given out by DMs and not intrinsic to some mechanic. Perhaps the ability of humans to get it could be replaced by them getting a +d4 (perhaps scale to a +d6 later?) on one d20 roll after a rest as opposed to inspiration?
I think a slight tweak to the Ardlings might go over better? The animal choices might be stronger if they associated with forms most often sought by players, and were more flexible on what characteristics were present, rather than simply heads. Additionally, allowing a mostly humanoid form as an option for those seeking that. Since this is mainly a hat, it shouldn't be an issue to do. Adding more flexibility to the appearance options and honing in on traditional fantasy anthropomorphised animal forms, grants players the ability to play races resembling minotaurs, centaurs, satyrs, standard were-creatures, as well as mermaids, yuan-ti, leonin, aarakocra, grungs, illithids, locathah etc.
Secondly, giving more flexibility to the Angelic Flight option based on animal type could go over well. Incorporating the Alter Self spell options gives players a choice for aquatic, flying, natural weapon, or shape-shifting races right out of the Player's Handbook.
Lastly, why not untether both Ardlings and Tieflings from specific humanoids and allow them, like half-races, to be any race, save that Ardlings and Tieflings gain the Ardling and Tiefling traits.
Edits:
1. "An ardling typically has features resembling that of an animal, often a head. Depending on the ardling, it might possess the body of an animal from the waist down, or have soft fur, feathers, shimmering scales, or be predominantly humanoid. The specific characteristics are up to you. The ardling’s celestial legacy determines the animal it may resemble.
An ardling gains a measure of magical power from their celestial legacy, as well as a unique celestial gift based on its animal type. An ardling’s moral and ethical outlook is self-determined, however, not fixed by ancestry."
2. "Celestial Gift. As a Bonus Action, you sprout spectral wings for a moment and fly up to a number of feet equal to your Speed. If you are in the air at the end of this movement, you fall if nothing is holding you aloft.
Alternatively, you may choose one of the three options from the Alter Self spell that most closely resembles your animal type. Your alternative choice lasts for one minute, and once you make this choice at character creation it can not be changed.
You can use this Bonus Action a number of times equal to your Proficiency Bonus, and you regain all expended uses when you finish a Long Rest.*"
4. "Celestial Legacy. You are the recipient of a celestial legacy that grants you magical abilities. Choose a legacy from the Celestial Legacies table: Exalted, associated with Chaotic Good planes; Heavenly, associated with Lawful Good planes; or Idyllic, associated with Neutral Good planes. You gain the initial benefit of the chosen legacy: a cantrip that you learn. You also choose the animal you most closely resemble; the table provides a few suggestions for each legacy (you don’t gain additional abilities beyond your Celestial Gift by choosing an animal that may have them)."
And if they feel that spells with attack rolls, smite, and sneak attack are too powerful with crits they could be reduced rather than removed from the crits. I suggest that none weapon crit damage is adding half the dice rounded up. This would turn 1dX into 2dX, 2dX into 3dX, 3dX into 5dX, and so on.
My feedback
Dragon Breath needs to be brought in line with Fizbans
Tavern Brawler is proving at my tables to be a pointless feat that no one will probably take in it's current form.
Inspiration I like it but, reduce the other ways of gaining advantage in the game making it RAW that to help someone with a skill roll you have to be proficient, or possibly remove flanking.
Half Races, need a lot of work
Backgrounds, the way they have asked about each example one suggests that in the new PHB custom will not be the defacto route pushed. I suggested having no sample backgrounds in the PHB and have all players create from scratch.
Nat 20's and Nat 1's on ability checks, I am still back and forth on this but it feels like it should be a defined optional rule in the PHB not RAW.
I've always played critical success and critical failure rules, but the inspo on every crit success should deffo be optional. Inspiration is such an excellent tool for getting people to roleplay that it should only be an rp reward.
Example: my current game has a lot of different levels of experience around the table and while the new players are all deeply invested in their backstories some of the more experienced ones weren't going to bother with a backstory at all until I laid out the backstory as prime way for inspiration in session 0.
That enticement saved me a lot of work trying to tease out a character from someone in game, makes encounters more interesting and story is deeper because I can plan for what they're likely to do. Especially in a game of 12 PCs.
I think the reason why they are making it an actual mechanical reward is that people just tended to forget it existed. Like I never once seen inspiration rewarded in AL even for role playing aside from the mechnically introduced ways via renown. In my home games, we always forget about inspiration and it goes unused.
I guess the idea is to make it something people are actually aware of and to make it a thing for more crunchy groups.
Some players don't wan't to roleplay, I have never run DM inspiration at my tables because players don't need it, plus, I am usually trying to figure out in game ways to take advantage away not give more of it.
In response to your issue around Nat 1 autofailing even when modifiers take it over the DC: My opinion is you *shouldn't be rolling* in that case. The exception may be in combat, where you should roll without the DM potentially giving away information about the DC (such as a creatures AC).
Generally though, if a roll occurs, it should have a chance of success and a chance of failure, otherwise it's wasting time.
Making it an optional rule, a bit like feats in 5e, may be a good way to go though.
This is a very good point.
I hadn't considered any issues with the inspiration mechanics listed in this playtest, but this point you raise is huge actually. Inspiration should really be solely restricted to being an optional reward given out by DMs and not intrinsic to some mechanic. Perhaps the ability of humans to get it could be replaced by them getting a +d4 (perhaps scale to a +d6 later?) on one d20 roll after a rest as opposed to inspiration?
I think a slight tweak to the Ardlings might go over better? The animal choices might be stronger if they associated with forms most often sought by players, and were more flexible on what characteristics were present, rather than simply heads. Additionally, allowing a mostly humanoid form as an option for those seeking that. Since this is mainly a hat, it shouldn't be an issue to do. Adding more flexibility to the appearance options and honing in on traditional fantasy anthropomorphised animal forms, grants players the ability to play races resembling minotaurs, centaurs, satyrs, standard were-creatures, as well as mermaids, yuan-ti, leonin, aarakocra, grungs, illithids, locathah etc.
Secondly, giving more flexibility to the Angelic Flight option based on animal type could go over well. Incorporating the Alter Self spell options gives players a choice for aquatic, flying, natural weapon, or shape-shifting races right out of the Player's Handbook.
Lastly, why not untether both Ardlings and Tieflings from specific humanoids and allow them, like half-races, to be any race, save that Ardlings and Tieflings gain the Ardling and Tiefling traits.
Edits:
1. "An ardling typically has features resembling that of an animal, often a head. Depending on the ardling, it might possess the body of an animal from the waist down, or have soft fur, feathers, shimmering scales, or be predominantly humanoid. The specific characteristics are up to you. The ardling’s celestial legacy determines the animal it may resemble.
An ardling gains a measure of magical power from their celestial legacy, as well as a unique celestial gift based on its animal type. An ardling’s moral and ethical outlook is self-determined, however, not fixed by ancestry."
2. "Celestial Gift. As a Bonus Action, you sprout spectral wings for a moment and fly up to a number of feet equal to your Speed. If you are in the air at the end of this movement, you fall if nothing is holding you aloft.
Alternatively, you may choose one of the three options from the Alter Self spell that most closely resembles your animal type. Your alternative choice lasts for one minute, and once you make this choice at character creation it can not be changed.
You can use this Bonus Action a number of times equal to your Proficiency Bonus, and you regain all expended uses when you finish a Long Rest.*"
3. [Suggested Animals: Exalted (Octopus, Rat, Shark, Snake, Tiger), Heavenly (Bull, Goat, Lion, Hawk, Horse), Idyllic (Bear, Boar, Elk, Toad, Wolf)]
4. "Celestial Legacy. You are the recipient of a celestial legacy that grants you magical abilities. Choose a legacy from the Celestial Legacies table: Exalted, associated with Chaotic Good planes; Heavenly, associated with Lawful Good planes; or Idyllic, associated with Neutral Good planes. You gain the initial benefit of the chosen legacy: a cantrip that you learn. You also choose the animal you most closely resemble; the table provides a few suggestions for each legacy (you don’t gain additional abilities beyond your Celestial Gift by choosing an animal that may have them)."
Dragonborns should get flight at lol 2 or 3, not 5. And give dragonborn most of the Fisbans rules. Also give Dragon Hide feat for free.
2 more things. 1, buff ardling In some manor. 2, give everyone a chance to crit.