Hi! I've not really played D&D in a good while but recently my group decided to do a campaign in 5e. I used to play a lot more regularly and I know 1D&D UA content had just started coming out then, but I really haven't been following it at all.
Since I'm going to be playing the game again for at least a few months, I wanted to know if somebody could bring me up to speed on the happenings in that space and the main similarities and differences between 5e and this upcoming edition? I'd be particularly interested to hear whether it's looking to be more or less accessible to new TTRPG players than the previous edition. Cheers in advance!
(I think this is the right forum for my post, but it's been a while since I've been on here - lemme know if I should move my question elsewhere! 🙏)
Short answer: nobody knows yet. One D&D is currently in its internal development stage, they've gotten all the feedback they want for now. If you're looking for a summary of the changes in the UA documents, the answer is "basically nothing." They added Weapon Masteries and seemed pretty proud of it, but the system is simultaneously totally underwhelming and already being munchkinned to never-before-seen levels. A few classes got semi-useful buffs, but most of those and any actually interesting ideas got screamed down by the community. They added a Bastion system, i.e. formal rules for creating a player house/keep/stronghold, but the system was undercooked at best. They tried reworking character generation to give players more control and integrate feats into level 1 chargen, but The Community got so absolutely outraged at the "loss" of 'background Features' that the system was scrapped and never revisited.
Unless Internal Development takes risks of the sort that The Community ranted and raged about for months on end, the One D&D books are going to be functionally identical to the existing 5e books.
Uh, do you have links for some of those reversals, Yurei? I can't remember hearing anything about them stopping background feats, particularly given they've been sticking with them for newly released backgrounds.
Everything is supposed to be "backwards compatible" for all existing 5e source books and adventures, etc. That said, many of the proposed changes are "quality of life" changes: clarifications and improving the language used. Some of the proposed changes address features that either didn't work or didn't work well. Almost everything we've seen in the UAs has been about the classes, subclasses, and Species (formerly known as Races). A few feats and spells have had changes proposed in the UA, as well. But for the large majority of spells, we have seen nothing. For monsters, we've seen nothing- but they've said that, although all the CRs will remain the same (compatible), the monsters and their abilities will be revisited to make the CRs more accurate. But again, we've seen nothing. We've been told that the CR system and encounter building system will be revamped and more user-friendly for DMs... but we've seen nothing.
So, a decent amount of stuff for Species, Classes, and Subclasses. But no changes that will fundamentally change the game- not in the way the game changed from 3.5 to 4e, or from 4e to 5e. Some have taken to calling it 5.5e (which WotC does not like.) I'd call it more like a 5.25 e. If that makes any sense.
As for accessibility to new TTRPG players... I'd say the UA changes proposed make the game ever so slightly more complex than 2014 5th edition. But I emphasize "slightly". It's mostly the same, as far as complexity.
Really, we don’t know. As yurei said, they’ve likely basically shown us everything they’re going to in terms of player-facing material. There were some changes from the 2014 rules, but nothing really too, too drastic. Some of what they tested isn’t likely to show up. They said some of what they were doing was showing different options to see which ones got more traction. Some things they backed off from. Some things seem likely to stick around. That said, the last part of the DndNext playtest (the public testing for what became 5e) had some things that looked certain, but didn’t make it into the 5e rules. So, really, no matter what we saw, or what we didn’t see, anything goes come September. However, this is a different market, and they’re not going to want to kill the 5e goose while its eggs are still golden, as opposed to 4e which wasn’t nearly as popular. So, there’s much more risk involved in making big changes. Some things, in particular the bounded accuracy and game math, aren’t going to change. That would completely blow a hole in backwards compatibility. But that still could leave room for lots of changes. As far as new players. They are making some changes in an effort to make things a bit easier new players. How well they succeed we won’t know until the new book is out, but it is something they’ve said they are conscious of.
Thanks everyone, this clears a lot up! The impression this gives me is that character creation options seem to be the likely focus of any changes, with some quality of life improvements/changes (depending on outlook ig) to a few other things - and as always that we'll only know for certain when the new stuff is actually released. Is that about right?
Summon spells from the PHB have been completely changed - they are now area damage spells. The Summons from Xanathar's/Tasha's will be the model going forward.
Weapon Masteries were added.
Rogues can trade in a sneak attack damage dice for additional effects, if they want to.
All subclasses start at level 3.
Many quality of life changes to other rules and class/subclass abilities.
Monks were boosted up - mostly through a large number of small improvements rather than a giant change to on thing. A one step increase in unarmed attack die at all levels, boosted options for using the bonus action (including multiple options that don't eat Ki/Discipline points), deflect missiles now being able to work against melee attacks, and so on.
Clerics now ALL have the option of a skill boost and additonal cantrip, or heavy armor proficiency, followed by (at later levels - upper T2) bonus damage to either cantrip damage or melee damage, based on what was chosen at level 1. It isn't tied to domain/subclass like before.
More options for martial classes to get a boost to skill checks, but at a cost.
More short rest recovery for classes - most have SOMETHING that they can get back on a short rest now.
Feats have been reworked, the "must haves" have been toned down, and some of the weaker ones now also add a +1 stat boost.
All this is subject to change, and there is a lot I missed, including some details of what I did list.
I don't have a problem with any of these changes. I like the idea of all classes getting subclass features at level 3. Should make people think longer about multiclassing, improving balance
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Started playing AD&D in the late 70s and stopped in the mid-80s. Started immersing myself into 5e in 2023
I don't have a problem with any of these changes. I like the idea of all classes getting subclass features at level 3. Should make people think longer about multiclassing, improving balance
except when it doesn't. most of the reasons people took one level dips are still on the table, such as martial weapons and armor proficiency training
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Any time an unfathomably powerful entity sweeps in and offers godlike rewards in return for just a few teensy favors, it’s a scam. Unless it’s me. I’d never lie to you, reader dearest.
I don't have a problem with any of these changes. I like the idea of all classes getting subclass features at level 3. Should make people think longer about multiclassing, improving balance
except when it doesn't. most of the reasons people took one level dips are still on the table, such as martial weapons and armor proficiency training
Pretty sure that's covered by background feats now, though, so there's less impetus. Pact of the Blade is probably one of the few really major level 1 dip perks we've seen in the past few UA's.
define addressed. if you mean taking two levels of warlock so you can get eldritch blast and agonizing blast, yes it's been addressed. Now you only need one level of warlock.
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Any time an unfathomably powerful entity sweeps in and offers godlike rewards in return for just a few teensy favors, it’s a scam. Unless it’s me. I’d never lie to you, reader dearest.
What do people think are the chances that Warden (Druid, Primal Order) makes it into the new PHB? I think it's a pretty cool concept that I'd like to see but some might think it duplicates what's already available in the Ranger.
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Started playing AD&D in the late 70s and stopped in the mid-80s. Started immersing myself into 5e in 2023
Honestly, I think there’s a fair chance. It was still there in UA 8, and it helps tone back the innate AC of the Druid, giving a little more differentiation from Clerics (who get a similar choice except with heavy armor and martial weapons for their martial option).
Personally I would think it will be maintained, but perhaps it will be delayed (Also for the Cleric) to level 2 or 3 to reduce the temptation of possible single level 1 dips just for those proficiencies.
Personally I would think it will be maintained, but perhaps it will be delayed (Also for the Cleric) to level 2 or 3 to reduce the temptation of possible single level 1 dips just for those proficiencies.
I don't know that either is really a huge enticement, particularly if they keep multiclass reqs; 13 WIS isn't a huge investment, but it'll put off min-maxers since I can't think of a class that uses WIS and would really benefit from dipping into either for the profs.
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Hi! I've not really played D&D in a good while but recently my group decided to do a campaign in 5e. I used to play a lot more regularly and I know 1D&D UA content had just started coming out then, but I really haven't been following it at all.
Since I'm going to be playing the game again for at least a few months, I wanted to know if somebody could bring me up to speed on the happenings in that space and the main similarities and differences between 5e and this upcoming edition? I'd be particularly interested to hear whether it's looking to be more or less accessible to new TTRPG players than the previous edition. Cheers in advance!
(I think this is the right forum for my post, but it's been a while since I've been on here - lemme know if I should move my question elsewhere! 🙏)
Chilling kinda vibe.
Short answer: nobody knows yet. One D&D is currently in its internal development stage, they've gotten all the feedback they want for now. If you're looking for a summary of the changes in the UA documents, the answer is "basically nothing." They added Weapon Masteries and seemed pretty proud of it, but the system is simultaneously totally underwhelming and already being munchkinned to never-before-seen levels. A few classes got semi-useful buffs, but most of those and any actually interesting ideas got screamed down by the community. They added a Bastion system, i.e. formal rules for creating a player house/keep/stronghold, but the system was undercooked at best. They tried reworking character generation to give players more control and integrate feats into level 1 chargen, but The Community got so absolutely outraged at the "loss" of 'background Features' that the system was scrapped and never revisited.
Unless Internal Development takes risks of the sort that The Community ranted and raged about for months on end, the One D&D books are going to be functionally identical to the existing 5e books.
Please do not contact or message me.
Uh, do you have links for some of those reversals, Yurei? I can't remember hearing anything about them stopping background feats, particularly given they've been sticking with them for newly released backgrounds.
Everything is supposed to be "backwards compatible" for all existing 5e source books and adventures, etc. That said, many of the proposed changes are "quality of life" changes: clarifications and improving the language used. Some of the proposed changes address features that either didn't work or didn't work well. Almost everything we've seen in the UAs has been about the classes, subclasses, and Species (formerly known as Races). A few feats and spells have had changes proposed in the UA, as well. But for the large majority of spells, we have seen nothing. For monsters, we've seen nothing- but they've said that, although all the CRs will remain the same (compatible), the monsters and their abilities will be revisited to make the CRs more accurate. But again, we've seen nothing. We've been told that the CR system and encounter building system will be revamped and more user-friendly for DMs... but we've seen nothing.
So, a decent amount of stuff for Species, Classes, and Subclasses. But no changes that will fundamentally change the game- not in the way the game changed from 3.5 to 4e, or from 4e to 5e. Some have taken to calling it 5.5e (which WotC does not like.) I'd call it more like a 5.25 e. If that makes any sense.
As for accessibility to new TTRPG players... I'd say the UA changes proposed make the game ever so slightly more complex than 2014 5th edition. But I emphasize "slightly". It's mostly the same, as far as complexity.
Really, we don’t know. As yurei said, they’ve likely basically shown us everything they’re going to in terms of player-facing material. There were some changes from the 2014 rules, but nothing really too, too drastic.
Some of what they tested isn’t likely to show up. They said some of what they were doing was showing different options to see which ones got more traction. Some things they backed off from. Some things seem likely to stick around.
That said, the last part of the DndNext playtest (the public testing for what became 5e) had some things that looked certain, but didn’t make it into the 5e rules. So, really, no matter what we saw, or what we didn’t see, anything goes come September. However, this is a different market, and they’re not going to want to kill the 5e goose while its eggs are still golden, as opposed to 4e which wasn’t nearly as popular. So, there’s much more risk involved in making big changes.
Some things, in particular the bounded accuracy and game math, aren’t going to change. That would completely blow a hole in backwards compatibility. But that still could leave room for lots of changes.
As far as new players. They are making some changes in an effort to make things a bit easier new players. How well they succeed we won’t know until the new book is out, but it is something they’ve said they are conscious of.
Thanks everyone, this clears a lot up! The impression this gives me is that character creation options seem to be the likely focus of any changes, with some quality of life improvements/changes (depending on outlook ig) to a few other things - and as always that we'll only know for certain when the new stuff is actually released. Is that about right?
Chilling kinda vibe.
Summon spells from the PHB have been completely changed - they are now area damage spells. The Summons from Xanathar's/Tasha's will be the model going forward.
Weapon Masteries were added.
Rogues can trade in a sneak attack damage dice for additional effects, if they want to.
All subclasses start at level 3.
Many quality of life changes to other rules and class/subclass abilities.
Monks were boosted up - mostly through a large number of small improvements rather than a giant change to on thing. A one step increase in unarmed attack die at all levels, boosted options for using the bonus action (including multiple options that don't eat Ki/Discipline points), deflect missiles now being able to work against melee attacks, and so on.
Clerics now ALL have the option of a skill boost and additonal cantrip, or heavy armor proficiency, followed by (at later levels - upper T2) bonus damage to either cantrip damage or melee damage, based on what was chosen at level 1. It isn't tied to domain/subclass like before.
More options for martial classes to get a boost to skill checks, but at a cost.
More short rest recovery for classes - most have SOMETHING that they can get back on a short rest now.
Feats have been reworked, the "must haves" have been toned down, and some of the weaker ones now also add a +1 stat boost.
All this is subject to change, and there is a lot I missed, including some details of what I did list.
Thanks Roland!
Chilling kinda vibe.
I don't have a problem with any of these changes. I like the idea of all classes getting subclass features at level 3. Should make people think longer about multiclassing, improving balance
Started playing AD&D in the late 70s and stopped in the mid-80s. Started immersing myself into 5e in 2023
I thought they went back on this like many other thing.
No, they decided to keep that even after scrapping standardized subclass progression.
except when it doesn't. most of the reasons people took one level dips are still on the table, such as martial weapons and armor
proficiencytrainingAny time an unfathomably powerful entity sweeps in and offers godlike rewards in return for just a few teensy favors, it’s a scam. Unless it’s me. I’d never lie to you, reader dearest.
Tasha
Pretty sure that's covered by background feats now, though, so there's less impetus. Pact of the Blade is probably one of the few really major level 1 dip perks we've seen in the past few UA's.
They adressed sorcerer and warlock ?
https://homebrewery.naturalcrit.com/share/H8iRpbGyNtM4
My group is trying to playtest and this link has been invaluable.
define addressed. if you mean taking two levels of warlock so you can get eldritch blast and agonizing blast, yes it's been addressed. Now you only need one level of warlock.
Any time an unfathomably powerful entity sweeps in and offers godlike rewards in return for just a few teensy favors, it’s a scam. Unless it’s me. I’d never lie to you, reader dearest.
Tasha
What do people think are the chances that Warden (Druid, Primal Order) makes it into the new PHB? I think it's a pretty cool concept that I'd like to see but some might think it duplicates what's already available in the Ranger.
Started playing AD&D in the late 70s and stopped in the mid-80s. Started immersing myself into 5e in 2023
Honestly, I think there’s a fair chance. It was still there in UA 8, and it helps tone back the innate AC of the Druid, giving a little more differentiation from Clerics (who get a similar choice except with heavy armor and martial weapons for their martial option).
Personally I would think it will be maintained, but perhaps it will be delayed (Also for the Cleric) to level 2 or 3 to reduce the temptation of possible single level 1 dips just for those proficiencies.
I don't know that either is really a huge enticement, particularly if they keep multiclass reqs; 13 WIS isn't a huge investment, but it'll put off min-maxers since I can't think of a class that uses WIS and would really benefit from dipping into either for the profs.