Feats and Specialties

As in the previous D&D Next playtest iterations, specialties provide a suggested package of feats that focus on a common theme. Below, I've described my reactions to some of the changes to feats and specialties.

• You now have the option to choose your own feats. For character optimizers like me, the concept of the specialty is probably irrelevant now.
• There are rules for retraining, as in 4e. I'm pleased; I feel that retraining is one of the better innovations of 4e and it's great to see it cross over into 5e.
• I'm not fond of the Restore Life feat. It seems to make battlefield resurrection too easy. A character cannot take this feat until ninth level, but still...you can resurrect a dead character (dead for less than one minute and with at least one Hit Die remaining) and all it costs you is two uses from a healer's kit?
• Hide in Shadows seems broken because you get so many goodies for only the cost of a single feat: training in the Sneak skill, the ability to hide in dim light, and short-range low-light vision.

Next up...maneuvers!

Pathfinder Adventure Card Game

Looks like there's another playtest we can join. Paizo has announced the development of the Pathfinder Adventure Card Game, to be released in 2013. Check it out!

Skills and Backgrounds

I'll start our in-depth look at the latest D&D Next playtest materials with some thoughts on skills and backgrounds.

The most important point is that skills are no longer tied to specific abilities. Depending on the context, a single skill could be applied to different ability checks; for example, Disable Device could be applied to an Intelligence check or a Dexterity check. I think this is the right move, as it makes the skill system more flexible and gives players more room for creativity.

Some reactions to particular skills:

• The new Drive skill, as the name implies, is for driving wheeled vehicles. Timothy is going to love this one!
• Sciences and Warfare are now included among the Knowledge skills, and I highly approve.
• The general 4e Perception skill has been replaced by Spot, Listen, and Search, as in 3e. I preferred a single skill to cover these tasks, but I can't complain too much about this one.
• I'm pleased that Track is a skill again.
• Use Rope has been added to the skill list. Really? This one seems kind of pointless to me. I realize it existed prior to 4e, but there are probably a dozen other 3e skills or 2e non-weapon proficiencies that I would have picked over Use Rope for inclusion in the D&D Next core skill list.

Backgrounds remain the primary way that D&D Next characters acquire skills (although races and classes can also grant skills). In my opinion, backgrounds are one of the strongest features of D&D Next. Below are some changes that I thought were particularly noteworthy.

• Backgrounds now grant four skills, not three. Sounds good to me.
• The housing crisis appears to have hit the D&D world: The poor Commoner has lost his house! In the previous version, this background granted the character a dwelling. Now...it's gone. Why?
• There's a new option to create your own background by choosing four skills and one of the traits from the sample backgrounds. I love it! I'm sure I'll build custom backgrounds for all my characters.

Tomorrow we'll take a look at specialties and feats. 

Opening Salvo

I was disappointed to find that a number of issues from the last iteration of the playtest still remain in the current version. Here are some problems that stood out:

• Humans remain grossly overpowered. They still receive a +2 bonus to one ability score and +1 to all others.
• The armor system still needs some work. There is essientially only one viable choice in each category (light, medium, heavy) for first-level characters. Why does ringmail armor even exist? No one will ever choose it over chainmail as the heavy armor for a low-level character. And am I missing something, or are splint and banded exactly the same in every way?
• The herbalism feat still feels broken. I'll take it every time if I'm playing a cleric.
• The blank character sheet remains almost completely useless.

I'll have a lot more to say about the new playtest packet in the coming days, but in a nutshell, I think this version is a major step backwards. Why? There aren't any fundamental alterations to the system, but a lot of the little changes seem (from my perspective) to make the game more complicated and less fun. I'll follow up with a series of posts that tackle each issue (skills, feats, maneuvers, etc.) in turn.

More Playtest Action!

Click here to check out the latest iteration of the D&D Next playtest. I'll post some commentary once I've had a chance to digest all the new stuff.

Ultimate Paint Set

On the heels of my earlier comment about expensive Citadel paints...behold, the Ultimate Paint Set! It's an eye-popping $450. Maybe I'll just stick with good old-fashioned Testors.

Sandy Not Dandy

With the storm coming in, I'll be thinking about all my family and friends -- including many Front Porch players -- back in the northeast. Hunker down and stay safe.

New Poll

Don't forget to vote in the new poll for how we should celebrate our upcoming twenty-fifth anniversary. You can find the poll at the bottom of this blog page.

The Chosen Children, Part 6: Adair

In this installment of our series on the seven chosen children, we consider the infant Adair, who was just born late last week (in "real time," that is; in "game time" it's only been a few hours!). Adair is unique in that he is half human and half tiefling -- the first such character in the Druid Cycle campaign world. (For those who aren't as familiar with 4e D&D, the tieflings are a race of humanoids who still bear the physical signs -- devil horns and tails -- of the pact of allegiance that their ancestors swore to the demonkind.) Adair is the son of the human Seneschal Senchan (Kevin) and the tiefling warlock Astera. His birth means that only one chosen child remains...

New GW Store

I headed over the mountains on Saturday for the grand opening of the new Games Workshop store in Sacramento. This is the third GW store I've visited (the others were in Toronto and in Thousand Oaks, California), and I've found that they're all basically the same -- lots of tantalizing products (tantalizing until you see the price tags, at least. Sixty bucks for the starter paint set?!) and friendly but pushy staff. Still, it was fun to hang out and watch all the games in progress. If I hadn't been there with two rambunctious little boys, I would have stayed longer and asked more questions. I'll make it a point to do a solo visit to the Thousand Oaks store the next time I'm in town. And perhaps if they open a store in the Reno area (not bloody likely, but one never knows) I'll become a frequent patron -- for the free painting lessons if nothing else. Oh yeah, I'd have to buy that sixty dollar paint set first...

Let's Celebrate!

Our twenty-fifth anniversary is coming up in just a few short months, so let's celebrate! What are your thoughts on how we can best mark this momentous occasion? Vote in the poll at the bottom of the blog -- or, even better, leave a comment and let's get the discussion started!

D&D on PBS Idea Channel

Check it out...

XCOM

X-Com is back! I may well be the last gamer in America to find out, but on the off chance you haven't heard yet, the classic humans-vs.-aliens strategy game is getting a reboot. I have very fond memories of playing the original turn-based X-Com a dozen years ago with Matt when we both lived in Rochester. Good times!

Tape Measure (of Doom)

This, my friends, is one bad-ass tape measure.

Dark Vengeance Printed Materials

I've posted about the models from the new Warhammer 40,000 starter set, Dark Vengeance, but I thought it would also be useful to comment on the excellent print materials that are included in the box. Aside from the model assembly guide (an essential document, to be sure, but why are there absolutely no painting instructions/tips whatsoever?), the set includes a quick start guide, a quick reference sheet, and a mini rulebook. The quick start guide is marked "Read This First," and with good reason. It teaches you the rules as you play, providing all the basic information in easy-to-digest quantities. The document is printed on rigid, high-quality paper, and it's chock full of color illustrations (including many photographs of miniatures that are so well painted that I'm intimidated even to try!). The quick reference sheet, meanwhile, includes all the major tables, some rule summaries, and complete rosters for the two included armies. The real prize of the set is the mini rulebook, and like the quick start guide it's replete with beautiful illustrations. As I understand it, the complete game rules are contained within this pocket-sized book, so purchasing Dark Vengeance obviates the need to buy the expensive 6th edition hardcover rulebook. Since I'm new to 40k I have nothing to which to compare this set, but I'm very pleased with everything it contains.

Matt's Models, Part 3

Today we have a couple more photographs that showcase Matt's artistic talents.

First up, two nasty Defilers...

And now the complete army of Chaos...

It's safe to say that my fledgling army of Dark Angels will not be taking these guys on any time soon!

Matt's Models, Part 2

Here's a second helping of Matt's awesome 40k models!

Three tough-as-nails Space Marines...

A posse of Terminators...

Tune in tomorrow for our third and final installment!

Matt's Models, Part 1

You've seen the unpainted Warhammer 40,000 models that I assembled from my Dark Vengeance starter set. But what do 40k models look like when they're painted? Feast your eyes on Matt's tremendous painting skills!

First we have the charming Daemon Prince...

Here's a Chosen toting a plasma gun...

Check back tomorrow for more!

Minor Playtest Update

Head over to the D&D Next Playtest page to download the latest playtest packet. This version includes mainly an updated Caves of Chaos adventure, an updated bestiary, and new rules for magic items.

Dark Angels & Chaos Space Marines

I've finished assembling the two starter armies from my Dark Vengeance set.

First up, the heroic Dark Angels...

Now the forces of Chaos...

Next, I'll crack open the rulebook and start learning how to play the game. Don't ask me when I'm going to start painting the minis...

From the Craigslist Files...

Woman DM needed for D&D based Adult Bachelor Party

What more is there really to say?

Pathfinder #2

It's been two long months since the dazzling debut of the Pathfinder comic book. Issue #2 is finally here, and it doesn't disappoint. The writing is great and although the style of the art still doesn't grab me, at least it's growing on me. As with the first issue, there's tons of gaming content in the back, including another playable combat encounter and a removable game map. If you're a comics fan and a gaming fan, this book should be no-brainer.

Vengeance Is Mine!

At last, my copy of Dark Vengeance has arrived! Here's a pic of the box...

And here are some of the contents: the sprues with the model components, the mini rulebook, the quick start guide, bases, dice, templates, etc.

With the "help" of my five-year-old and two-year-old, I quickly snapped together a couple of the models, a Ravenwing bike and the dreaded Helbrute...

Further updates to follow as I delve deeper into the 40k hobby (lifestyle?).

Pathfinder #2 Preview

The second issue of the Pathfinder comic book comes out on Wednesday. Here's a preview.