Thoughts on the Not-Quite-Final Playtest Packet

So I guess this wasn't quite the final packet; they're still going to send us an update for the druid. In any case, this new material includes our first look at the bard class as well as several races making their D&D Next debut. Here are my initial thoughts...

• The barbarian received a badly needed nerfing (no more advantage on Strength-based attacks while raging). Whew! Now my beloved paladin won't totally suck in comparison.
• The bard seems like a mishmosh of 2e, 3e, and 4e bards, but overall I think it works. It seems like a fun class, especially for multi-classing. 
• Speaking multi-classing...it's like in 3e, where you can pick up levels of various other classes. The only stipulation is that you need to meet the ability score prerequisites of the new class you're adding.
• I still like paladins, but they're quickly becoming a complicated class -- spells, oaths, proficiencies, fighting styles, auras! The class is also becoming very spell-heavy; I feel this iteration of the paladin is kind of "cleric-lite" with a few fighter bits thrown in. I'm also disappointed that one of the paladin's most iconic features -- his loyal mount -- is no longer a core part of the class. Apparently, the mount is going to be a spell, but it's not provided in this packet.
• Humans still get the overpowered and boring +1 to all ability scores. I think it's safe to say they've ignored the gaming community's feedback on this one.
• The new races -- dragonborn, tiefling, drow, warforged, and kender (really?!) -- seem pretty solid. However, the drow receives a massive penalty when out in the sunlight (disadvantage on all attack rolls! yikes!), so I may need to establish a house rule to avoid that penalty in the Druid Cycle world, where dark elves often go adventuring on the surface with no ill effects. 
• I love the kender's racial ability to find random non-magical items in their pockets; like the rock gnome's ability to create clockwork devices, it's a great bit of flavor will have genuinely useful applications in the game.