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[D&D 5E] Playtest of Chaos (Post-Playtest Discussion)

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Posts

  • InfidelInfidel Heretic Registered User regular
    The goblins better be doing unspeakables with the corpses of the previous party when they show up.

    OrokosPA.png
  • DenadaDenada Registered User regular
    edited December 2012
    Whatever it is, it will be randomly determined.

    Denada on
  • RiemannLivesRiemannLives Registered User regular
    I'll make a cleric unless someone else already has one.

    Otherwise, in keeping with the theme of D&DNext, I am going old school with this and making Archibald II (as was the common practice back when losing characters to the first encounter was a common occurance)

    Attacked by tweeeeeeees!
  • webguy20webguy20 I spend too much time on the Internet Registered User regular
    Oh man I SO want to see a party of all magic users. However it turns out, it will be great.

    Steam ID: Webguy20
    Origin ID: Discgolfer27
    Untappd ID: Discgolfer1981
  • InfidelInfidel Heretic Registered User regular
    Wizard's School of Wizardry field trip.

    OrokosPA.png
  • NealnealNealneal Registered User regular
    edited December 2012
    Name: Kelmon Bloodmoon
    Race: High Elf
    Class: Fighter
    Alignment: Chaotic Good
    Hit Points: 12
    AC: 17
    Melee: +6 to-hit, 1d10+3 damage (Longsword)
    Ranged: +6 to-hit, 1d4+3 damage (Hand Axe)

    Abilities:
    Strength- 16
    Dexterity- 10
    Constitution- 14
    Intelligence- 14
    Wisdom- 12
    Charisma- 8

    Racial Features:
    Medium Size
    Low-Light Vision
    Elf Weapon Training
    Keen Senses
    Free Spirit
    Trance
    Cantrip (Burning Hands: DC-12)

    Class Features:
    Expertise- 1d4
    Fighting Style- Protector
    Maneuvers- Protect, Deadly Strike

    Endurance Specialist:
    Durable

    Soldier:
    Military Rank- People who know my unit like me!

    Skills:
    Listen
    Spot
    Heal
    Intimidate
    Knowledge (Warfare)
    Survival

    Equipment:
    Chainmail,
    Shield,
    Longsword,
    Hand Crossbow,
    20 Crossbow bolts,
    Adeventurer's Kit
    Lucky Charm (Cat's Eye marble)
    Souvenir-Orcish Hand Axe
    Rank Insignia
    Traveler's Clothes
    Bone Dice
    Potion of Healing
    19 gold

    Experience:
    18 xp

    Nealneal on
  • GrimmyTOAGrimmyTOA Registered User regular
    @Denada, feel free to give me whatever class will be most useful/useless but hilarious/untested.

  • AnialosAnialos Collies are love, Collies are life! Shadowbrook ColliesRegistered User regular
    Heck...Give me a pre-gen next time everyone dies.

  • DenadaDenada Registered User regular
    Okay:

    Nealneal is going with Kelmon Bloodmoon, High Elf Protector Fighter Soldier Endurance Specialist
    RiemannLives is going with Archibald II, Human Battle Mage Wizard Charlatan Ambush Specialist
    GrimmyTOA has been assigned Clarice, Human Lightbringer Cleric Priest Healing Specialist

    @Der Waffle Mous and @texasheat: are you guys still in?

  • GrimmyTOAGrimmyTOA Registered User regular
    edited December 2012
    Clarice "Heal Minor Wounds" "Lance of Faith" McGillicutty means business.

    EDIT: Man, cure minor wounds does nothing.

    GrimmyTOA on
  • LeperLeper Registered User regular
    If they're not down, I can throw back in

    If my role play is hindered by rolling to play, then I'd prefer the rolls play right, instead of steam-rolling play-night.
  • Der Waffle MousDer Waffle Mous Blame this on the misfortune of your birth. New Yark, New Yark.Registered User regular
    Same. I'll get something this afternoon.

    Steam PSN: DerWaffleMous Origin: DerWaffleMous Bnet: DerWaffle#1682
  • ChrysisChrysis Registered User regular
    !signup

    I'm down to try something. Specifically I'm keen to try a Monk, which will be awful. But this is a playtest, so we supposedly should keep an open mind regarding how awful he's going to be. For starting Gold, the character creation rules say you get 150, but the background PDF says that if you design your own background you get 175. Which is it?

    Name: The Great Ibilild
    Race: Human
    Class: Monk
    Alignment: Lawful Good
    Hit Points: 10
    Hit Dice: 1d8
    AC: 17
    Melee: +7 to-hit, 1d6+4 Bludgeoning damage (Burly Fists)
    Melee: +7 to-hit, 1d4+4 Piercing damage (Puny Dagger)
    Ranged: +7 to-hit, 1d4+4 Piercing damage (Pointy Darts)

    Abilities:
    Strength- 14 (+2)
    Dexterity- 18 (+4)
    Constitution- 14 (+2)
    Intelligence- 9 (-1)
    Wisdom- 16 (+3)
    Charisma- 10 (+0)

    Racial Features:
    Medium Size

    Class Features:
    Expertise- 1d4
    Ki - 1 Use, DC: 14 - Stunning Strike
    Maneuvers- Flurry of Blows, Step of the Wind
    Mindful Defense (AC = 10 + Dex + Wis when unarmoured)
    Monastic Training (Spot, Listen)
    Way of the Fist

    Endurance Specialist:
    Durable

    Background - Strongman (Travels towns performing daring feats of strength, or pretending to)
    Noted Performer - Free room and board as long as he puts on a show. Skills (Bluff, Heal, Perform, Survival)

    Skills:
    Listen
    Spot
    Heal
    Bluff
    Perform
    Survival

    Equipment:
    Darts * 20
    Dagger

    10ft. Pole
    Winter Blanket
    Bedroll
    Traveller's Clothes
    Adventurer's Kit
    Waterflask (Ale)
    Belt Pouch * 2 (reskin as pair of bandoleers for Darts)
    Iron Pot
    Piton * 2
    Basic Hammer
    Spade
    Oil Flask * 10
    Artisan's Tools (For making new darts)

    Potion of Healing * 2

    Gold: 24.8




    Tri-Optimum reminds you that there are only one-hundred-sixty-three shopping days until Christmas. Just 1 extra work cycle twice a week will give you the spending money you need to make this holiday a very special one.
  • AegeriAegeri Tiny wee bacteriums Plateau of LengRegistered User regular
    That adventure is so incredibly badly designed that unless you decide to entirely ignore it or your players are intimately familiar with it, that some of these combats are almost entirely unwinnable.

    The Roleplayer's Guild: My blog for roleplaying games, advice and adventuring.
  • GrimmyTOAGrimmyTOA Registered User regular
    We'll drown them in our blood!

  • LeperLeper Registered User regular
    Quick! Hide behind the pile of dead bards!

    If my role play is hindered by rolling to play, then I'd prefer the rolls play right, instead of steam-rolling play-night.
  • Der Waffle MousDer Waffle Mous Blame this on the misfortune of your birth. New Yark, New Yark.Registered User regular
    edited December 2012
    Herman Ireling the Disposable
    
    STR 13 +1
    DEX 18 +3
    CON 14 +2
    WIS 9  -1
    INT 15 +2
    CHA 11 +0
    
    LN Human Rogue

    AC:15
    Att:+2
    HP:8

    speed 30ft
    Init: 4

    Attacks:
    Katana +5 1d8+3
    Shortbow +5 1d6(+3?)

    Trained Skills
    -Climb
    -Survival
    -Swim
    -Track
    -Sneak
    -Spot
    -Disable Device
    -Search
    -Tumble


    Racial Features
    +2 to one AS, +1 to rest
    common

    Class Features
    6/1d6+con HD
    Light armor, simple, finesse, simple & military missile
    Expertise D4
    Skill Mastery Maneuver
    Parry Maneuver
    Thieves' Tools
    CUSTOM SCHEME: henchman

    Background
    Guide
    Trait: Wanderer

    Specialization
    Stealth Specialist
    Hide in Shadows: hide in dim light

    Equipment
    Leather Armor
    Katana
    Shortbow+20 arrows
    Thieves Tools
    Adventurer's Kit
    Caltrops
    Climber's Kit
    19gp

    Der Waffle Mous on
    Steam PSN: DerWaffleMous Origin: DerWaffleMous Bnet: DerWaffle#1682
  • Fleur de AlysFleur de Alys Biohacker Registered User regular
    So if they had obvious intent for those to be 3-4 separate encounters, but other mistakes prevented that from happening...

    Is the right thing to do to follow the errors and combine the encounters anyway, or hand-wave the other monsters away to keep the discrete encounter intent going?

    Mind you, that would have been terribad and hilariboring even as three encounters, but I think it would have given a better idea about how 5E would "work" in actual practice.

    Triptycho: A card-and-dice tabletop indie RPG currently in development and playtesting
  • Mikey CTSMikey CTS Registered User regular
    I think they just replaced all the AD&D monster stats with D&DNext stats and washed their hands of it. I don't think there was that much if any forethought.

    // PSN: wyrd_warrior // MHW Name: Josei //
  • DenadaDenada Registered User regular
    The Sauce wrote: »
    So if they had obvious intent for those to be 3-4 separate encounters, but other mistakes prevented that from happening...

    Is the right thing to do to follow the errors and combine the encounters anyway, or hand-wave the other monsters away to keep the discrete encounter intent going?

    Mind you, that would have been terribad and hilariboring even as three encounters, but I think it would have given a better idea about how 5E would "work" in actual practice.

    That is how 5E "works" in actual practice. The adventure is terrible as written, but that doesn't change how the 5E rules system handled it.

    I think I made a post to this point earlier in the thread, but I'm really testing two things here:

    1) 5E in general. How does it actually play? Are the rules fun?
    2) 5E in the hands of a new/mediocre/bad DM. If this was being packaged and sold to someone and they said "Yeah, I guess I can DM. How hard can it be?" and they ran this, would it be fun?

    After this next attempt at the meat grinder adventure I'm going to switch to "good DM" mode, which will most likely involve reworking the Caves of Chaos from the ground up. If the game suddenly gets much better, then I think we have a pretty good idea of who you need to be paying for a fun tabletop RPG experience.

  • DenadaDenada Registered User regular
    Current Party:

    Kelmon Bloodmoon, High Elf Protector Fighter Soldier Endurance Specialist (Nealneal)
    Archibald II, Human Battle Mage Wizard Charlatan Ambush Specialist (RiemannLives)
    Clarice, Human Lightbringer Cleric Priest Healing Specialist (GrimmyTOA)
    Herman Ireling, Human Custom Rogue Guide Stealth Specialist (Der Waffle Mous)
    Someone Someone, Something Something Something Something (@Leper)

    I'd like to head back out to the caves today if possible.

  • LeperLeper Registered User regular
    Crap. I never got a definite response on whether I needed to be in or not. I can post a character this evening. As long as no die rolls are needed, assume I'm playing a human wizard: Bruce II: electric boogaloo.

    If my role play is hindered by rolling to play, then I'd prefer the rolls play right, instead of steam-rolling play-night.
  • DevoutlyApatheticDevoutlyApathetic Registered User regular
    This is a comment regarding the system and not intended to impugn any ones play:

    HA-HA!

    Nod. Get treat. PSN: Quippish
  • DenadaDenada Registered User regular
    Leper wrote: »
    Crap. I never got a definite response on whether I needed to be in or not. I can post a character this evening. As long as no die rolls are needed, assume I'm playing a human wizard: Bruce II: electric boogaloo.

    Sorry, my fault. I probably won't be posting in the game thread until later anyway, but if something comes up before Bruce II is ready we'll just assume you have a +3 Int modifier and a bunch of Knowledge skills.

  • oxybeoxybe Entei is appaled and disappointed in you Registered User regular
    edited December 2012
    IT IS TIME TO ROCK THE HIZZOUSE

    Xi Rhox the Fisticator will lend you his most questionable skill!

    Human Monk, Background : Thug
    Lawful Neutral

    Stats (pointbuy)
    Str 16 +3 (15 base + 1 human)
    Dex 16 +3(15 base + 1 human)
    Con 9 -1(8 base + 1 human)
    Int 9 -1(8 base + 1 human)
    Wis 18 +4(15 base + 2 human + 1 monk)
    Cha 9 -1(8 base + 1 human)

    AC: 17
    Attk: +3
    HP: 7
    Save DC: +1

    Speed: 30ft
    Init: +7

    Weapons
    LONGSPEAR : +6 1d10+3, Piercing
    MANLY HEADBUTT : +6 1d6+3, Bludgeoning
    HANDAXE : +6 1d4+3, range 30/120, Slashing
    LIGHT CROSSBOW : +6 1d8+3, range 80/320 Piercing
    SLING : +6 1d4+3, range 30/120, Bludgeoning

    RACIAL FEATURES
    +2 to one ability score, +1 to rest
    Read/Speak Common

    CLASS FEATURES
    Armor/Sheild Profs : Nada
    Weapon Profs : Club, Dagger, Handaxe, Light Crossbow, Longspear, Quarterstaff, Sling, Spear
    Expertise 1d4
    Ki 1/day
    Mindful Defense
    Monastic Training
    Way of the Fist

    MANEUVERS AND WHATNOT
    Stunning Strike : DC 15 Wisdom
    Flurry of Blows
    Step of the Wind

    BACKGROUND
    THUG
    skills : Gather Rumors, Intimidate, Spot, Use Rope
    trait : Bad Reputation Badass

    SPECIALTY
    AMBUSH SPECIALIST
    1-Improved Initiative

    SKILLS
    BALANCE
    CLIMB
    GATHER RUMORS
    INTIMIDATE
    SPOT
    USE ROPE

    CARRY: 160LB
    LIFT/DRAG: 900LB

    EQUIPMENT
    150gp to spend
    Longspear (5gp) -5lb
    Handaxe (5gp) -5lb
    Crossbow, Light (25gp) -3lb
    Bolts x10 (1gp) -3lb
    Common Clothes : Pants & Belt (5sp) -3lb
    Dagger/Really Good Knife (2gp) -1lb
    Backpack (2gp) -2lb
    Winter Blanket (5sp) -3lb
    Scrollcase x2 (2gp) -2lb
    Chain, 10ft, 2 sets of manacles & a lock (19gp) -10lb
    Chalk, 10 pieces (1sp) --
    Crowbar (2sp) - 5lb
    Grappling hook +100ft silk rope (22gp) -14lb
    10 iron spikes + hammer (2sp 2cp) -7lb
    Mess kit (1sp) - 1lb
    Small steel mirror (5gp) -.5lb
    rations, week (7sp) - 7lb
    Pitons x10 (5sp) -5lb
    Spade (5sp) -8lb
    Sack x10 (1sp) -5lb
    Tent (2gp) -20lb
    Tinderbox (5sp) - 1lb
    Torch x5 (5cp) -5lb
    Waterskin x2, both full (4sp) -8lb
    Whetstone (1cp) -1lb
    vial x10 (10gp) -1lb
    Bedroll (1gp) - 5lb
    Flask x10 (2sp) - -
    climber's kit (25gp) - 5lb
    Tallow Candle x10 (2sp) -1lb
    Hourglass (5gp) -1lb
    bell (1gp) - -
    Sledge (5sp) -10lb
    miner's Pick (5sp) -10lb
    sling (1sp) -.5lb
    sling bullets (2cp) -1lb

    137gp 4sp 9cp spent in total

    1pp 1gp 2ep 5sp 1cp left over

    160lb carried gear

    Character Portait
    XiRhox.jpg

    oxybe on
    you can read my collected ravings at oxybesothertumbr.tumblr.com
    -Weather Badge
  • LeperLeper Registered User regular
    As much as I would like to roll with Bruce II: Electric Boogaloo, I am going to have to step aside in favor of a fisticator.

    If my role play is hindered by rolling to play, then I'd prefer the rolls play right, instead of steam-rolling play-night.
  • DenadaDenada Registered User regular
    Leper has chosen oxybe as his replacement, and I'm fine with that. The final party (this time) is:

    Kelmon Bloodmoon, High Elf Protector Fighter Soldier Endurance Specialist (Nealneal)
    Archibald II, Human Battle Mage Wizard Charlatan Ambush Specialist (RiemannLives)
    Clarice, Human Lightbringer Cleric Priest Healing Specialist (GrimmyTOA)
    Herman Ireling, Human Custom Rogue Guide Stealth Specialist (Der Waffle Mous)
    Xi Rhox, Human Monk of the Way of the Fist Thug Ambush Specialist (oxybe)

    Expect a post in the game thread in a little while.

  • Fleur de AlysFleur de Alys Biohacker Registered User regular
    Everything I can see suggests the game will still completely suck even if you give it a good adventure, as long as the temptation to use house rules is avoided anyway. Can't wait to see what happens when you run that kind of game.

    Triptycho: A card-and-dice tabletop indie RPG currently in development and playtesting
  • AegeriAegeri Tiny wee bacteriums Plateau of LengRegistered User regular
    The Sauce wrote: »
    The Sauce wrote: »
    So if they had obvious intent for those to be 3-4 separate encounters, but other mistakes prevented that from happening...

    Is the right thing to do to follow the errors and combine the encounters anyway, or hand-wave the other monsters away to keep the discrete encounter intent going?

    Mind you, that would have been terribad and hilariboring even as three encounters, but I think it would have given a better idea about how 5E would "work" in actual practice.
    It's a combination of incredibly bad rules design and the way this module is thrown together with no real thought or logic to it. It does allow for exactly the scenario that can happen to happen and pretty easily. There isn't even really much of a discussion that it will be utterly murderous for the PCs either. We can all tell that from looking at it, but as this is a playtest I think there is a fantastic argument for using the rules as written to see if they actually work.

    I had a similar thing occur in the first playtest packet, the difference being that kobolds are utterly useless in a tight corridor vs. a wizard with burning hands.

    Without the wizard that would have been very different...

    The Roleplayer's Guild: My blog for roleplaying games, advice and adventuring.
  • Der Waffle MousDer Waffle Mous Blame this on the misfortune of your birth. New Yark, New Yark.Registered User regular
    how 'bout dem rats?

    Steam PSN: DerWaffleMous Origin: DerWaffleMous Bnet: DerWaffle#1682
  • StyyxStyyx Registered User regular
    edited December 2012
    Why not try playing the other 5e sample map, the one with the underground gnomish kingdom? My group played a bit of it and found it to be pretty fun.

    Styyx on
  • RiemannLivesRiemannLives Registered User regular
    I am reminded of a Knights of the Dinner Table comic where the guys were playing an Old West rpg. They were hell bent on robbing the bank in a mining town but kept getting shot dead in the process. Eventually they figured that the enitre population of the town was only a few hundred and they could keep rolling up new characters forever. Hence the "Desert Gorge Massacre"

    Attacked by tweeeeeeees!
  • oxybeoxybe Entei is appaled and disappointed in you Registered User regular
    for those wondering, just think of my character as sounding like Hak Foo by way of Brian Blessed.

    you can read my collected ravings at oxybesothertumbr.tumblr.com
    -Weather Badge
  • wildwoodwildwood Registered User regular
    In case anybody's curious, according to the xp values for kobolds and the DM guidelines, the kobold fight that's going on now is just on the easy side of Average Difficulty. For a truly Hard Difficulty encounter, for a first-level party of this size, the number of kobolds should be doubled.

    In case you were wondering, like me, whether the problem is with the Caves of Chaos just being broken by itself, or if the problem is with encounter design in 5e. It appears to be the latter.

  • ChrysisChrysis Registered User regular
    It looks like either the Wizard significantly thins their numbers or party 3 better start getting ready.

    Tri-Optimum reminds you that there are only one-hundred-sixty-three shopping days until Christmas. Just 1 extra work cycle twice a week will give you the spending money you need to make this holiday a very special one.
  • NealnealNealneal Registered User regular
    Yay! I got to kill two kobolds and feel useful as a fighter! Of course I had to steal a wizard spell to do it, but details.

  • AegeriAegeri Tiny wee bacteriums Plateau of LengRegistered User regular
    I actually ran this same encounter with my party of 4 characters when the playtest began. This encounter was over very trivially on the first turn, as the players caught the kobolds clumped up in two groups due to a good spot roll. The wizard went first, killed 4 with burning hands pretty much automatically and then the rest of the party killed 2 more. The kobolds missed both attacks and were instantly dead immediately after.

    So not only was it just a bad encounter, it was decided entirely by an initiative roll before it even began.

    The Roleplayer's Guild: My blog for roleplaying games, advice and adventuring.
  • RiemannLivesRiemannLives Registered User regular
    I think every monster that we've encountered so far besides the ogre has had ranged weapons. So it's not even possible to use tactics or positioning. Mobs can just stand wherever and focus fire on anyone they feel like.

    Denada has actually been going pretty easy on us. Those javelin goblins or these slinger kobolbs could have straight up taken out any single party member if they had all targeted the same one.

    Attacked by tweeeeeeees!
  • DenadaDenada Registered User regular
    Just wait until you get inside the cave. There will be somewhere between more and a lot more kobolds.

    It's hard to sound threatening when you don't know what's going to happen.

  • GrimmyTOAGrimmyTOA Registered User regular
    Our best bet may be to lure them to the cave mouth one group at a time. Or trickery.

    Or overwhelming force. Who's up for just torching the entire complex and stabbing whatever crawls out of the embers?

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