So, let's pretend for a second that the Facebook game is a preview of 5e. If you'd like to criticize the theory, please go hit the "New Thread" button. I'd like to see what we could learn about D&D and gaming if HoN was a preview of 5e.
I've played a character to 10th, so I've seen more than 80% of the span of heroic tier. There are definitely some interesting insights.
Healing - everyone but fighters lose second wind, and the baseline for healing is now the ADVENTURE not the encounter. Clerics are the only healers. The 4e "attrition" of hp carries through, but the average damage done to the party drops significantly, so healing is a mitigation to try to get into the last encounter (usually a boss) with max hp. You can still survive if you don't, but it makes it much harder.
Powers - 4e theme carries through for powers. You have way, way less choices however, all but eliminating dailys except for second wind. At wills are reduced to one melee and one ranged attack. Simple. All the rest of your powers are usable once per encounter. You never have more than 10 to choose from - simple. You get a nice mix of buffs and attacks. Of note, only the rogue can buff offense. Only the cleric and fighter can buff hp. I love that each race gets a power - simple and elegant. Powers are essentially a mix of raw damage, condition effects, area effects, and buffs. A very simplified mix of the mechanic, with access from all the classes, but a combination of all very effective, if not required through most adventures. Thieves are the only ones who get the "disarm" and "unlock" powers.
Movement and position - simplified and pretty straightforward. Combat advantage just requires any two attackers on one defender - simple. Powers that buff movement are simple - available to rogues, wizards, fighters, and eladrin, simply add to a movement once an encounter when you need it. Comes in handy in almost ANY encounter. The cover/concealment is GONE. If you've got cover - the blast/attack is blocked, period. You want to hit the dude, move to get a direct line of sight. Much simpler.
Magic Items - Less slots (six), less to track. You can get a new magic item pretty much every level. Everyone can benefit from each slot. There is one slot that's "super rare" and difficult to fill - rings. To me, this made the magic seem magic again. STRIVING to obtain that last slot...Looking for each upgrade, there was always one in reach through purchase, reward, AND adventure. Split them up to make them all valuable. Magic items no longer give powers - simple. They all add a bonus. The high-end heroic tier items add a secondary bonus (ie, sword +2, +3 vs beasts).
Potions and Trinkets - pulled away from magic, these are available from level 1 and are all purchasable, but they are the most expensive. You need to use them sparingly. Food, salves, backpacks, kits, potions, glyphs. They all buff for an encounter or an adventure. The glyphs are game-breakers, but super expensive - in gameplay terms, I'm thinking "artifact".
Adventure Building - When you complete heroic tier, you can complete the build out of adventures. There are simple, basic templates to build upon. You can play your "secondary" characters through these adventures, and run your friends. I don't want to overlook this. It both simplifies the role of the DM, as well as encourages a share responsibility of creating adventures. Adding a layer of difficulty by allowing for a simple "build up" tool with HARD and HEROIC tiers of complexity. One simple math shift to add that extra bit of challenge to an adventure - simple.
Treasure, Rewards, and Achievements - loads, and loads of treasure. Darn near every room, and rewards from each adventure - should you succeed. Sharing rewards with other players - face it, this is a SOCIAL game. It's COOL to get advantages from your crew. It's an excellent framework for a simple, fulfilling, and consistent rewards system. Homerun!
Monster mechanics - There is a clear architecture to filling an adventure. There is a delicate balance to number of villians, that leans much more heavily on minions. Solos don't get a million actions but are still very challenging because of their AoE and triggered attacks. Monster's most deadly effects are "triggered" effects from bloodied and and dying conditions. Less damage overall from 4e, but that same methodology. They seem to hit less frequently as well, and the players very, very rarely miss (maybe only on a 1).
Conditions - 4e carried over and simplified down to combat advantage, bloodied, dying, dazed, prone, stunned, and slowed. Dazed is VERY common. The super-combo is the prone/daze combo which is essentially a stun lock. Stunning is also tough. All seemed very delicately balanced with one another.
Secondary benefits - simplify, simplify, and simplify again, so what do you get? A MUCH faster game. You could likely complete an adventure at the table in an hour if you're good, and not more than two for most groups. Easy portability to multiple game formats - tabletop, card, computer, facebook. A simpler infrastructure introduced something we haven't seen in three editions - PLAYING TOGETHER THROUGH THE TIER AT ALL LEVELS. That's right, you could easily piece together any party of four characters from levels 1-10 and pick a "representative" adventure that can still pose a challenge to any party using the simple adventure building mechanics. Re-opening the door for - austere and EARNED rewards.
Have you played Heroes of Neverwinter? What did you think of the game?
Could these simpler elements translate to a TRPG?
Can we survive with simpler? Would our games benefit from it?
Do these things resonate with what you've "read into" Mike and Monte's musings?
Do you see anything in this from other games you play (not D&D) that you love?
What might still be missing that could be added to this if it were a framework?
Game on...
I've played a character to 10th, so I've seen more than 80% of the span of heroic tier. There are definitely some interesting insights.
Healing - everyone but fighters lose second wind, and the baseline for healing is now the ADVENTURE not the encounter. Clerics are the only healers. The 4e "attrition" of hp carries through, but the average damage done to the party drops significantly, so healing is a mitigation to try to get into the last encounter (usually a boss) with max hp. You can still survive if you don't, but it makes it much harder.
Powers - 4e theme carries through for powers. You have way, way less choices however, all but eliminating dailys except for second wind. At wills are reduced to one melee and one ranged attack. Simple. All the rest of your powers are usable once per encounter. You never have more than 10 to choose from - simple. You get a nice mix of buffs and attacks. Of note, only the rogue can buff offense. Only the cleric and fighter can buff hp. I love that each race gets a power - simple and elegant. Powers are essentially a mix of raw damage, condition effects, area effects, and buffs. A very simplified mix of the mechanic, with access from all the classes, but a combination of all very effective, if not required through most adventures. Thieves are the only ones who get the "disarm" and "unlock" powers.
Movement and position - simplified and pretty straightforward. Combat advantage just requires any two attackers on one defender - simple. Powers that buff movement are simple - available to rogues, wizards, fighters, and eladrin, simply add to a movement once an encounter when you need it. Comes in handy in almost ANY encounter. The cover/concealment is GONE. If you've got cover - the blast/attack is blocked, period. You want to hit the dude, move to get a direct line of sight. Much simpler.
Magic Items - Less slots (six), less to track. You can get a new magic item pretty much every level. Everyone can benefit from each slot. There is one slot that's "super rare" and difficult to fill - rings. To me, this made the magic seem magic again. STRIVING to obtain that last slot...Looking for each upgrade, there was always one in reach through purchase, reward, AND adventure. Split them up to make them all valuable. Magic items no longer give powers - simple. They all add a bonus. The high-end heroic tier items add a secondary bonus (ie, sword +2, +3 vs beasts).
Potions and Trinkets - pulled away from magic, these are available from level 1 and are all purchasable, but they are the most expensive. You need to use them sparingly. Food, salves, backpacks, kits, potions, glyphs. They all buff for an encounter or an adventure. The glyphs are game-breakers, but super expensive - in gameplay terms, I'm thinking "artifact".
Adventure Building - When you complete heroic tier, you can complete the build out of adventures. There are simple, basic templates to build upon. You can play your "secondary" characters through these adventures, and run your friends. I don't want to overlook this. It both simplifies the role of the DM, as well as encourages a share responsibility of creating adventures. Adding a layer of difficulty by allowing for a simple "build up" tool with HARD and HEROIC tiers of complexity. One simple math shift to add that extra bit of challenge to an adventure - simple.
Treasure, Rewards, and Achievements - loads, and loads of treasure. Darn near every room, and rewards from each adventure - should you succeed. Sharing rewards with other players - face it, this is a SOCIAL game. It's COOL to get advantages from your crew. It's an excellent framework for a simple, fulfilling, and consistent rewards system. Homerun!
Monster mechanics - There is a clear architecture to filling an adventure. There is a delicate balance to number of villians, that leans much more heavily on minions. Solos don't get a million actions but are still very challenging because of their AoE and triggered attacks. Monster's most deadly effects are "triggered" effects from bloodied and and dying conditions. Less damage overall from 4e, but that same methodology. They seem to hit less frequently as well, and the players very, very rarely miss (maybe only on a 1).
Conditions - 4e carried over and simplified down to combat advantage, bloodied, dying, dazed, prone, stunned, and slowed. Dazed is VERY common. The super-combo is the prone/daze combo which is essentially a stun lock. Stunning is also tough. All seemed very delicately balanced with one another.
Secondary benefits - simplify, simplify, and simplify again, so what do you get? A MUCH faster game. You could likely complete an adventure at the table in an hour if you're good, and not more than two for most groups. Easy portability to multiple game formats - tabletop, card, computer, facebook. A simpler infrastructure introduced something we haven't seen in three editions - PLAYING TOGETHER THROUGH THE TIER AT ALL LEVELS. That's right, you could easily piece together any party of four characters from levels 1-10 and pick a "representative" adventure that can still pose a challenge to any party using the simple adventure building mechanics. Re-opening the door for - austere and EARNED rewards.
Have you played Heroes of Neverwinter? What did you think of the game?
Could these simpler elements translate to a TRPG?
Can we survive with simpler? Would our games benefit from it?
Do these things resonate with what you've "read into" Mike and Monte's musings?
Do you see anything in this from other games you play (not D&D) that you love?
What might still be missing that could be added to this if it were a framework?
Game on...
