February Unearthed Arcana

[RobD]

Haven't seen a thread about it yet, so I figure I'll start one.
Are we getting an article today/this month? What do you hope it'll contain?

Myself, I'd actually love to see some new backgrounds. I think it's an interesting way to differentiate characters of the same class, and would like to see more features than what's in the PHB...especially if they're focused on hitting more popular archetypes (like 'outlaw' or something) than anything too setting-specific.

Wouldn't mind an expanded weapons table, either, tbh, but I know that's not happening since it goes against 5e's streamlining philosophy.

[ErHo]

Fingers crossed for a dual wield ranger build for Drow exiles!

j/k

[Vaz]

I'm hoping for Psionic Prestige Classes with Skill Points.

[Arenabait]

Oh boy, I know it's really out there and has never been done before, but I'm really just hoping for an alternate way to roll initiative, and maybe do it once every round, and base it off of what % of their carry weight is taken up, and on what parts of their body. Thoughts?

[MadGrady]

Oh boy, I know it's really out there and has never been done before, but I'm really just hoping for an alternate way to roll initiative, and maybe do it once every round, and base it off of what % of their carry weight is taken up, and on what parts of their body. Thoughts?

Mmmm,yes. I think age should also apply a modifier, as you don't move quite as fast as you get older. Take a penalty for weak knees.

[Matrix_Walker]

Oh boy, I know it's really out there and has never been done before, but I'm really just hoping for an alternate way to roll initiative, and maybe do it once every round, and base it off of what % of their carry weight is taken up, and on what parts of their body. Thoughts?

We already had a UA on Alternative Initiative (Greyhawk Initiative). I don't think it was very well received. It certainly wasn't by me! Graduated weight based initiative penalties seem way too fidgety for D&D. Every time you pick up a little treasure you'll be recalculating.

[ErHo]

Mmmm,yes. I think age should also apply a modifier, as you don't move quite as fast as you get older. Take a penalty for weak knees.

Something like that should be reflected in your stat blocks

Used to have AD&D 2e age/stat modifiers per race.

[Aett_Thorn]

We already had a UA on Alternative Initiative (Greyhawk Initiative). I don't think it was very well received. It certainly wasn't by me! Graduated weight based initiative penalties seem way too fidgety for D&D. Every time you pick up a little treasure you'll be recalculating.

Just FYI, when someone writes in blue here, it usually indicates sarcasm.

[MadBear]

We already had a UA on Alternative Initiative (Greyhawk Initiative). I don't think it was very well received. It certainly wasn't by me! Graduated weight based initiative penalties seem way too fidgety for D&D. Every time you pick up a little treasure you'll be recalculating.

blue= joke post/not serious


in all seriousness, I've been using the GreyHawk Initiative and the table as a whole thinks it's way better then the base initiative. I honestly feel the hate that UA got was undeserved. I mean, there have been plenty of UA that were irrelevant to me, but I didn't **** on them just because I didn't like it. But whatever.

[Twigwit]

I honestly feel the hate that UA got was undeserved. I mean, there have been plenty of UA that were irrelevant to me, but I didn't **** on them just because I didn't like it. But whatever.

It's because it's alarming to see one of the design leads not understand why fundamental aspects of the game are the way they are (using a roll of a d20 whenever possible, letting players make informed turn based decisions).

[MadBear]

It's because it's alarming to see one of the design leads not understand why fundamental aspects of the game are the way they are (using a roll of a d20 whenever possible, letting players make informed turn based decisions).

It's possible I'm just missing something, but I don't see how an UA about an optional rule, in any way shows they don't understand "fundamental aspects of the game".

It's an alternative that gives a very different type of system to initiative. If anything, I'd like to see more UA like this because it creates new interesting ways to interact with the game. Will they all be good? no. Is this one good? I'd say yes, others can say no. To me that's the whole point of UA, to try new things, and see how it works out. I mean, I don't mind extra archetypes, but they rarely add anything new to the game for me or my group since outside of the very rare PC perma death, no one is using them.

[Tetrasodium]

blue= joke post/not serious


in all seriousness, I've been using the GreyHawk Initiative and the table as a whole thinks it's way better then the base initiative. I honestly feel the hate that UA got was undeserved. I mean, there have been plenty of UA that were irrelevant to me, but I didn't **** on them just because I didn't like it. But whatever.


I believe that it has to do with how you handle initiative & asked @mikemearls how he does it at the time to check on how that greyhawk initiative could possibly pass QA. If you run initiative by doing somehing like

25 and above?
20-24
15-19
10-14
etc [/ist]
then it probably works well. I've seen gm's who handle initiative that way & it has ups & downs. if you do it more along [url="]these lines where you get everyones init at the start & write it down for use the very idea of greyhawk initiate is a nightmare.. doubly so if you have a lot of critters in general.. Both ways have pluses and minuses

[Theodoxus]

Anyone else use "popcorn" initiative? Ran into it the other day at a table. Basically, everyone rolls initiative, highest goes first, like normal - and then that person declares who goes next, until everyone and the bad guys gets a turn. Last to go declares who's first in the next round.

It's a little OP for the players, since every turn I've played in so far, the DM only gets 1 roll for his side - so the players tend to get to be tactical, and the DM just focus fires for the most part. Also, the players are free to discuss who goes next... I think if I were to adopt it (and at this point, I'm not) I'd definitely rule no party chat... combat is still kinda slow... adding a few minutes between players as the table strategizes who goes next doesn't help.

It does make combat a little less deadly, as you can make sure a healer type can go right after someone falls down... but it also makes combats pretty static; all but 1 player goes, the DM goes, last player goes - repeat. The only change in combat order is for positioning or spell use... otherwise I find it's typically Heavy hitter/AOE -> second DPR -> Controller -> DM -> Healer.

[Bobbyjackcorn]

This is a Duplicate, there is already a thread about this.

[Tetrasodium]

Anyone else use "popcorn" initiative? Ran into it the other day at a table. Basically, everyone rolls initiative, highest goes first, like normal - and then that person declares who goes next, until everyone and the bad guys gets a turn. Last to go declares who's first in the next round.

It's a little OP for the players, since every turn I've played in so far, the DM only gets 1 roll for his side - so the players tend to get to be tactical, and the DM just focus fires for the most part. Also, the players are free to discuss who goes next... I think if I were to adopt it (and at this point, I'm not) I'd definitely rule no party chat... combat is still kinda slow... adding a few minutes between players as the table strategizes who goes next doesn't help.

It does make combat a little less deadly, as you can make sure a healer type can go right after someone falls down... but it also makes combats pretty static; all but 1 player goes, the DM goes, last player goes - repeat. The only change in combat order is for positioning or spell use... otherwise I find it's typically Heavy hitter/AOE -> second DPR -> Controller -> DM -> Healer.


I've tried it with wonderful success in the past but eventually quit because it seemed to either confuse my newer players too much or with more experienced ones it turns each & every round into a giant psychic meta gaming plotting (oh ffs it's 4 goblins armed with slings & rocks strapped to sticks you three are level SIX, just go... how are three of them still alive on turn four?!) with by current band of players.