Note, this video is unblurred! Since last Saturday, WOTC put out better guidance and reviewed this video to ensure it did not overstep their definition of Fair Use.
Wouldn’t it be either divination or abjuration? The joke is still funny, maybe even more funny, but logicallyI don’t think it would be evocation. Edit: I just re-read it, it says invocation 😭
I am definitely not a fan of the order in which they have you go through character creation. I will probably go in chronological order: Species Subspecies Ability Scores Background Class I mean, you can decide what class you want to be without figuring out ANY of the details and then start at the beginning with Species.
@@dhavaram8064 difference of opinion, i feel the order you go in could be randomized up until the class, whereas going in your exact opposite order, each choice made mechanically supports the previous decision, cohering a machine that does things. Your order sounds like it comes from a flavor stand point. Parents ancestry, innate birth talent (ASI), growing up circumstances, then the decision of what guild to belong to. Which the only time I've done that order was when i rolled for everything, and used the random origins in XGE as well. That's not to say you wouldn't also in constructing it go back and forth between multiple of those choices in a scrambled mess order, choosing differently as your concept evolves, definitely done that, but class/role in the party was the heart of my decision. Just different approaches stemming from different mindsets.
I think the reason they wanted you to fill in your class features last was because your species and background give you few, if any, skills to choose from, and your class gives you the most.
@@WalkOnNick but then it is not a background any more, but THE key feature of the character besides class... Species now is what a "background" should be... mostly fluff with some small goodies added in
@@belegur8108 It is still a BG. It would be one that makes more sense. Right now, people will just search for the Feat they want rather than the BG. At least if each BG had a few, you could still get a feat you like with the BG you want.
Speaking of organization, it is really cool that the spell list for each class are in the class description section and not lumped together at the end with the spell list.
I thought it was a poor choice on WotC's part to put the "best" feats in Farmer and Criminal backgrounds. As a DM, I don't want an entire group of criminals at L1. I am house-ruling detached feats; take whatever you like.
Thanks for doing this video and im glad you got to put out the vid the way you wanted. After seeing backgrounds on some other content creator's channels I had a misconception about personality traits no longer being a thing. Actually stepping through the book was really helpful and gave me ideas for how I'm going to go about introducing some new folks to DnD as soon as this book comes out.
A special thanks to the WotC employees that convinced the Hasbro legal officers that they had made a mistake (again). On one hand, it's a dream come true to work on D&D. On the other hand, it must be tough needing to pick internal battles with Hasbro officials to prevent them from fighting the TTRPG hobby, which Hasbro clearly lacks basic understanding of.
Like, the people who WOULD pirate your book, will still pirate it whether you show them what’s in it or not. The people who WOULD purchase your book, are more likely to buy it if you show them what’s in it. Like you said it must be murder to work your ass off and have some corporate nitwit screw with it.
After Prof. Dungeon Master’s video of 5E 2024 & ShadowDark, I honestly was looking forward to the blurring, ROFL! Good Luck on your Kickstarter Mike and I’m over joyed you didn’t need to ruin this video!
In regards to the cure wounds buff, a couple of the designers were on the Eldritch Lorecast yesterday, and they said not to worry as the monsters are going to hit harder.
It feels bad that you had to waste your time on that 😅 I hope all of the attention somehow played a part in how amazing your City of Arches Kickstarter is doing
@@andrewstraight2961 I've always just heard the "kneaded", but now I have "needed" stuck in my head and I don't like it. heh BTW Kneading them is one of the best parts. Soooo satisfying to stretch and fold, revealing the clean rubber beneath. And now I wish I was drawing something just so I could fidget with kneading the eraser...
Thanks Mike. A great preview and and showcase of the product. Imagine a world where the publisher was so out of touch that they forced you to hide the images of their product and miss out on this free marketing by an informed and enthusiastic creator. What a missed opportunity that would be for that publisher!!! Luckily theyre too clever to do something like that. Phew!!
You basically can chose all parts of your background separately because of the way they tell you to convert old backgrounds that aren't in the new PHB.
What happened to your starting equipment? At one point you were rejoicing that you got a shield from your Druid starting equipment but later (when calculating AC) lamented you didn’t have a shield.
I've just finished creating a wood elf druid! As a total D&D newbie, I found it confusing as hell, but i got there in the end. The video was a really helpful walkthrough to confirm I'd done the right things! I went with the Guide background, partly because it gives you a shortbow. Hermit seemed kinda redundant - it gives you duplicates of kit you already have as a druid.
This new Characer Sheet Design is on verge of greatness for beginnres and QoL. -HP, AC, Shield check box, Speed, Initative all at the top next to the name. -Dedicated place to write the Subclass. -Skills being directly under the Abilities. -More and wider lines for Weapons and Attack Cantrips. -Renaming Armor Prof. to Training, since it has nothing to do with the Prof. Bonus,. -Dedicated Species Traits. -More Space for Class features. -Concentration, Ritual and Material Checkboxes. Great! They finally realised people will know their Class Rules, if they have enough dedicated space to write them down. But WHY THE HELL, is there no checbox to perpare Spells? Why are you suposed to erase the Spells, when you unprepare them. I know its for Space. The old Sheet did not have enough Space for the technical info, and entire Spell List Cleircs, Druids etc. But seeing all the Spells you have Access to is the Whole Point of the Spell Sheet and very intuitive for beginners tf? 'Long Rest? Oh boy ! Let me just prepare new Spells by flipping back and forth through the entire book. I hope everyone brought their own PHB :)' NO this sucks ass, especially for beginners. Also they finally added Material Checkbox, but no Somatic or Verbal? People understand what they mean. Wasn't the whole problem that people ignored them because it's tedious to memorise or queeze into your tiny Spell List? Don't get me wrong I'm very excited. But is it that hard to design a an additional optional Page to write down more Spells so you can still simply check and uncheck you Spells? Seriously, like many other parts of the PHB This feels very rushed. 4 Clerics :( 4 Wizards :( No Oathbreaker :( in the PHB. The forced 4 Subclasses per Class seems very odd to me.
For the material component bit, I think it's intended to be marked for spells with a specific component that can't be hand-waved away with a spell focus(assuming those rules remained the same).
@yomamah5973 you're not supposed to use a paper sheet. You're supposed to use D&D Beyond, and their VTT. It's just a button click there. Look how cumbersome PAPER is! Why would anyone WANT to use it?! Plus, with your AI assistant you can have it write your backstory, and provide you with art. You can even have it write your dialog for you. Eventually, you may be able to send it to the VTT in your place and no one will ever know you weren't there and it will give you a summary of the session to help you chat about it in your group's Discord server.
Magic Initiate Druid isn't that bad even if you are a Druid, because you can choose healing word as your druid spell. Then you always have Healing Word prepared and you can cast healing word once pr. long rest even if you cast another levelled spell the same round, because you can cast Healing Word without using a spell slot. You also get two extra cantrips.
Being limited to only two cantrips is the most difficult part of building a Druid. I want Guidance and Shillelagh, but I would also like a ranged attack and Druidcraft for shenanigans
Kudos for the backstory of your character. THAT is about the amount of background that I want from my players - NO MORE. And you even included a reason why you are going on adventure 🙂 Question: How is the font size of the new book? Including especially the glossary and index?
The metal doesn't change shape... how do you think it feels to be a horse with a breastplate inside your thoracic cavity? Do you think a wolf can move with human-shapped half-plate encasing it?
@@SlyFlourish That does suck. I do appreciate that you didn't have to mar your work this time and actually provide a useful video showing the process of making a character with the tools they provide.
"This thing is great! But what's this 'D&D Beyond'-thing it keeps mentioning?" "Something that was lost in the Harrowing; you'd have to be a Bezosite to access it now. Don't worry - I can get us some paper from the Origami Slaughtergang."
I hear the AI formed an orobouros of content creation and training data and crowded out all other users. The web is full of bots now sending gibberish to each other. To enter is to invite madness.
Very nice video, as always. I kinda like the new character sheet, but if in one hand I appreciate they made it fit on 2 pages, I dont belive it will be viable in the long run. For 5e I was giving 6 pages expanded character sheets, and sometimes 8 when they multiclassing.
Kind of a bummer that they dont give choices with backgrounds. Like the kit. You already have it, so either you take nothing else, or hope your DM let you chose another one (i mean, i would but ... still)
29:41 So A Shield 10Gold is +2 Armor, and Hide Armor is 10 Gold and is +2 Armor, Either choice is better than your Leather Choice (Remember you choose warden at the beginning). I believe Shillelagh also uses Wisdom instead of Strength so you probably don't need a very high strength, not even a 13 (no heavy armor). but you would want 13 if you want any of the Heavy Weapons Martial Weapons have to offer, not that I think you can shillelagh any of them and by a certain point you'll be probably slinging spells. 31:XX I still think the medium armor is probably worth it, your Dexterity isn't going to be that high.
He used A from Druid Equipment -> Armor and Shield was in the package +1 Dex 14 AC Is it still that you can use the Stats from your Shape change? -> would pump combat ST in Animal form if he uses it. -> Armor and Shape change how does it work?
@@HerrderGezeiten23 Let me get back to you on druid let me sniff around the internet. I also made a second Main comment about the armor. I decided to instead of one giant comment, two semi-giant comments. He should have sold his second herb kit and his light armor to pick up the medium armor, OR as I suggested, drop warden entirely since he doesn't go for martial weapons and medium armor, and go in for magician and get himself a ranged cantrip that HAS to be better than that sling. Just based on his build so far.
@@HerrderGezeiten23 From the internet (take with grain of salt I don't have book in front of me), your Armor will either merge or fall off as you change shape, your choice. You use the AC of your chosen Wildshape. You use the Strength of your WildShape.
43:11 and roll on high con? I also like the way they do this. I think you might have ended up with 2 Herb Kits and you could probably do a little equipment selling, but I'm enjoying the pacing so far, good jump cuts in the video. I also really like all the little advice you give here and there. Between the Margins as it were. 47:12 The amount of written comments I have made and deleted shouting at you to help you find stuff on your sheet, or remind you of things, SO MANY Times! You got a shield from Druid equipment package. 49: 17 if you aren't going to wear medium armor or use a martial weapon... don't take warden? take the one that gives you more cantrips the magician, and take a ranged cantrip that lets you use your spellcasting modifier. You are missing out on your 15 AC down to 14 (you do have shield written down on your sheet).
I am so glad they switched it to class first, it's how i always presented in any homebrew/house rule documentation, and how I designed characters myself. Unless you are rolling random for everything, in which case class is the only thing you choose and you choose it last, after all the random starting numbers and characteristics.
@@LithmusEarth yeah class first is the right call. It defines the core of your character's identity. The other factors (background, ability scores etc) are there to support your class choice
@@telarr9164 I believe your class more or less defines your role in combat, the most significant pillar in play because of how the game supports it. It equally also determines often how the exploration pillar and roleplay pillar are interacted with. It's how you contribute to the team, generally. Your class flavors so much. I would agree it's an arguable point, but I'm pretty firmly in class defining your character more than anything else. It's kind of like real life, you are often seen (when a stranger) as what do you contribute to society? What is your job?
@@SlyFlourish That's usually how most youtubers do their editing, but like I can still appreciate it, even if it's rather basic. I hope that doesn't come across offensive, I've been reading your stuff since dm david suggested you during the pandemic, I've bought your pdfs when they went on sale like a year ago, and i've subscribed to your youtube channel one video ago, so like, I'm a fan, i'd say, your blog for me has been really great, offers a lot, feels like it's harder to monetize than youtube though.
This specific character sheet design isn't for me. I understand why they did it, but grouping the skills under each stat just takes us further from the Holy Light of odd stat/skill combinations. Give me those Strength (Intimidate) checks, Intelligence (Deception), Dexterity (Survival), etc. I know it's an optional rule (Or was. Still is? Who knows!), but I just can't get enough of those creative moments.
Great video. Looking back on this, 50 minutes to do this exercise is too long. If he gets whacked in the first encounter, you're back at square one. So much crunch.
Hermit really should come with the Healer Kit instead of the herbalism kit, especially when it comes with the Healer feat. I could have sworn it did when they had those page glimpses during the Crawford interviews.
Apparently you can craft a healer kit with an herbalism kit and since they are only 5 gold you could craft one in a day. Or just spend the 5 gold and pick one up.
This was a nice walkthrough. The only thing I disagree with is the bit about backgrounds. I definitely think people will take the feat granted into consideration when selecting one, but I didn't think that's cheating. No more than picking things that were synergistic in any other edition of the game. And certainly not with people who did essentially the same thing by selecting based on attribute increases when picking their species in 2014. Others for around that with homebrew, so one thing I do wish was for the custom background rules to still be part of the PHB.
I agree it's not cheating. I do think it's a bummer though, anyone who wants to be effective is going to have their rp choices constrained pretty harshly. I don't plan on running this version, but if I did, I'd allow anyone to swap background feats with any other background.
@@bokodasu Definitely agree about picking a feat. I'm really curious why they didn't just say, "Pick a great and explain how your background exposed you to those skills." Though even with it limited, is that any more harsh an RP constraint how many people felt like you needed to play an elf or halfling in 2014 to make a rogue because of the dex bump? A friend played a dwarf rogue and it was awesome because it was against type, and I think a lot of people will ultimately make the same choices with background. I'm sure he felt a little sacrifice not getting that +2 Dex but decided he liked his character idea more, and I think the impact of those starter level feats is relatively comparable, small part of an overall character. But it's new and it's different so people focus on it.
I think you missed out on a couple skills because you had already picked some based on previous sources, so you had some choices left over, or maybe not. Which prompts an idea that I've been mulling over about a worksheet where you list the features and scores you get as you go through the process of generating your character, list their source/reason then use all of those notes to fill out your final worksheet. It can also serve as a levelling-up log as your character advances. I was always taught in school to 'show your math' if only so you can go back and check your work. This would help make sure you haven't given yourself any unwarranted bonuses or miss stuff you deserve and something you can show your DM to prove you didn't cheat!
Having created a few characters now, I hate the background system. As you said, we are just going to min-max the background, looking for the feat we want, ignore the rest. I think I will rule players can just pick a feat that makes sense, and pick the background that makes sense with their character vision. I also don't like the ability scores being so late in the process. Yes, I'll deal, but this really is the best they could do after all the playtesting? You end up having to go back and forth in their process trying to get the stats you want (assuming standard array). I guess we get used to anything eventually.
So have a confession. I clicked on this video at 5am in the morning because I was having insomnia and I thought it might help. but dammit. I watched your entire character creation process as it was so entertaining. I don't like that feats are non longer an option at the DM's discretion. I've always felt Feats break the game more than they enhance.
Imo your background and species should be decided first. Then base your class off of your background and your story. This way when you select proficiencies, spells, feats, etc. you don't have to go back and forth and tbh it makes more sense to base your class off of who you are.
That makes a certain kind of sense, but if a player came asking "what kind of character should I make for the group?" I wouldn't say "we need a dwarf or a half-orc."
@CJWproductions oh for sure! I think if you're the type of player that doesn't mind filling the parties needs (the best type of player), then class first makes complete sense.
The classes haven't changed for 10 years, which means another sad farewell (for now) to the Artificer, weird and awkward class that it is. Thankfully we can play around with the new Mechanist in TotV! …which I hope you'll make another video about soon, Mike (cramming all the 5e's together at your table)!
The Artificers is the newest class they designed, so it doesn't need a revision like the 2014 classes. The Tasha's version will probably work even better with the new feats and the updated magic items in the coming DMG. Battle Smith could benefit from picking up Weapon Mastery (through the feat or a dip into Fighter or Rogue).
Artificer isn't dead, just isn't in the new PHB. You can still play an Artificer under the 2024 rules. Also they have apparently said they are working on an update for the class, but didn't hint at what future product we'll see it in.
I can already see the common homebrew rule with something to the affect of: All starter feats from backgrounds are interchangeable, I feel like just making them a list to pick from or something may have been better but, regardless I imagine the starter feats will feel less impactful or cool after tables get a campaign or two in being that there's so little variance. I can see third party lists of more starter feats being an early popular supplement after this all comes into play. Also! Mike! You have a shield! you obtained one late and forgot lol
Thanks for making this, ive been looking for the weapon mastery chart to see what weapons have what mastery, but everything I've found before this only tells me what the masteries do 28:37 for anyone else in the same boat
While I can see a certain logic starting with the class first, since that feature set is really what most players want, it's still ass-backwards. As Mike showed, Species and Background both provide features that may change class choices (e.g. class skills, cantrips), AND lock down certain options. This forces re-writing and re-conceptualizing in the middle, and could get silly (e.g. Background provided a Skill already chosen, so go back and change that, and Species provided a cantrip he wanted and might have written down, so go back and change that, and pick a new one). And then, Hey, you picked human, so go flounder around for another skill and feat, both chosen to optimize your profession! (Okay, maybe that one makes sense in that order.) Worst, it's counter-intuitive. The normal intelligent creature is first born (Species), grows up (Background), then enters a profession (Class). Except in D&D 2024, where a nebulous entity has a profession, then a foundation is built sort of around and under it, and lots of erasing happens, because Background and Species features change how we think about the class features. I know what they were going for, with the goal of making it more newbie friendly, and I think they missed the mark.
Their eye rays don't work in their own antimagic cone, so fog cloud would still serve its purpose there in preventing the beholder from using its eye rays.
@@deffdefying4803 Yes, it would suppress a section of the fog cloud intersected by the antimagic cone. That section of the fog cloud that would be suppressed would also be an area that the beholder cannot use its eye rays in. So presuming the party is sheltering in the fog cloud, even with its antimagic cone, the beholder either cannot see the party (and therefore cannot target them with its eye rays), or it can see them after suppressing an area of the fog cloud with its antimagic cone, but still cannot use its eye rays in the suppressed area. Hence, Mike Shea's comment about fog cloud being good against beholders still holds entirely true.
I find it interesting that it no longer spells out that you can get DM permission to learn a rare language at creation. I’m sure many players/DMs will just ignore this and pick whatever languages, but it does seem to imply that rare languages should be a barrier in game
You're GOING to use D&D Beyond. Why do they need to put a character sheet in the book? Maybe a chapter in the DMG will be about adding content to D&D Beyond or using their VTT? Because you're GOING TO USE their digital tool set!
What happens if you get the same Tool or Skill Proficiency? Sometimes you can change it (like you did in the Class) but sometimes you cannt (like the Herbalism Tools). In the 2014 Edition you can just take another proficiency instead .. is that no longer the rule? Also your elf don't know Elvish :P
I love your videos mike, your points of view are excellent. But this video is impossible to watch when I keep getting hit with 30 second Ads. You DnD talk show videos don't have midroll Ads. Please consider at least regulating the Ads in this video. Thank you.
Mike wasted an entire week fighting Hasbro legal officers to even be allowed to release the video. I can forgive him for monetizing this otherwise free advertisement for the 2024 PHB 😅
Is there a community poll somewhere about the druids and metal armor thing? I’m curious how that would go. I always felt like the conflict about metal armor was basically character building vs. optimizing. Do people who care about character and story also dislike the metal armor thing?
My explanation to my Druid players was that metal was fundamentally changed and wrought by human hands and so it prevented their wildshape abilities. You could also take the view that the spirit of the earth was tortured to make metal, so wearing it, the Druid could always hear the earth spirit screaming in eternal agony having been burned and then trapped in a new crystalline prison. But either of those presupposes things about the beliefs of Druid cultures and setting details that DMs might not want to think about. So they just said, "It's taboo to wear metal armor," and let everyone wonder why and what happens when they violate that taboo.
You raise an interesting question: Can you use the Weapon Mastery property of the q-staff when using it as a shillelagh? I would rule yes at my table but what do others think.
I don't like how the skills are clumped with the predetermined ability scores on the new character sheet. I like when skills just say proficiency and you choose the appropriate ability during play.
In fairness, they all had presumed abilities they were used with in the 2014 rules as well, they just weren't listed with that score on most sheets I've seen. However, the DM has always had the option to make you roll, say, Sleight of Hand with Constitution, if there was some reason to do so.
@@JackOfHearts42 Exactly. I haven't seen the new book, either, but the 2014 rules expressly saying the DM could choose an alternate ability as they saw fit is what I was pointing out. I would assume the new rules will also, possibly in the DMG if it isn't already in the PHB.
They REALLY need to let you have way more cantrips. You shouldn't have to choose which spells you'll take between fun and "well, I need that one, though." That just so stupid. All the "fun" ones should be class features, not cantrips.
