Was torn between necroing a thread that had it's last post in May or starting a new one...decided to start a new thread since that topic had to do with comparing 2e to 5e whereas I wanted to get thoughts from the community about how 5e mechanics translate in a computer game.
Personally, my opinion of 5e is it's the closest thing to 1st / 2nd ed AD&D we've seen, which is a good thing IMO. The power levels for both characters and magic items in 3.x was ridiculous (at least in the video game adaptations) and I never experience 4e in any way, though heard it was atrocious from an RP standpoint and much more focused on tactical / grid based combat simulation. For the first time in more than 20 years I've been playing P&P, running a game at work every other week as DM and I'm loving the 5e rules. Balance can be a dangerous word, and I don't mean to make it seem that the classes in 5e are 'balanced' since full caster based classes are still leaps and bounds ahead of melee at mid-high level. However, I do feel 5e has bridged the gap in two important ways. First, at lower levels through the mid levels the various caster classes have a slow, but consistent climb toward overtaking melee and, second the ability to use short/long rests within a given time period allows for an important aspect to come in to play with regard to resource management.
Regarding the power increase/leveling process, 5e uses very low 'caps' such as proficiency starting at +2 and only going up to +6, vs. THACO starting at 20 and (for fighters) going in to the negatives and worse, in 3.x having attack bonuses skyrocket, especially with +8 magic weapons and spells. This means that a level 20 Fighter is not that much more skilled than a first level fighter... Many more HP, probably some pretty sweet magic items (the best being +3 enchantment!) and also some special abilities based on what subclass they took (Eldritch Knight, Champion, or Battle Master, if only using the PHB). Meanwhile, the cap on ability score increases at 20 and the limited feats available, while quite good, do nowhere near the insane increases feats from 3.x could accomplish.
Meanwhile, as full casters level, some very good spells become available, but there are some very important differences. First, Concentration rules mean that in most cases one caster can only have one buff available at a time. There are a few notable exceptions such as Mirror Image which doesn't require concentration, but the VAST majority of buff spells do. And any hit requiring a save to avoid losing a concentration spell means that Clerics/Wizards/etc. are much better served applying the buff to the party Fighter/Rogue and staying back out of harms way so the buff doesn't prematurely end. This edition has done a fantastic job of allowing the melee warriors to be the best warriors again... No more Clerics and Wizards being able to buff to god-hood and out fight the fighter. I lament the inability to build an effective/strong Fighter/Mage/Thief type (my favorite 2e class, alongside Ranger), but the Valor Bard does a good approximation, and you could always take 1-3 levels of Rogue if you really wanted to. So, again I'll say, casters do become powerful at the mid/higher levels and probably outshine the melee classes a bit with their ability to buff/control/and lay down fiery death, but they don't lose the NEED for their melee counterparts which is a great feature IMO.
In a video game, resting has always been a point of contention, from the ability in BG to take a shot at resting in the middle of a dungeon hallway to the NWN 5 second 'take-a-knee' so long as no enemy is within a certain radius. The 'short rest' feature, IMO allows for some interesting rules that could be in place for a video game, such as only allowing a long rest once every 24 hour time period (or perhaps only allowing a long rest after 14 hours of 'awake time') and perhaps allowing 2-4 short rests during that period between long rests. IMO an interesting path to bringing some ability to heal up, recharge some abilities and continue adventuring while discouraging or perhaps even disallowing long rests in unsafe locations.
Some other thoughts about 5e and the next potential video game from Beamdog...
Even more than in previous editions, I believe a true adaptation of 5e to a video game is better served by turn based combat in the vein of TOEE vs. the RTwP setup in the infinity engine games, though I imagine that (assuming the new game will still be infinity engine) there are probably difficulties converting it to a true turn based system, and that may not be what the fan base of Beamdog wants, bye-and-large. In a previous thread
@Dee and
@JuliusBorisov among others discussed the issue with Bardic Inspirations and how that would work in a video game for instance, and turn based would definitely make this easier for the player to use. However, there are certainly changes that could be implemented which would allow for the RTwP functionality, although they would be 'home-brewed' for adaptation to a video game, which is nothing new when converting D&D to a CRPG.
The way the system of 5e is set up will allow for any subsequent adventures, be they DLC or a true 2nd game in the series to require less power creep. Since magic is so much less over the top, it is not unrealistic for level 1-5 to consist of getting maybe 1 or 2 +1 weapons, possibly an armor or a couple other low end magic items and some potions for a party of adventurers... By level 10 it would not be unbelievable for the party to be split with some still using +1 and others having collected +2, but still not having magic in every slot.... +3 is the uber/epic high end, near artifact stuff, with only very special items (such as intelligent weapons, holy avengers, etc.) going above. This would allow for a 'BG1' type of game to take a party 1-10 and in subsequent adventures still have lots of room to go up to 20 with a much better feeling of joy as you get the higher end items without it becoming out of control where items are more responsible for a characters power than the class/racial abilities and levels.
Sorry for the wall of text, excited about the possibility of a 5e based CRPG...
![:smiley:]( ":smiley:")
What are some of your thoughts about the potential for a brand new offering from Beamdog?
What are some of your thoughts about the potential for a brand new offering from Beamdog?
