There’s a new Legends and Lore column out. I don’t normally read this, but someone posted about this one on theRPGsite. So i went out and read it. I wish I had not as it makes it yet more clear that the longer the 5e play test goes on, the less 5e is looking like a game I would want to play. Based on their latest feedback, they are making some changes:

* People object to rogues being less powerful in combat, so they are going to turn them back into a more combat-oriented class (like 3e and 4e). This was apparently a litmus test for having classes that are not all about equal in combat, so it looks like all 5e classes we be great in combat. Not what I want to see as I like have some classes great in combat, some classes so-so in combat, and some classes who really need to avoid combat.

* The are moving further away from Vancian magic as the base magic system. At-will spells will now be allowed to increase in power with caster level. Characters will be allowed to prepare a number of spells for each spell level they know and cast any one of those prepared spells for a spell slot of the appropriate level. Spells prepared are not forgotten when cast.

* Worst of all, they seem to be backing further away from a modular design as Mearls says they will soon begin “to break up the core rules into basic, standard, and advanced sections so you can begin to get a sense of how we look at the rules and the game’s core complexity.” That’s not modular, at least not in my book. What I wanted (and was promised at the beginning of the 5e design process) was a simple set of core rules that I can then add rules modules of my choice to. This sounds like a basic set of rules and two sets of preselected and combined modules of more complex rules. I suppose they could do this like I do Microlite74’s Basic, Standard, and Expanded rules and then have longs of optional modules on top of those, but that doesn’t sound like what they intend.

The chances that I will buy a copy of 5e (let alone convert my campaigns to it and run it every week) continue to drop. What is your take on the direction 5e seems to be moving. Is it headed in a direction you like?