Crafting Update (new formulas fully applied!); Bards!

Crafting 0.4.2

So, first of all, crafting. Not going to look like much compared to 0.4.1, but 0.4.2 is dozens of hours further along - its just the vast majority of that was data entry and plugging numbers into formulas and tweaking things - every recipe for every branch has now be recompiled in the back end system, and almost all of them have been slightly tweaked for greater consistency and according to feedback.

https://www.gmbinder.com/share/-MW1NwIyuvXpY0gGWDci

I apologize updates have been a little slow while this has been going on, but its a big step to better tools that'll help me tweak and balance, and eventually that I can share with you folks for a more automated system where it'll be easy to build your own items (or just use the google sheets version for those proficient in that sort of thing who might find easier).

There was also a mini-update yesterday where I refactored gathering, so you can now gather somewhat more intentionally.

College of Thunder

This might be my bias showing, but I could only assume that when Bards got the power to innovate, they would be come far louder and more obnoxious. Amp your instruments up and rock the heavens with these new sounds your parents will hate:

https://www.gmbinder.com/share/-MWhH_zV5aAWEJTZEA9w

A much more aggressive and offensive take on Bards (... I said what I said and I'm standing by it), they are kited out with some of the new Thunder spells from another upcoming side project... more on that later.

College of Ardents

First of all, this is probably more based on the 4e Ardent than the 3.5 Ardent which will break some hearts, but the 3.5 Ardent was... quite weird, and just one of those things that doesn't translate to 5e super well, and represented some of the really weird side of Psionics, while the current take on Psionics in the compendium are a bit more modern. Still, this is one of those I've been working on a for quite awhile, though I this latest version overhauls some things... and likely will be overhauled more. I'm not super happy with a little bit of a hacky interaction between guidance/bless and the mantles - they are too good if they can stack, but I'm not yet sold on the current solution, though I'm just starting to test it.

https://www.gmbinder.com/share/-MWcQ4wj04V4z_Qg13IO

Next?

For those keeping track, we have Cleric and Ranger left. For those keeping good track, I did skip the Ranger in terms of order from the poll. I didn't intend to, but it's taking a bit longer, as Rangers are... tricky. Cleric will probably be next, but we might get Ranger and Cleric at the same time, as that will complete the subclass list.

At the end of the month a playtest packet will be put together with all of those (+the classes + crafting + maybe some bestiary stuff) and sent out the Kickstarter backers and you folks here on patreon. I'm currently trying to set up a better way to handle that scope of feedback. For the time  being, I'm happy to take feedback here, reddit, discord, or through email at kibblestasty@gmail.com - all of those work, and where a fair bit of it comes through. I'm seeing if there's a way to extend the more formalized system I use with my playtest groups to more folks as some people have asked about that, but right now its not a very scalable solution and I'm already struggling a little with orginization of feedback, so am going to need a much better solution before I ask 7000+ people for feedback...

This first playtest packet will be broad strokes - don't expect too much beyond what you've see, don't expect art, formatting, etc. This will be closer to UA, and isn't going through editor or anything fancy - there's a few reasons for that. One of them is that what will be in the compendium will be influenced by an upcoming Extended-Chosen-One poll by the Kickstarter backers, but I really wanted to get some version of all the potential things they can vote for in out as part of this packet so they aren't just voting on names, and once that's out, more polish can begin.

Also have been getting a lot of cool art and more is coming; I'll share out some of that soon.