NEXT rule changes

changelog
11/24 -- original post
11/30 -- double action, loading property, reloading is now a bonus action for everyone


Actions

Throwing an alchemical item, grenade (technically redundant), or similar object as an attack is a Use an Item action (not an untyped action as original). This means that Thief spec rogues can use their Fast Hands ability to throw a grenade as a bonus action.

The same is true of most use of magic items; Thief rogues can use them as a bonus action if they have Fast Hands, though they need UMD to activate most magic items due to class restrictions.

Most light armor can be doffed in one action, and can be donned in one action as well assuming the armor is at hand. This is a Use an Item action (Fast Hands, et cetera).

Ranged attacks are at disadvantage at any time they are within reach of a hostile melee attack (not just within 5ft).


Classes

Multiclassing is not a rule. If you're really unhappy with your class choices, come talk to me and we'll see what we can do. This is primarily due to sorclock and sorcadin, but it's also because you can royally fuck your character with multiclassing and we might not realize how screwed you are until much later on. In general, only sorclock would want to multiclass anyway so I don't see the point in keeping it as an option.

Many classes -- Fighting Style: All fighting styles are available to all classes with the feature. You can now TWF with a paladin (it's pretty decent!) or use a shield as a ranger. Enjoy!

Many classes -- Fighting Style (Protection): In addition to the listed ability, Protection can also be used if the (fighter, paladin, ranger) is within 5 feet of the attacker, even if the target is not (you attempt to intercept the attack at its origin). This ability can be used against any attack that requires an attack roll, including spells and magic items.

Barbarian (Wolf Totem) -- Totem Spirit: If you're wielding a reach weapon that your character is proficient with (and barbarians have all weapon proficiencies), this ability grants its benefits against all enemies within your weapon's reach.

Cleric (Light) -- Corona of Light: Enemies affected by this ability who have light sensitivity suffer the penalties for light sensitivity, even if they are wearing eye protection. The goggles indeed do nothing.

Cleric (Tempest) -- Divine Strike: What the fuck is thunder damage? This does lightning damage. Alternatively, Thunderbolt Strike works with thunder damage. I don't know. What the fuck is thunder damage?

Cleric (War): Does anyone else feel like this class should get Extra Attacks? If you guys think it should, pick whether it should have Extra Attacks, Divine Strike, War God's Blessing, or Guided Strike (pick three).

Druid: Unlike other classes, Druids cannot use firearms at all unless they gain proficiency somehow (to clarify, non-druids simply don't add their proficiency bonus if they attack with a non-proficient weapon). If a druid gains proficiency with firearms (via feat, race, or background), he can use them normally. Druids cannot gain proficiency with any metalworking artisan tools (blacksmithing or engineering), even via feats or backgrounds.

Fighter: The fighter gains two saving throw proficiencies of choice from the following three: Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution. This replaces the fighter's normal saving throw proficiencies.

Fighter (Champion): I'm absolutely open to suggestions for this spec. If you'd like to play a Champion and there's something you'd like to see improved, please let me know. Right now, Champion is just weak compared to Battle Master and serves no practical value in a party over other martial combatants.

Fighter (Battle Master) -- Know Your Enemy: The Battle Master may use this ability in combat without studying an opponent (does not use an action) once per short rest. He may only use it on his turn.

Fighter (Battle Master) -- Feinting Attack: You may instead create an opening for an ally, giving the ally advantage on his next attack and adding your superiority die to his damage. If you're armed with a melee reach weapon, the reach of this feint is the reach of your weapon instead of 5ft.

Fighter (Battle Master) -- Rally: You may rally yourself.

Fighter (Eldritch Knight) -- Eldritch Strike: You may instead use this ability to gain advantage on your next attack roll with a spell. You may not use both functions of this ability on the same spell and you must choose which one you want before you roll to hit.

Monk: The monk's starting weapon proficiencies do not include the light rifle/light long gun/light crossbow proficiency. Sorry, monks are already pretty strong dude

Monk -- Unarmored Defense: The monk may wield a melee weapon to get the AC bonus, as outlined in the Weapons section or Dual Wielding feat (although why the hell would you get Dual Wielding as a monk?) without losing his Unarmored Defense bonus. The monk may not attack with any weapon he's using to parry, or he loses the bonus for that round. Because monks are awesome, the AC bonus from this applies to ranged attacks if the monk is wielding a monk weapon. Yes, monks can parry bullets with numchucks.

Monk -- Deflect Missiles: The monk cannot retaliate with a bullet fired at him by spending a ki point. However, you can still catch a fucking bullet in your fingers. Or your teeth. Or with chopsticks.

Monk -- Timeless Body: A monk who obtains this ability also multiplies his natural lifespan by 1d4+2 times. The monk still visibly ages as well, though much slower.

Monk (Open Hand) -- Open Hand Technique: The monk can use this on any unarmed strike he makes if he expends his bonus action and ki point to use Flurry of Blows ahead of time. The monk needs to be in range to make an unarmed attack, declare his attack and that he is going to use Flurry of Blows this turn, spend his ki point and bonus action, and then roll to hit with his first attack.

Monk (Shadow) -- Opportunist: If you are wielding a melee weapon with reach, your range with this ability is equal to your weapon's reach.

Paladin -- Divine Sense: This can detect ongoing profane/evil magic as well, such as Protection From Good. The paladin's uses of Divine Sense recharge after a short rest.

Paladin -- Divine Smite: If you are interested in playing a paladin, please give me a good argument for why you should be able to use this with ranged weapons (you can't normally). I will be receptive. You won't be able to use this with ranged spells even if it works with ranged weapons (due to one particularly abusive interaction).

Paladin -- Improved Divine Smite: If you hit a fiend or undead and you do not spend a spell slot, you deal an extra d8 (2d8 total). If you do spend a spell slot, you deal Xd8 + 2d8 (where X is the spell slot's level) in addition to weapon damage.

Paladin (Devotion) -- Holy Nimbus: Enemies that take damage from this affect who have light sensitivity are subjected to the penalties for light sensitivity, even if they are wearing eye protection.

Paladin (Ancients) -- Undying Sentinel: At level 20, the paladin is functionally immortal and doesn't age as long as he continues to follow his oath. If he retires, he will age, but it will be extremely slow and he still won't suffer age penalties. Unlike the monk, the paladin will not visibly age after level 20 unless he retires or otherwise abandons his oath.

Ranger -- Natural Explorer: You may choose urban terrain and parkour it the fuck up. If you choose urban terrain, it allows you to forage for food in an urban environment as long as you don't mind dumpster diving. You get the normal amount of food from foraging rather than double (other characters cannot do this at all) and the DC is appropriate for the size of the town.

Ranger -- Primeval Awareness: This also allows the ranger to detect his favored enemies, and it tells you the types of creatures you detect (but nothing else).

Ranger -- Land's Stride: This works in urban difficult terrain.

Ranger -- Hide in Plain Sight: Lots of changes. Holy shit this ability is bad.
- You lose the bonus if you move, and get it back if you're stationary for 1 minute or if you roll above 20 on your stealth check.
- In an urban environment, you only need to be wearing appropriate clothes to gain the bonus.
- You lose the bonus if you leave the terrain for which your disguise is appropriate, but not if you move.

Ranger -- Foe Slayer: This applies to all attacks the ranger makes against favored enemies, and applies to both attack and damage rolls (you don't have to choose).

Ranger (Hunter) -- Horde Breaker: If you use a shotgun (loaded with shot), the second attack does not expend ammunition.

Ranger (Hunter) -- Volley: If you use a shotgun (loaded with shot), you only expend one shell while using this attack.

Ranger (Beast Master) -- Ranger's Companion: Lots of buffs.
- If you're mounted on your companion, it follows either the mount rules or the companion rules, whichever is more beneficial to you (or it).
- Your companion's hit points equal your hit points (including feats), but with its CON modifier instead of yours OR its normal maximum hit points, whichever is better.

Ranger (Beast Master) -- Exceptional Training: You can use your bonus action to command your pet to attack. Hoo boy.

Feats

Crossbow Expert is removed, and replaced with Firearm Expert:
- You ignore the Loading quality of firearms (you must still reload if your weapon is empty).
- You aren't at disadvantage when within melee range of an enemy while using firearms.
- While using a shotgun (loaded with shot) at 10ft or closer, increase the damage dice by one step (from d4 to d6, d6 to d8, or d8 to d10). You still use the shotgun's bonus dice feature.
- You are proficient when using a firearm as a melee weapon, as long as you are proficient with that firearm. If you are granted an opportunity attack, you can fire your weapon instead of striking with it.

You get the AC bonus from Dual Wielder while wielding two weapons as long as one is a melee weapon. The AC bonus from this feat only applies to melee attacks. You can use Dual Wielder to dual wield any firearm (or a firearm and a one-handed weapon) that can be used one-handed.

The advantage on checks from Dungeon Delver applies to other related investigation and perception checks, such as finding hidden switches, drawers, secret compartments, and other similarly hidden objects. It doesn't apply to questioning type investigations or perception to notice creatures.

Healer increases your Wisdom score by 1, to a maximum of 20.

Inspiring Leader doesn't take 10 minutes, but it can't be done quickly. Estimate an average of 5 minutes, but can take longer or shorter depending on the morale of the characters you're inspiring.

Keen Mind's memory is better than listed; the memory recall is only limited to one month if the player himself forgets. If the player remembers what he intends to recall, anything can be recalled.

Mage Slayer allows you to use the benefits of the feat as long as the spellcaster is within the reach of your weapon. If you are wielding a firearm and have the Firearm Expert feat, you may use the effects of Mage Slayer (including the reaction) on spellcasters within 10 feet as long as at least one of the guns you are wielding is loaded (and always applies within 5ft, since you're armed with a melee weapon).

If you have the Firearm Expert feat and the Mobile feat and fire on an enemy within 10 feet of you, you do not provoke opportunity attacks for the rest of the turn from that enemy, whether you hit or not.

If you have the Mounted Combatant feat, you gain advantage on melee weapon attacks while in a vehicle, as long as the target is an unmounted creature smaller than the vehicle. You may also take attacks intended for the vehicle, even if you're not the one driving.

The Polearm Combatant feat applies to any polearm, including lance, pike, and any other polearm I happen to add to the game. The bonus haft attack must strike a target within 5ft; it does not benefit from the Reach feature of the polearm, and can't be made with a lance.

Sentinel and Mobile feat interactions: Mobile beats Sentinel.

You cannot use an off-hand weapon as a shield for the Shield Master feat.

You must have a free hand to start a grapple with the Tavern Brawler feat.

Firearms

Most crossbows in NEXT are replaced by firearms. There is a larger variety of firearms compared to the crossbow options available. Proficencies are changed in the following manner:

*Light crossbow becomes light rifle (technically, light long gun). This includes pistol caliber rifles (usually .45 Lhomme) and light shotguns (usually .64 caliber).

*Heavy crossbow becomes (all) long guns (including light rifles if the class originally lacked proficiency with light crossbow, although I don't think there are any instances where this is the case). This includes any gun where the forend is supported by the off hand. If both hands are on the grip, or if one hand is free, it is a pistol, even if the gun is fired from the shoulder. This proficiency also applies to all two-handed crossbows (light crossbow does not, it now only applies to light long guns).

*Hand crossbow becomes pistol. This includes some very short shotguns, most revolvers, and some shoulder-fired guns that are intended to be fired with both hands on the grip.

Single action revolvers, bolt action rifles, lever action guns, and pump action shotguns all have the Loading property and take the user's once per turn "use an item" free action to ready a new cartridge to be fired. This generally means only one or two shots per round can be fired, regardless of the user's number of attacks. Self-loading guns do not have this problem and can be fired until the weapon's magazine is expended.

Reloading a gun is an action or a bonus action (character's choice). This applies whether the gun has a swing-out cylinder and is loaded by moon clips, or uses a loading gate and must be loaded (and shells ejected!) one round at a time, or whether it has a feed tube that must be unscrewed and loaded at the muzzle end. It doesn't matter; all reload in one action. Reloading a crossbow is also an action or bonus action (it's pretty time consuming).

For more information on what types of gun are available, see the new equipment post.


Proficiencies

Vehicle (NEW): This is three new proficiencies; Land (for motor vehicles), Water (for all watercraft), and Air (for airships). Animal Handling is the skill used for riding live mounts, whether land, air, or water.

Arcana: This includes knowledge about most "paranormal" type monsters, including undead, elementals, fey, celestials, fiends, et cetera.

Military (NEW): INT-based knowledge proficiency. Details in weapons, military strategies and modern military history. May include some ancient military history, but only relevant to weapons and strategies.


Resting

A short rest is now 8 hours. You don't need to sleep during this time, but you can't take any strenuous activity.

A long rest is 72 hours. At least 24 hours of this time must be continuous. The remainder must be used in periods that must exceed at least 8 hours. These 8 hour rest periods may not be used as short rests. In practice what this actually means is that you must take at least one day off to rest and recuperate, and may work normally and do normal stuff but not stress yourselves to get the benefit of a long rest. The "one day off" can be taken at any time. For resting purposes, any recreation that doesn't require too much strenuous activity can be counted for a long rest. If you want to take the day off and go to an amusement park, you can do that. If you want to pick up a hooker (or spend time with gf or something), you can do that. If you want to go the bar, get wasted, and then sleep it off, all the time counts (unless you make Investigation checks or something while you're at the bar). You can still make Knowledge type checks or even artisan checks as long as you don't make money or stress yourself. For instance, just hanging out with your band and jamming, or making some kind of art that is not a commission (it's something you want to make, not something you're doing for work), or cooking for your friends, team, significant other, or whatever. You can even make "improvements" on your weapons if they have no mechanical value, like improving the trigger or sights or whatever (there's no masterwork quality), if that's what you find relaxing.


Weapons

An off-hand melee weapon that is carried but not used to attack provides a +1 bonus to Armor Class against melee weapons only. This bonus is mutually exclusive with carrying a shield of any kind. If the character is using two melee weapons, either weapon may be used to attack, as long as one is held for parrying. Using TWF of any kind for bonus attacks forfeits the bonus to AC, even if the character holds two weapons, but uses one weapon and an unarmed strike such as a kick or headbutt. A character with multiple attacks via the Extra Attacks feature may interchange any attacks he wishes (including unarmed strikes), as long as he doesn't use his bonus action to make an extra TWF attack. This AC bonus is replaced by the bonus from the Dual Wielder feat.

Simple weapon proficiency includes light rifles. Martial weapon proficiency includes all firearms.

Loading property: This feature is a bit different. A gun with the Loading property has a manual action that must be cycled every time the gun is fired. This includes single action only revolvers, bolt action rifles, pump action shotguns, and lever action rifles or shotguns. The exact mechanic isn't important. Working the action on a firearm uses the user's free object interaction. This means that the user can fire a Loading firearm twice in a round (if he has the Extra Attacks ability) but will only be able to fire it once on the next round, and only after cycling the action with his free object interaction. A character doesn't necessarily need one hand free to work the action on a gun; if it's a two-handed gun, then both hands are needed but a one-handed gun does not.

A character can cycle the action on up to two firearms by using the Use an Object action (or bonus action if a Thief rogue, if desired), and these firearms don't have to be wielded, but the action must be available (for instance, cocking the hammer on a holstered revolver).

Most semiautomatic firearms must also be "cocked" prior to use.

DA property: The firearm can be operated without being cocked, but imposes disadvantage on the attack roll. If the firearm does not also have the Loading property, the firearm becomes cocked after the first shot and does not need to be readied again.