I have compiled some of my own feedback and suggestions for you to gaze upon. I will first state what I am reviewing, then proceed to tell you my view, followed at times by 5e rules and how it fits. This game may very well be the first time anyone has jumped into a D&D setting and they are getting over whelmed and confused.

1. Ranger beastmaster - currently your using the same animals for beastmaster and familairs. This is per the rules incorrect, it maybe a place holder atm still it's incorrect. Familairs are non combat animals that can be used for scouting for the most part. Animal companions are combat animals that grow alongside their rangers. In 5e the rules make this subclass useless. Having to sacrifice your own actions to attack with the pet. I personally house rule it as a seperate party member, to bring the animal companion alive, and make them useful.

2. Racial Cantrips = The dancing lights seems a place holder to me it's in a couple different racial cantrips, much the other being thaumaturgy. I posted about the drow and why I feel it's need to be changed and why. The same goes for the others, many of the races in 5e with an extra 'cantrip' type thing utilize up to a level 2 spell, with set amount of uses. These 'cantrips' fit in with the flavor of the Race. Currently the cantrips really don't fit the race, drow have no need or use for dancing lights to use drow as an example.

3. Tutorial/ship = If this is a tutorial area it needs to be fleshed out, explaining many of the games mechanics. Currently it is simply the basics that are familair to every rpg fan, such as movement, camera control. There is no explanation on how concentration works (only able to focus on one con spell at a time. more with certain items etc.) Nor does it explain how to active something like Witchbolts every round activation. Some explanation is needed to discribe the way your using difficulty and boosts from skills. Ie. A perception check all we see is the number rolled on the dice, from my view it seems your putting the boosts, or negatives from skills into the difficulty of the roll. A starting difficulty of 15 is lowered to 10 if you have a skill of +5, if so this is confusing for people in the game.

4. Buttons/inventory/toolbars = Many of the buttons for instance the way you go individual inventories vs what you have in everyones inventory is far to small. The toolbars for your 'hot items' gets stuck in battle and the buttons to shrink it or enlarge it are to small. I'm unsure what several of the buttons do do to their size.

5. Alt key = Unsure if this is a bug, or is working as intended, yet it is only showing certain items. Bodies, etc. Things like plates, clams, barbed container (pretty much junk that gives 1 gp and has weight) are not showing up. I can see to reduce clutter on screen, or make someone look around yet I personally like to snag everything even if it's just to examine them then toss them away.

6. Cut scenes involving movement = several of the cut scenes show you approaching an item, or person yet when it ends your in the exact spot you started from. Unsure if bug, or intended, or if it's a code thing. This has me shaking my head do to me not knowing why. Yet if possible it would be nice to end up where your at on the cutscene.

7. Companions = OMG the moment La'ezol opened her mouth she earned the nickname Bitchy Wench! I love to hate her, and hate to love her. Great job. Not only on her but the others as well, they actually feel different, and so far eachs actions reflect their personality.

8. Us = If I saved him and he doesn't show up in my camp I will bloody cry!!! My favorite character so far. Cause I'm wierd like that.

9. Witchbolt and other activation spells = The per round activiation for this is buried in your hot bar along with potions scrolls etc. It's far to easy to lose expecailly for ones like me who pile scrolls onto their wizards. I feel it should be more prevalent perhaps like the round click it pops up somewhere near there large enough to attract attention, or have a brief tutorial stating this is where you reactive a spell per round. Currently I find myself having to dig, and search.

10. Story so far = The moment Chosen showed up in dailogue my desire to continue playing died a litt...okay it nearly killed me. I didn't uninstall hoping that it's not going to be the typical only you can do this yada yada. It's to over done. What happened to normal people doing extradonary things (sorry I can't spell) which is the basis of D&D. Your a normal person that evolves into a powerful force. NOT this prophecy states that a child will be born to rule the galaxy. This is a pet peeve of mine, I know probably to late to change it, and I may be in the minority. Just food for thought.

11. Dual wielding = Is currently broken any one handed weapon can be dual wielded per 5e rules. Atm daggers, and short swords seem to be the only ones capable of this. The off hand is automatic in game (not 100% on this) yet in 5e it would use your bonus action. (could just be code issue). This is fine with me, what isn't fine is I can only dual wield daggers, and short swords I've noticed. I can't dual a longsword or dagger, a Rapier and dagger, a battle axe and dagger. It's just dagger dagger, shortsword dagger, shortsword shortsword. (May be on the to do list.)

12. CG and cutscenes = Needs work on some can tell your working on it. Those that are complete are looking really good, and the transition is rather nice, not an eye sore. What does bother me is listed below


A. = Gale if your playing a female says the exact same thing as if your playing a male. Yet he goes out of his way deliver a flirting remark to Shadowheart, what my female is chopped liver!! Seriously though his character feels to be a flirty type from his interchange with Shadowheart.

B. = The cutscene with Fang Elf (Al, or whatever his name is. I like him just forget his names spelling) where is the other (usually Shadowheart is with you) member of your party? Like seriously Miss I'm the only important one (Shadowheart) is the completely missing. A cry of watch out, or even having her come to your aid, an interchange between Fang boy (Al) would be nice. Maybe Al tells her 'Back off" or something short and sweet. Right now it is immersion breaking to me.

13. Writing = The writing is rather good you can tell each line is so far flowing naturally with a few minor things that have been listed by others. I'm enjoying it immensely and can almost feel how each character is saying things that the character would without it coming off as forced, or incoherent.

14. Attacking a thrall upon the ship. Here I'm not a 100% sure about why it happens. So you attack a thrall on the ship just after the cutscene where the dragon breaks off the front. Everything attacks you so far so good I can see this. Yet in the drained cleric room, just after you see the imprisoned Shadowheart there is another intellect devourer that attacks you. Maybe he was psionically connected to the other one you kill b4 Shadowhearts room. Yet if you don't attack the thralls it leaves you alone. Unsure why this is, yet to me it feels kinda iffy.

15. Super awareness of AI = See above for explanation. Unsure if there are other moments like above, it could be code, or whatever again I'm unsure as to the why. What I do know is it is mind boggling to me how something half way across a map knows you attack and murdered all of it's buddies, when ALL of them where killed. No witnesses, total massacre and yet JoJo the goblin/druid/whatever knows you did it. If there is a reason for it, okay cool. If there is not please just don't make it like this.

16 = All the containers = I like these it adds more tactical feel to the play, if it's tastefully done. Tastefully done as in if they make sense to be there, not just to add another tactical option when in truth it makes no sense for them to be there. Odd chemicals on an Illithid ship, okay cool I can see it. Barrels of oil in random places in the middle of a ruin.... ..... ..... why by Lloth are they there? is it by the adventuring party? Why are the carrying around that much lamp oil? They plan on staying a year in there? Why'd they pay that much for it when they'll probably have to leave it behind?

17. Familairs = I am sure it will be changed, yet currently I'm not a fan of the choices. Most seem more geared towards neutral or good characters, not towards evil aligned characters. Not played much with them so thats my only view.

18. Game balance = So far I've only gotten through to the Druid Grove, do to me creating different characters and builds. Trying out different approaches to each fight/scene etc. With all my parties I'm not really challenged. The closest I came to a party wipe is my wizard falling repeatedly in the halfling fight, when I had a party of Warlock, Shadowheart, Fang Elf, and Gale the flirt. I know it's on normal and your watching statistics that are reported to you. Also know others are struggling. (put the last two in to explain to others that yes I understand) just feedback.

Thank you for reading this, any questions feel free to contact me vie forum mail, or my email (which I don't check all that much). So far I am really enjoying the game would love it but CHOSEN.

sincerely yours

Clavis Darkheart (not shadowheart but darkheart, born long before Shadowheart came into being.)