How do you feel about the future of D&D after the official announcements?

migo · Jan 16, 2012

77IM said:
It's like Wizards read my mind.

The problem they are trying to tackle -- D&D's broad fan base with greatly differing preferences -- is something I've been saying for years. And their stated approach -- a game with simple core rules, and modular add-ons to suit each group -- is something I've wanted for years.

I'm not trying to toot my own horn (it's not like I have any evidence to back this up) -- just trying to express how extremely excited I am about this new edition.

-- 77IM

I believe you, because I've wanted something similar for a long time as well. And the thing is, the specifics we want are probably not the same, but that's the beauty of a modular system.

It also lets them release the financial equivalent of splat books, which I'm sure will keep the bean counters happy.

migo · Jan 16, 2012

cyderak said:
Put me down for Negative.........

5th edition D&D is just Wizards of the Coast in panic-mode in light of Paizo's SMASH HIT Pathfinder RPG blowing D&D out of the water in sales the last couple of months.

Leaving D&D 5th edition up to the players is one of the most historically stupid marketing moves they could have made.

Mostly because of the fact that the 4th edition players are the most aware of the move being that their edition of D&D is being shelved.

So they will be the players giving the most feedback. Thus making 5th edition probably a 4th edition clone.

Put you down for pessimist. 4e players don't like everything about 4e, it's just in balancing out the pros and cons of the various options, they prefer 4e. And I do too, it has things that really suck, but 3.5 has even more things that suck about it (and that Pathfinder doesn't fix one bit - unsurprising, it's designed for the people who like that kind of suck).

Sylrae · Jan 16, 2012

Positive: "Cautiously Optimistic"

I think pleasing the fans of 4e while pleasing the fans of 1 and 2 and 3 is a tall order.

But if it can be done, it will have to be with a rules lite core, and modular supplements.

Whether the rules lite core will be good enough for the modular addons to matter? I can hope. Whether the modular addons will add to the core, the elements I would want? That's also yet to be seen; and whether it will try to force me to use the elements I didn't like from one edition or another is also yet to be seen.

If they can pull it off, I'll definitely buy it. But its certainly going to be a difficult task.

I wish them luck.

TheCelric · Jan 16, 2012

I'm happy to support the new system, like I was happy to support 4th, 3.5, and second edition. Forward ho!

There were things that I disliked about 4E, but I found that they were far fewer than I liked about it, and I generally remember feeling the same way about 3E.

If WOTC REALLY wanted to make me happy, they would support more settings with content and adventures (like Pathfinder does). I'm not talking lair assaults or game-day stuff, or even tourney play or living adventures (unless those are maybe released on PDF later for a small fee). I'm talking about adventure paths. 1st to whatever. Regional flavor. Fantastic settings and dialog and all. The folks developing this game are gaming geniuses and need to also turn some of that toward playing around the table. The old days were rife with adventures on my local waldenbooks gaming shelf - and I long to see that again.

DMZ2112 · Jan 16, 2012

I can't not be positive; D&D has been a part of my life for 26 years, and D&D4 was a disappointment almost across the board. The revelation that there would be no more Dungeons & Dragons for me for at least four years destroyed my interest in roleplaying. What comes next almost has to be better.

Unfortunately, a redesign of the rules will do nothing to resolve the still-present underlying corporate reasons for D&D4, which evokes strong mental images of flimsy self-adhesive bandages.

I have hope that D&D5 will be a better game at its core -- fundamentally, all that would take is the elimination of the exceptions-based system -- but I have little faith that it won't still be a splatbook-ridden cash grab, which never ends well.

Nevertheless, as a long-standing fan, I will be watching closely and with bated breath.

Vyvyan Basterd · Jan 16, 2012

TheCelric said:
I'm not talking lair assaults or game-day stuff, or even tourney play or living adventures (unless those are maybe released on PDF later for a small fee).

4E's Living Forgotten Realms adventures are available for free in PDF format at the campaign website: LFR Adventures

Argyle King · Jan 16, 2012

I'm not sure. I voted Neutral, but I guess the more complex answer would be that I bounce back and forth between mild excitement and apathy. It's not a negative apathy though; I simply feel WoTC has their work cut out for them to win me back as a customer. Likewise, the idea of a modular system has to compete with another system which I discovered and highly enjoy.

I am ready to move beyond 4th Edition; so, on that note, I was excited when 5E was announced. This isn't a crack toward 4th; I have had a few good times with it, and I will continue to run my current campaign until completion. My apathy springs from having another game that isn't D&D which I highly enjoy and have fallen in love with currently holding my attention. I'm interested in seeing how 5E turns out, but I'm not going to blindly jump into a new D&D like I may have before. I'm at a point now where I have other options I'm happy with, so WoTC and the D&D brand now has to compete with those options.

cyderak · Jan 16, 2012

migo said:
Put you down for pessimist. 4e players don't like everything about 4e, it's just in balancing out the pros and cons of the various options, they prefer 4e. And I do too, it has things that really suck, but 3.5 has even more things that suck about it (and that Pathfinder doesn't fix one bit - unsurprising, it's designed for the people who like that kind of suck).

Yeah 4th edition did have alot that sucked........ALOT that sucked!!.......I mean ALOT!........like the whole thing....... Just saying......