What will happen to 4th edition?

vivsavage · Aug 27, 2014

Obviously 4e is done being developed, but do you think there is any chance of an errata'd edition being released sometime, even as pdfs? I don't know if WOTC is planning on continuing their release of 'classic' rules and supplements, so tis could be a moot question.

Jer · Aug 27, 2014

My prediction (FWIW) is that older 4e material will remain "in print" on dndclassics.com as long as their PDF strategy continues. I also suspect that right now they are keeping the core rule books for all of the AD&D derivatives (1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th and now 5th) of the game in actual print as books and will keep doing that as long as it is profitable - even with 4e. As far as an errata'd reprint goes though, I suspect not - it would be work for a game that isn't supported anymore and isn't old enough to be nostalgic for anyone. I don't see them putting in extra work for 4th edition beyond keeping the PDFs available for fans of that edition (much as they're doing for 1st, 2nd and 3rd edition to varying degrees at this point).

I do wonder if we won't see a clone of 4e from someone else at some point. It would be more difficult, since the core rules were never opened up. But that hasn't stopped the 1e, 2e and Basic/Expert clones from getting written so who knows?

Robyo · Aug 27, 2014

If WotC don't release something, then I'd be interested in a sensible 4e clone that utilizes all the errata and cuts down on some of the glut, like feats and redundant powers, but still being compatible with all the 4e stuff that is already available.

On a similar tangent, with Mike Mearls giving interviews left and right about 5e, I wish someone would ask him straight-up what WotC plan to do with the DDI tools... It sucks that 4e fans are left hanging while it was the DDI subscribers who really kept the company afloat while they were forging the 5e ruleset.

Honestly, how is their dismissive attitude any different from when WotC ignored the 3.5 fans when 4e was released? I'm not hating on 5e, but also not feeling WotC is giving the love to 4e, which is still a viable game.

Rygar · Aug 28, 2014

Robyo said:
If WotC don't release something, then I'd be interested in a sensible 4e clone that utilizes all the errata and cuts down on some of the glut, like feats and redundant powers, but still being compatible with all the 4e stuff that is already available.

On a similar tangent, with Mike Mearls giving interviews left and right about 5e, I wish someone would ask him straight-up what WotC plan to do with the DDI tools... It sucks that 4e fans are left hanging while it was the DDI subscribers who really kept the company afloat while they were forging the 5e ruleset.

Honestly, how is their dismissive attitude any different from when WotC ignored the 3.5 fans when 4e was released? I'm not hating on 5e, but also not feeling WotC is giving the love to 4e, which is still a viable game.

Kept the company afloat? DDI subscriptions are insignificant next to Mtg's revenues, and as I understand it, we have no idea how many people were subscribed.

All of that said, Mearls stated that as long as there's enough DDI subscribers they'll keep the tools up.

Evenglare · Aug 28, 2014

Rygar said:
Kept the company afloat? DDI subscriptions are insignificant next to Mtg's revenues, and as I understand it, we have no idea how many people were subscribed.

All of that said, Mearls stated that as long as there's enough DDI subscribers they'll keep the tools up.

I'm sure he means the D&D part of the company, they seem to be independently operated.

Scrivener of Doom · Aug 28, 2014

I wonder if, some time after 5E is released (MM and DMG are still to come, don't forget), we might see a brief resurgence of interest in 4E from a small section of the fanbase?

For all of its faults, both legitimate and perceived, 4E handled a lot of the balance problems of all the pre-4E editions, and the utterly boring combat of AD&D, both of which are back in what we have seen of 5E so far. Maybe there will be a mini-renaissance?

(Yeah, yeah; this is just wishful thinking on my part.

)

Jhaelen · Aug 28, 2014

vivsavage said:
Obviously 4e is done being developed, but do you think there is any chance of an errata'd edition being released sometime, even as pdfs? I don't know if WOTC is planning on continuing their release of 'classic' rules and supplements, so tis could be a moot question.

PDFs: extremely likely. In print: possibly. With errata: not bloody likely.

Rygar said:
Kept the company afloat? DDI subscriptions are insignificant next to Mtg's revenues, and as I understand it, we have no idea how many people were subscribed.

And that help's the D&D department how? They are completely separate from MtG. If the D&D department would no longer be able to cover its expenses it would be shut down, regardless how successful MtG is.

Jer · Aug 28, 2014

Scrivener of Doom said:
I wonder if, some time after 5E is released (MM and DMG are still to come, don't forget), we might see a brief resurgence of interest in 4E from a small section of the fanbase?

I think this will happen, but it won't be soon. It will be 10 years from now when the kids who were brought into the game on 4e are 20-somethings with nostaglic feelings for the "old way" of playing D&D that they had before 5th edition.

Scrivener of Doom said:
For all of its faults, both legitimate and perceived, 4E handled a lot of the balance problems of all the pre-4E editions, and the utterly boring combat of AD&D, both of which are back in what we have seen of 5E so far. Maybe there will be a mini-renaissance?

(Yeah, yeah; this is just wishful thinking on my part. )

I think what we're likely to see before 10 years have passed are add-on optional systems that make 5e feel like 4e, at least as far as the combat on a grid and the powers framework goes. Probably not soon, but eventually.

Jan van Leyden · Aug 28, 2014

Jer said:
I think what we're likely to see before 10 years have passed are add-on optional systems that make 5e feel like 4e, at least as far as the combat on a grid and the powers framework goes. Probably not soon, but eventually.

Wouldn't this be part of the DMG? At least a tactical combat module should be there. As far as a powers framework goes, I do have my doubts, though

Neonchameleon · Aug 28, 2014

Robyo said:
If WotC don't release something, then I'd be interested in a sensible 4e clone that utilizes all the errata and cuts down on some of the glut, like feats and redundant powers, but still being compatible with all the 4e stuff that is already available.

Would my WIP retroclone help?

On a similar tangent, with Mike Mearls giving interviews left and right about 5e, I wish someone would ask him straight-up what WotC plan to do with the DDI tools...

Keep them on until they stop being profitable?

It sucks that 4e fans are left hanging while it was the DDI subscribers who really kept the company afloat while they were forging the 5e ruleset.

Not even close. The company is WotC - and at its best D&D is a fraction the size of Magic: The Gathering. That said, DDI was probably funding the development of 5e.