No Big Deal
First Post
Okay, lets try this again. My last thread got moved to the discussion of the seminar for some reason.
First, the current goals for 5e aren't great. So here, without further ado are 10 talking point or goals for D&D 5e.
1. Function. Everything has to work form day one. 4e failed this and so did 3.5, I really don't want to argue about who failed more. The key is that every major system (classes, social interactions, combat, treasure) works when you release the edition AND WORKS AT EVERY LEVEL. I don't care if it takes you three or four years to make this happen. If you make a game it should work. This is especially important because you can't fix the game people are playing easily, an MMORPG can patch their game. You don't have that luxury. Make the game work. Fiddly bits can be over of under powered, but your core systems should function.
2. Classes. You should MINIMUM have 15 classes. This was, IMO, 4e's biggest failing was lowering the number. I only kind of care, but to some people this really matters. Each of these classes should help to define your character and provide a point of view to look at the world from.
3. Balance. Your game should be balanced. This means two things: first, no options should be obviously superior to other options, second, no "point breaks" where the game stops working if you take certain options.
4. Interest. Options should feel different from each other. This is one of 3.5's strengths and one of 4e's weaknesses. If I want to be a rouge that should feel different that a fighter or a wizard. Me resource management system should work differently. Even something as simple as Tome of Battle's recharge mechanics is fine, if you have other differences.
5. Verisimilitude. Bluntly, if an ability exists, the game world should reflect that. If level 12 wizards can build walls of stone with magic you should be able to tell! This shouldn't come in the way of fundamental concepts (I don't care how dragons fly, I don' care if your laws of physics are like the real world), but it should impact the world.
6. Setting. There should be a default setting for your edition. This setting should be interesting and well supported. You could easily pick up a random setting (Ebberon or Forgotten Realms spring to mind) and put it into the core rules. This is important because it provides a focus for what the edition is "about" and a spokesperson for your game. As an added bonus, it sells more books.
7. Realism. If your going to have monster they need to behave in ways people can understand, or at least be explicitly crazy (mind flayers or aboleths). If you have goblins THEY NEED A CULTURE not just a paragraph of <Generic God>, <One Social Concept>, and Evil!, but a though out culture that works within your game world.
8. A Plan. You should have a plan for content and what your going to put where. Start with a PHB that contains classes and races that have inertia, a MM that has classic monsters that need no introduction, and a DMG/Setting book that ties together your world. After that pop out some expansion books, then 1-2 years in a MM 2, then a year after that a PHB and DMG 2. These have more esoteric concepts.
9. Expectations. Come up with a list of five to ten concepts to associate with your game. These should be tone and feel issues, not crunch per se. Here are a few I like:
-Magic as a tool
-A complex, vibrant world
-Points of darkness
-Sword and Sorcery
10. Kill Sacred Cows. You need to break some of the core assumptions of D&D. To start with: Less than 20 level, no +N items, fighters AND wizards getting nice things, inability for players to gain "epic" abilities.
I might elaborate later, but this is already pretty huge and it doesn't even have mechanics yet.
First, the current goals for 5e aren't great. So here, without further ado are 10 talking point or goals for D&D 5e.
1. Function. Everything has to work form day one. 4e failed this and so did 3.5, I really don't want to argue about who failed more. The key is that every major system (classes, social interactions, combat, treasure) works when you release the edition AND WORKS AT EVERY LEVEL. I don't care if it takes you three or four years to make this happen. If you make a game it should work. This is especially important because you can't fix the game people are playing easily, an MMORPG can patch their game. You don't have that luxury. Make the game work. Fiddly bits can be over of under powered, but your core systems should function.
2. Classes. You should MINIMUM have 15 classes. This was, IMO, 4e's biggest failing was lowering the number. I only kind of care, but to some people this really matters. Each of these classes should help to define your character and provide a point of view to look at the world from.
3. Balance. Your game should be balanced. This means two things: first, no options should be obviously superior to other options, second, no "point breaks" where the game stops working if you take certain options.
4. Interest. Options should feel different from each other. This is one of 3.5's strengths and one of 4e's weaknesses. If I want to be a rouge that should feel different that a fighter or a wizard. Me resource management system should work differently. Even something as simple as Tome of Battle's recharge mechanics is fine, if you have other differences.
5. Verisimilitude. Bluntly, if an ability exists, the game world should reflect that. If level 12 wizards can build walls of stone with magic you should be able to tell! This shouldn't come in the way of fundamental concepts (I don't care how dragons fly, I don' care if your laws of physics are like the real world), but it should impact the world.
6. Setting. There should be a default setting for your edition. This setting should be interesting and well supported. You could easily pick up a random setting (Ebberon or Forgotten Realms spring to mind) and put it into the core rules. This is important because it provides a focus for what the edition is "about" and a spokesperson for your game. As an added bonus, it sells more books.
7. Realism. If your going to have monster they need to behave in ways people can understand, or at least be explicitly crazy (mind flayers or aboleths). If you have goblins THEY NEED A CULTURE not just a paragraph of <Generic God>, <One Social Concept>, and Evil!, but a though out culture that works within your game world.
8. A Plan. You should have a plan for content and what your going to put where. Start with a PHB that contains classes and races that have inertia, a MM that has classic monsters that need no introduction, and a DMG/Setting book that ties together your world. After that pop out some expansion books, then 1-2 years in a MM 2, then a year after that a PHB and DMG 2. These have more esoteric concepts.
9. Expectations. Come up with a list of five to ten concepts to associate with your game. These should be tone and feel issues, not crunch per se. Here are a few I like:
-Magic as a tool
-A complex, vibrant world
-Points of darkness
-Sword and Sorcery
10. Kill Sacred Cows. You need to break some of the core assumptions of D&D. To start with: Less than 20 level, no +N items, fighters AND wizards getting nice things, inability for players to gain "epic" abilities.
I might elaborate later, but this is already pretty huge and it doesn't even have mechanics yet.
