D&D 5E Does 5E avoid the overloads of previous editions?

[Quartz]

In 1E and 2E we had table overload, in 3E we had bonus overload (Inherrent, Feat, Arcane, Holy, Good, Competence, etc etc), in 4E we had condition overload; does 5E avoid any sort of overload?

 

[amerigoV]

In 1E and 2E we had table overload, in 3E we had bonus overload (Inherrent, Feat, Arcane, Holy, Good, Competence, etc etc), in 4E we had condition overload; does 5E avoid any sort of overload?

There is definitely a speculative overload.

 

[Jan van Leyden]

Not in this summer, but a new edition is due a new sort of overload. If the host of opional rules modules and stuff becomes true, we might suffer from rules option overload three years from now. And when 6e is announced, developers will promise to remove it.

 

[Scrivener of Doom]

Not in this summer, but a new edition is due a new sort of overload. If the host of opional rules modules and stuff becomes true, we might suffer from rules option overload three years from now. And when 6e is announced, developers will promise to remove it.

I largely agree with this except that I reckon Next will end up like the 2E Player's Options era within a year or two.

Don't forget, D&D is now managed by Mike Mearls who was something of an OGL/d20 spambot. He's clearly always thinking of something new and, with him in charge, I suspect we will see a flood of new ideas and options in a short space of time. (heck, look at his Monday columns on the WotC website. They're almost always heading off on a new tangent....)

The point where that becomes overload or bloat is really a matter of personal opinion.

 

[TerraDave]

we already have evidence of "characterization" overload.

 

[Yora]

For every RPG I've seen released by WotC, overload seems to be the foundation of their business model. D&D 3rd edition, 4th edtion, Star Wars Saga, and d20 modern are all about cranking out splatbooks with more character options. Some of the Forgotten Realms books for 3rd edition were actually mostly setting information with a little bit of crunch tacked on, but otherwise even the setting books were mostly character options and monsters.
I don't see any idication that WotC will drastically change their regular business practice, and so we (well, you; not me) will see a constant stream of new splatbooks full of character options.

 

[Mistwell]

For every RPG I've seen released by WotC, overload seems to be the foundation of their business model. D&D 3rd edition, 4th edtion, Star Wars Saga, and d20 modern are all about cranking out splatbooks with more character options. Some of the Forgotten Realms books for 3rd edition were actually mostly setting information with a little bit of crunch tacked on, but otherwise even the setting books were mostly character options and monsters.
I don't see any idication that WotC will drastically change their regular business practice, and so we (well, you; not me) will see a constant stream of new splatbooks full of character options.

You don't consider WOTC talking directly about this topic openly and frankly, and saying outright they will not be doing that with 5e, to be "any indication" they will change?

 

[fjw70]

Not in this summer, but a new edition is due a new sort of overload. If the host of opional rules modules and stuff becomes true, we might suffer from rules option overload three years from now. And when 6e is announced, developers will promise to remove it.

I can just hear it now.


"Recently D&D has been all over the place in the type of game it wants to be. D&D needs to get back to its roots and be more focused in the playstyle it supports."
-- New Head of D&D in 4-6 years

 

[Jan van Leyden]

I can just hear it now.


"Recently D&D has been all over the place in the type of game it wants to be. D&D needs to get back to its roots and be more focused in the playstyle it supports."
-- New Head of D&D in 4-6 years

Ummh, you forgot to mention what will happen in three years:

"D&D players have expressed a desire to define their campaigns more easily: which options are used at their table. In this context we have re-designed the rulebooks giving each option an unique code. So when you want to play a game in the Forgotten Realms, using the rules from the core books and the campaign settings without the Gladiator fighter sub-class but including the Templars from Dark Sun, your game would be '3C-Fs-cG+DSscT'. This easy to use code allows you to contact other players and be sure that your desires are compatible.

We will be offering an online matching service for a small fee, allowing you to fine-tune your game and print out a handy QR Code you can attach to your game shop's blackboard. With our premium service you will also recieve the QR code on a button or even a T shirt!"

 

[Scrivener of Doom]

You don't consider WOTC talking directly about this topic openly and frankly, and saying outright they will not be doing that with 5e, to be "any indication" they will change?

No, not at all.

And that's because the other part of their business model requires getting rid of staff 1-2 times a year and, as they haven't done that for a while, I would say that this Christmas is going to see quite a few people leaving, including people who may have said such things in public....