D&D 5E So How Long Will 5E Last For?

[Oofta]

I wonder if MM knew in advance his innocuous little comment was surely going to work all the internet posting hand-wringers into a fervor...

Gamers are always going to find something to whine/wonder/worry about. Is there really any surprise that if there's enough demand for it that there would be a new edition?

If it wasn't this, there would be something else. There always is.

 

[Cyrinishad]

Booooo to 6e! Totally unnecessary... they finally have a TTRPG system that delivers the goods for multiple generations of gamers.
More/Revised Crunch? Anytime, go for it.
Psionics? Of course.
Expanded Setting Support? Definitely.

New edition? Ummm, no.

1. The -5/+10 feats

They do more damage to one target... Great! As the ol' DM saying goes "More Damage... More Monsters."

2. Bonus actions

Seems like a straightforward mechanic to me.

3. Saves at higher levels

Advice to Adventurers... nothing can save you at higher levels.

4. The way ACs scale at high levels (Monsters start getting +10-+16 to hit, ACs, are still around 20)

Advice to Adventurers... expect to be hit by big scary monsters.

5. Some classes/archtypes

Revise/Modify/Add Crunch... Go for it. Everybody likes some Crunch.

6. Advantage

It's a great mechanic... My 1e players think it's great, my 2e players think it's great, my 3e players think it's great, my 4e players think it's great... Finally, the edition wars have ended at my table. Long live 5e.

7. Concentration mechanics

Seems like a straightforward mechanic to me.

8. Casting multiple spells per round

You can cast 3 spells per round as it is... as long as their casting times are: 1 Action, 1 Bonus Action, and 1 Reaction.

Let the edition wars finally end! Long live 5e!

 

[hejtmane]

I said this in a previous thread a few days ago, but...I see no need for a 6th edition anytime soon. 5E is going strong with very few issues. I would expect and appreciate a PHB 5.5 in a couple years, but nothing beyond that. It would be a very simple matter to print a 5.5 PHB that fixes the existing issues, such as classes (ranger, sorcerer), feats (two weapon fighting, -5/+10) or spells (a little less concentration would be nice for example, or make some spells that lack scaling scale) and clarifies the rules issues while keeping the entire thing backwards compatible with all of the other existing books and materials. You wouldn't have to replace any other book or product except the PHB.

Plus, at that point people are going to need to replace a worn out PHB anyway. I know several people that could stand to do that already.

The issue is outside this forum I have seen very little of people complaing about -5 +10 feats. I think it is a minority group that hates this feat in fact the surveys say people are askign for more feats. I do not think it is as big an issue as people are making it out to be in most peoples world.

 

[Oofta]

The issue is outside this forum I have seen very little of people complaing about -5 +10 feats. I think it is a minority group that hates this feat in fact the surveys say people are askign for more feats. I do not think it is as big an issue as people are making it out to be in most peoples world.

I don't hate the -5/+10 feats with the heat of a thousand suns, but I do think they are unbalanced and practically a feat tax for certain builds at higher levels.

When you get to higher levels they can have a huge impact, far outweighing other options.

It will depend a lot on campaign and playstyle. Whether it's an issue is in the eye of the beholder, and even if it is an issue it's easy to fix.

 

[Thurmas]

The issue is outside this forum I have seen very little of people complaing about -5 +10 feats. I think it is a minority group that hates this feat in fact the surveys say people are askign for more feats. I do not think it is as big an issue as people are making it out to be in most peoples world.

I don't neccesarily hate the feat. I just think they are unbalanced in regards to only being available to some and not to others. If every class had the ability in some way it would be different. It should be available to people wielding one handed weapons, unarmed strikes and possibly even cantrips. If it is balanced for one or two weapon classes, it should be balanced for all of them.

The only time it seems to be a little over powered to me is when the person gets advantage on attacks, which can seem to be a little too easy and frequent to get some times.

 

[Tony Vargas]

D&D has returned to its classic feel in so many ways, including pace of publication, that I fully expect it to return to the life-cycle it had in the TSR era - so a new ed at approximately 10-year intervals.

Since 5e was on the 40th anniversary, a 6e for the 50th in 2024 seems plausible. But, I don't really expect the game to change much even if it does roll rev at some point. D&D is finished with improvement, innovation, or even change for the sake of change. Familiarity, continuity, and consistent brand image are what we should expect going forward.

 

[Mercule]

6e/50th Anniversary Edition in 2024.

Not sure whether you're joking or not, but I think we'll see something in 2024. A 50th edition only comes around once and it's a pretty big deal. So, I'm going to say that 6E will come out, then.

5E can certainly be maintained that long. IIRC, that'd be about the same run as 1E and that's close to the release cadence we've got, right now. We got a monster book, last year. This year, we're getting some crunch. We could probably do two more monster books and one or two more crunch books without any risk of bloat or fatigue. Assuming 2023 is some sort of filler year, that only leaves two years without a major release (yeah, that's shorter than I thought). I could see those either being bigger years for promoting adventures or (hopefully) something SCAG-like for another setting.

Here's what that could look like:
- 2016 -- MM2 (Volo's Guide - included to establish numbering shorthand)
- 2017 -- PHB2 (Midway)
- 2018 -- Planescape (because this seems to be where most speculation is about the next setting)
- 2019 -- MM3
- 2020 -- PHB3
- 2021 -- Eberron (because I like it)
- 2022 -- MM4
- 2023 -- Greyhawk crunchless setting book (because it sounds like something that would be a cool lead-in to a 50th anniversary, GH really doesn't need any crunch, and people might buy it after 6E is announced)
- 2024 -- 6E PHB

Now, my hope is that 6E is as compatible with 5E as 2E was with 1E. That's not necessarily because I plan to keep using all my 5E stuff instead of buying 6E. It's because, while I'm sure there's room for improvement in 5E, I think they've got something that's actually pretty strong and stable. We don't need changes on the scale of AD&D to 3E or any later edition change.

One complication could be a "5E Revised Edition" that shaves off some of the rough edges. I suspect that the PHB2 and 3 will have options to "fix" somethings, but 2019 would be a good place at which to do a more formal update.

 

[The_Gunslinger658]

Hi ya-

DM'ing both 5E and 3.75 D&D. 5E D&D is very simple and kind of boring more or less but I still think D&D 3.75 (pathfinder) is probably the best version of D&D. Lots of options for both the DM's and players plus there is just so much 3.75 material out there that begs to be used and played. Wotc I think really screwed the pooch on dropping 3E D&D, ya there was alot of splat books but there was also alot of really nifty stuff like the DMG II or PHB II which in both cases really elevated the game to totally new levels of play.

Still alot of great stuff to explore in D&D 3.xx vs the what available in versions 4E and 5E.

Scott

 

[Warpiglet]

Hi ya-

DM'ing both 5E and 3.75 D&D. 5E D&D is very simple and kind of boring more or less but I still think D&D 3.75 (pathfinder) is probably the best version of D&D. Lots of options for both the DM's and players plus there is just so much 3.75 material out there that begs to be used and played. Wotc I think really screwed the pooch on dropping 3E D&D, ya there was alot of splat books but there was also alot of really nifty stuff like the DMG II or PHB II which in both cases really elevated the game to totally new levels of play.

Still alot of great stuff to explore in D&D 3.xx vs the what available in versions 4E and 5E.

Scott

Scott,

I like your picture of a smoking solider. I like that you are a fan of D&D. But I cannot disagree more on the 3e issue or the fact that 5e is boring.

Yes there were more options. I just did not like the focus on options for options sake. I did not like the necromancy, pastry baker, mime illusionist schoolteacher prestige class combinations. There were many more options and not many I would take and feel immersed in.

But you are not WRONG in what you like! You just apparently like finding new and interesting ways to link bonuses and abilities. I like it the extent that I would now rather play 5e than 1e. I almost can't believe I said it, but I did and it is true. I would play 1e again for kicks. But I would never ever never go back to 3, 3.5 or 3.75 again.

I suspect a lot of new players would find all the 3.x library a bit...thick.

 

[Shardstone]

3.X is very intimidating to jump into, this is true. Just the monster stat blocks, with their huge amount of eats, can be pretty overwhelming. But the amount of player options does make the game pretty fun still--the Occult and Horror books specifically were fantastic additions. If I ran Pathfinder, I'd probably treat it like 5E AL does--core rules + 1 supplementary book.