Are you planning on making D&D Next flexible enough to be able to run Modern Fantasy? Specifically, will the system's Armor Class core rules be adaptable enough to portray bullets penetrating armor and will vehicle rules still use Damage Reduction as a mechanic to simulate the vehicle resistance?
Suggest Your "Rule of Three" Questions for Next Week (4/17)
Olgar Shiverstone
Legend
Q1: What is your name?
Q2: What is your quest?
Q3: What is the mathematical balance point of the 5E wizard and fighter?
Q2: What is your quest?
Q3: What is the mathematical balance point of the 5E wizard and fighter?
Jester David
Hero
5e / D&D Next seems very nostalgic, being inspired by the best of earlier editions. Are any concessions being made to keep to the game accessible to new players or for players who disliked earlier editions?
Gargoyle
Adventurer
How do you plan to address what seems to me like a cancerous proliferation of feats, classes, races, powers, and themes in D&D Next? I like lots of options, but every time one of my players tries to make even a 1st level 4th edition character it takes forever, and some of the classes (seeker), and race options (bladeling), and even entire types of feats (guild feats) seem extraneous to me and appear to be page count fillers more than options that are in demand. "Everything is core" was the mantra with 4E and it is too much IMO.
I realize that people want crunchy content in Dragon and in new hardbacks, (I do too) but how are you going to manage in the long run the rate of growth of options so it's not too much too soon, that there is something close to balance, and that the quality remains high, and maintain ease of use of DDI, while still meeting the demand for new crunchy content?
I realize that people want crunchy content in Dragon and in new hardbacks, (I do too) but how are you going to manage in the long run the rate of growth of options so it's not too much too soon, that there is something close to balance, and that the quality remains high, and maintain ease of use of DDI, while still meeting the demand for new crunchy content?
innerdude
Legend
In your minds, what's the one thing that D&D Next absolutely has to get right?
For example, it's pretty clear that for 4th Edition, combat balance between classes was one of, if not THE paramount goal--and for the most part succeeded, even if some players found the trade-offs for that balance not to their satisfaction.
What's the number one thing when the D&D Next system arrives that you can point to and say, "This--we accomplished this. Even if we didn't fully accomplish all of our design goals, we did THIS, and did it in the way we felt would most improve the game"?
For example, it's pretty clear that for 4th Edition, combat balance between classes was one of, if not THE paramount goal--and for the most part succeeded, even if some players found the trade-offs for that balance not to their satisfaction.
What's the number one thing when the D&D Next system arrives that you can point to and say, "This--we accomplished this. Even if we didn't fully accomplish all of our design goals, we did THIS, and did it in the way we felt would most improve the game"?
Astrosicebear
First Post
Each version of D&D that has been released has followed the same formula: Core rule books, then supplements, then adventures/settings. Many older gamers have libraries of books they see as wasted or useless when moving to a new edition, or when their group leaves them behind for the next edition. Investment is a major concern for both returning older players, current players already 15+ books into 4e, or newer players possibly looking at 5E years after launch.
With 3 or more versions of the same supplements (ie. Book of Vile Darkness, Manual of the Planes) how can we expect D&D Next to handle supplements in a way that consumers wont feel they are buying the same material with different stat blocks?
Is there an internal discussion taking place (and if so what are the lines of thought) about the approach-ability of the game 2+ years after launch? 5+? 10+?
Is there an internal initiative to approach supplemental material in a new way?
With 3 or more versions of the same supplements (ie. Book of Vile Darkness, Manual of the Planes) how can we expect D&D Next to handle supplements in a way that consumers wont feel they are buying the same material with different stat blocks?
Is there an internal discussion taking place (and if so what are the lines of thought) about the approach-ability of the game 2+ years after launch? 5+? 10+?
Is there an internal initiative to approach supplemental material in a new way?
Last edited:
Lanefan
Victoria Rules
I've got a few...
1. Will D&D's next version be designed in such a way that it can handle 6-month 1-20 level campaigns with the same ease, grace and style it handles 10-year 1-10 level campaigns? In other words, can it handle 4e-style and 1e-style campaigns equally well?
2. Assuming it's possible at all, how much conversion will be required to make a 1e or 2e or 3e or 4e character (assume moderate level) playable in a core 5e game?
2a. Repeat question 2 except substitute adventure module for character.
3. Repeating one posted earlier as it is very important to frame discussion around:
4. Will any sort of "kitbashing" guide be presented with D&D's next version, for those who want to tweak the system to suit their own tastes?
5. The most important of all: is D&D's next version being designed with the intent of most rules being hard-and-fast or with the intent of all rules being guidelines only, subject to change by any given DM?
Lan-"looking forward to hard-and-fast answers to these"-efan
1. Will D&D's next version be designed in such a way that it can handle 6-month 1-20 level campaigns with the same ease, grace and style it handles 10-year 1-10 level campaigns? In other words, can it handle 4e-style and 1e-style campaigns equally well?
2. Assuming it's possible at all, how much conversion will be required to make a 1e or 2e or 3e or 4e character (assume moderate level) playable in a core 5e game?
2a. Repeat question 2 except substitute adventure module for character.
3. Repeating one posted earlier as it is very important to frame discussion around:
howandwhy99 said:
4. Will any sort of "kitbashing" guide be presented with D&D's next version, for those who want to tweak the system to suit their own tastes?
5. The most important of all: is D&D's next version being designed with the intent of most rules being hard-and-fast or with the intent of all rules being guidelines only, subject to change by any given DM?
Lan-"looking forward to hard-and-fast answers to these"-efan
Dungeonosophy
Legend
Deity-level play; real world cultural Backgrounds; low-magic/low-combat fantasy
1. The Classic D&D iteration--including BECMI D&D and Rules Cyclopedia/Wrath of the Immortals D&D--featured support for deity-level play that was unequalled in any other edition, with two Deity-level boxed sets, 36 levels of Immortal PC class (for a total of 72 character levels), three published Immortal-level adventures, and rules for then going on to become an Old One overdeity. Will the edition to unite all editions lop off this branch of D&D, or will an Immortal/Deity/God-level PC rules module be incorporated into D&D Next?
2. Several D&D settings feature nations which are evocative of Real World cultures, for example Amn in the Forgotten Realms and Spain. And the 2e PHB class descriptions mentioned heroes from various Real World civilizations. Will the D&D Next core rules support Real World-inspired cultural Backgrounds, including non-Western cultural archetypes?
3. At Pax East, Mearls mentioned how various non-D&D fantasy novels and worlds color the way different generations play and evolve D&D:
Will D&D Next include rules modules which will clearly evoke and model what might be considered "non-D&D" fantasy styles, such as a low-magic Middle-earth-style or Narnia-style rules module, or a rules module for campaigns where combat and combat classes are not a main feature--stories styled like The Wizard of Oz, Jim Henson's Labyrinth, or The Neverending Story?
1. The Classic D&D iteration--including BECMI D&D and Rules Cyclopedia/Wrath of the Immortals D&D--featured support for deity-level play that was unequalled in any other edition, with two Deity-level boxed sets, 36 levels of Immortal PC class (for a total of 72 character levels), three published Immortal-level adventures, and rules for then going on to become an Old One overdeity. Will the edition to unite all editions lop off this branch of D&D, or will an Immortal/Deity/God-level PC rules module be incorporated into D&D Next?
2. Several D&D settings feature nations which are evocative of Real World cultures, for example Amn in the Forgotten Realms and Spain. And the 2e PHB class descriptions mentioned heroes from various Real World civilizations. Will the D&D Next core rules support Real World-inspired cultural Backgrounds, including non-Western cultural archetypes?
3. At Pax East, Mearls mentioned how various non-D&D fantasy novels and worlds color the way different generations play and evolve D&D:
Mike Mearls in Pax East video said:
Will D&D Next include rules modules which will clearly evoke and model what might be considered "non-D&D" fantasy styles, such as a low-magic Middle-earth-style or Narnia-style rules module, or a rules module for campaigns where combat and combat classes are not a main feature--stories styled like The Wizard of Oz, Jim Henson's Labyrinth, or The Neverending Story?
Last edited:
WarlockLord
First Post
What, exactly, is supposed to balance a 1e-style no-options PC against a PC loaded up with powers, skills, and feats?
EDIT: More questions!
Are you actually going to submit the system to destructive playtesting by known optimizers and (the kicker) listen to what they have to say?
Is throwing around fireballs and lightning bolts going to be a viable lifestyle choice?
Are you going to counter the hit point inflation of 3e and 4e?
Can we create our own characters in the playtest?
Are you actually going to playtest high levels?
EDIT: More questions!
Are you actually going to submit the system to destructive playtesting by known optimizers and (the kicker) listen to what they have to say?
Is throwing around fireballs and lightning bolts going to be a viable lifestyle choice?
Are you going to counter the hit point inflation of 3e and 4e?
Can we create our own characters in the playtest?
Are you actually going to playtest high levels?
Last edited:
