If WotC Released D&D 3.75 Tomorrow....

[TheAuldGrump]

Looking at the thread that covers RPG sales via Amazon I noticed that 3.5 is still selling well, not all that far behind either 4e or Pathfinder.

So, a mental exercise:

If WotC were to announce a revised version of the D&D 3.X architecture would you be interested?

Assumptions:

0: WotC acknowledges a split in the market, and hopes to garner interest from those that remained with 3.X or switched to Pathfinder.

1. 4e remains in print, and still receives the current level of support.

2. 3.75 also receives full support, aided by breakthroughs in game designer cloning technology.

3. 3.75 is supported by the OGL, with all its warts and all its glories.

4. 4e remains covered by the GSL, and does not open itself to the OGL..

Would there be enough interest? The fracturing that WotC wanted to prevent with 3e has already happened, we will ignore the stretching of resources.

The Auld Grump, I will call him... MiniMonte.... Hmm....

 

[Derulbaskul]

The big "if" for me would be electronic support.

I want a fully functional PC/NPC/Monster designer that actually works and also allows custom content. I don't have the prep time I did before but I still love 3.xE: I simply went with 4E because it is easier to prepare for.

However, a fully functional PC/NPC/Monster designer and I would be back. (And by fully functional I do not mean according to WotC standards: I mean it in a literal sense.)

 

[Herremann the Wise]

I could not think of a more disasterous thing for WotC to do. Paizo for good or ill have claimed the 3.75 ground and so yet another tredding of the 3.x rules set is simply not going to be enough. As a continuing customer and supporter of both WotC and Paizo, I think WotC will struggle trying to beat Paizo in terms of customer service or adventures, it will have to be on rules product and I don't think there is enough room a 3rd time around for that to happen effectively (as good as it could still potentially be).

However, if they began supporting 3e and 3.5 as well as previous editions in terms of computer support and the odd article in dragon/dungeon, they may be able to garner more support for when they eventually release their next edition.

Mini-Monte... I like that.

I want a fully functional PC/NPC/Monster designer that actually works and also allows custom content. I don't have the prep time I did before but I still love 3.xE: I simply went with 4E because it is easier to prepare for.

However, a fully functional PC/NPC/Monster designer and I would be back. (And by fully functional I do not mean according to WotC standards: I mean it in a literal sense.)

Have you looked at Hero Lab? I use it for Pathfinder and I generally prefer it to DDI when doing 4e stuff (which I would still class as quite useable by the way). Creating custom monsters and NPCs as well as easily managing PCs within minutes (rather than hours - I understand precisely your concern) is the norm. It is brilliant! Pricey at about 100USD for the complete package though but I suppose that's what you pay for a true complete package that can sit on your PC without ever being taken away.

Best Regards
Herremann the Wise

 

[Noir le Lotus]

Whatever the talent of MiniMonte, WotC will always have to face their major problem :

They can't make good adventures.

Seriously, in the 3.0/3.5 era they published several adventures. Few were excellent (Sunless Citadelle, Expedition to Castle Ravenloft are among them), half were crappy, and the rest was just correct. The vast majority of adventures (and the best ones) were either made by Paizo in Dungeon (and the first Pathfinders), or published by 3PP.

For what I read of 4th edition modules, they are really far from being great, and all the best 3PP refused the GSL.

So if WotC release a 3.75 edition, they will have to face Pathfinder (the previously called 3.75 ), that may suffer from several defaults but have a great support on adventures, with the monthly Pathfinder and its APs and independant modules.

MiniMonte will have to deploy a huge talent to make a 3.75 with no adventure appealing in front of Pathfinder.

 

[UngainlyTitan]

Personally I would stick with 4e but I do not see what product WoTC is expected to sell in this scenario?

I can see how Paizo is making their money, since they were primarly producers of modules, which they sold in part by subscription and the Pathfinder rules system is needed, mostly to assure people that there will be rules support for the adventures.

WoTC mostly sold rulebooks, they ran out of rulebooks to sell under 3.5 asn so along comes 4. In 4v they are also attempting to sell services to gamers via subscription.

I just do not see what they can offer in 3.5/3.75 that would be profitible and fit in with their way of doing business.

 

[Jan van Leyden]

No. I have had a good time with the 3.x generation of games, but it's a thing of the past for me.

I might have an academic interest in how the triangle C3.x, PF, and 3.75 would look like, and I'd play (almost) any game offered to me, but I wouldn't run any of those as my main game.

 

[Ahnehnois]

Honestly I don't think it would be able to compete with Pathfinder, which is a revised 3.5 ruleset. Frankly most of WotC's best talent works for Paizo now, so I don't see any impetus to buy a 3.75 released by the former company (never mind the hostility against WotC from the 3.X crowd).

Would I be interested? The postulated "3.75" would have to be meaningfully different and a clear improvement to be worth the "upgrade". There are certainly things about 3.5 that could use fixing, but I haven't seen any product, regardless of brand name, truly attempt to do that.

 

[Thagdal]

I think that the ship has sailed on a Wizards 3.75. Sailed, gotten to the wrong continent and back again. Insert dead parrot sketch here

Their energy would be much better served making next version.

I could not think of a more disasterous thing for WotC to do. Paizo for good or ill have claimed the 3.75 ground and so yet another tredding of the 3.x rules set is simply not going to be enough. As a continuing customer and supporter of both WotC and Paizo, I think WotC will struggle trying to beat Paizo in terms of customer service or adventures, it will have to be on rules product and I don't think there is enough room a 3rd time around for that to happen effectively (as good as it could still potentially be).

However, if they began supporting 3e and 3.5 as well as previous editions in terms of computer support and the odd article in dragon/dungeon, they may be able to garner more support for when they eventually release their next edition.


(snip)

Best Regards
Herremann the Wise

Wizards doesn't really have to be number one if they did release 3.75 or even material that is playable with PF (ie srd). Diluting that segment of market might make it harder for Paizo to shine, much like the way Network Television often makes a ton of crappy lookalike shows the moment one theme seems successful (eg cooking shows). Economically produced (aka cheap and nasty) content might be enough for that, and gaining a few % more of the RPG market to add to it's existing market share.

Double irony points though if Wizards ever get people subscribe to DDI for 3.75 Dungeon/Dragon material and conversion of modules for use in their path finder campaign. :/

 

[rkwoodard]

better

Hello,

I would be far more prone to buy it over Pathfinder or 4th Ed.

However, I already have a favorite D20 variant, in Castles & Crusades. Which I see more of an improved(streamlined) 3rd ed than a retro-clone.

But, I would certainly follow the build up hype with an open mind, and by the PHB of such an enterprise.

RK

 

[Dice4Hire]

I still play 3.5, and I play 4E.

I see no need for a 3.75, and I have NO idea what it would entail. What would change, what would stay the same, what ....... (I could go on and on and on)

I would not be interested.