D&D 4E 5E as a Rewritten 4E with Flavor Bits from Other Editions?

[thedungeondelver]

All I know is the mantra that's kept me optimistic through this has been:

"include" what they will. Just leave the option(s) to switch things off for those who want them off and on for those who want them on, and they'll have a sweet game.

If I crack the rulebook and there's no "switch" for ... certain things, it's just on-by-default, well, then I think that's all she wrote from my perspective. It'll be them yelling "PSYCHE! HAHA YOU THOUGHT YOU HAD A GAME HERE!"

and I what I'm hoping is that the case is that the few things I'm seeing/hearing from DDXP that are galling me are from play test instances where those were options set to "on" not core rules.

 

[Tallifer]

No, because the power system is gone, roles are gone, standard conditions are gone, and I think healing surges are gone as well.

You can't take away all of those things and still call it a repackaged 4e. That's what the entire system is built on.

Forsooth. At least the Fourth Edition books should be cheap to buy and play.

 

[ferratus]

and I what I'm hoping is that the case is that the few things I'm seeing/hearing from DDXP that are galling me are from play test instances where those were options set to "on" not core rules.

Well, we know that's the case with minis, so I guess we'll see.

I'm hoping that there will be more customization on the level of simplicity than just "we've pre-picked your choices for you". That's why I didn't like 4e Essentials at all, since it just removed character customization without really reducing the complexity of your character.

 

[Oni]

While there are some things I genuinely like about 4E, there are a lot more things about it that I grew to loath over my time playing it. I think there is a lot to learn from the system, but I think a lot of lessons come from flaws, or great ideas that weren't quite executed right. In short, there are some bits that deserve serious consideration for inclusion in the next edition, some bits that the concept is fantastic but need a fair bit of overhaul, and some bits that are just terrible (IMHO blah blah blah).

Ultimately though, if I wanted to play 4e, I'd just play 4e. I'm glad they are doing something new, if I wanted to play a version of the game that already exist that's passing simple in this day and age. A lot of my excitement stems from the fact that it is new and it is different.

 

[Dausuul]

I think 5E will be a rewritten AD&D with mechanics from other editions.

 

[Nivenus]

Yeah, it's sounding a bit more like a mix of 2e and 3e with 4e sprinkled on the top to me. I mean powers appear to be out and Vancian is back in - that's one of the biggest contentions of the 3e vs. 4e wars.

 

[Li Shenron]

- maybe I am off base and 5E can be as simple as a 4E rewrite with bits and pieces from other editions to flavor it. So I ask as a poll in a simple up/down vote, regardless of the details which you can post if you like. No bashing, no warring, please.

I don't think this is a real possibility right now.

Maybe the 4e gamers base would actually like a 4.5 revision like it happened in 3e. I don't know many who didn't switch to 3.5 when it happened... (I am one of the few who went back to 3.0, but only later) so perhaps the same thing would happen with a 4.5, but it certainly would not gain the attention of 3e/PF gamers.

 

[Fanaelialae]

I think it's pretty clear from the various comments made by the designers that 5e won't just be a rewritten 4e. I think you will be able to see certain 4e influences, but it won't simply be 4.5 with bonus early edition flavor.

I don't think it will be a 1.5e, or 2.5e, or 3.75e either though. I expect that all of the editions will have influenced the design.

Considering that they've stated the the core will be as simple as possible, that leaves 3e and 4e out of the running as the basis entirely. I still think we'll see their influences though. For example, they've already mentioned that they're looking to balance the classes, which is a 4e influence (I think they actually called out the role Essentials played in this). For another, they're looking to base multiclassing on 3e. So on and so forth...

While I'm confident it will be a d20 system, I'm somewhat doubtful that you'll be able to point to a single edition and say, "THIS is the edition 5e was based upon!"

 

[Tequila Sunrise]

Assuming the rewrite is to work out 4e's few kinks? Yeah, I'd have to consider buying that.

So...no! I want an easy decision come 5e, so I'm hoping for an ugly Frankenstein Edition.

 

[scadgrad]

I'm afraid that glossing over 4th ed and simply bringing in elements from previous editions would be an abject failure, serving only the most blind of WotC fanboys.

The 5E design team's job is a tough one since the fans they're trying to bring back into the fold are already very happy playing other excellent fantasy RPGs (Pathfinder and the various editions of D&D/AD&D enjoyed by the OSR crowd). They'd be far better off to simply give some of the people what they want (reprints and support for the old editions) and then attack the Pathfinder market w/ 5E. I think they're tilting at Windmills here, but I'm hoping that I'm wrong.