D&D 4E What's in 5e for 4e fans?

[Tony Vargas]

Is there a case to be made for why fans of 4e will want to adopt 5e? So far, I'm not seeing the benefit to switching.

I'm only speculating, of course, but my guess would be that WotC assumes that anyone who stuck with 4e instead of defecting to Pathfinder is just an uncritical completist who will buy anything they slap the D&D logo on, whether it's an RPG or a board game or blind/random fortune cards or pogs counters or blind/random minis or a box of over-priced dice.

Mod Note: Folks, we don't require that you like WotC, or any particular game or playstyle. However, we do expect you to use some tact, and show a modicum of respect for people. If you cannot do that, you risk being removed from conversation like Tony here. ~Umbran

 

[Raith5]

I think there are two different questions here with reference to 4th ed and DNN. The first is how can I use DDN to play a 4th ed style of game via modularity? Things like second wind, action points and 4th alignment and cosmology could be overlaid on DDN fairly easily.

The second how can we use 4th ed derived mechanics to address problems/weaknesses in DDN? This is a far more difficult question but I think DDN saves are bit of mess and that 4th ed style static defenses (rather than saves) is one example of a mechanic that I think is simpler and more consistent.

 

[Pour]

It offers 4e fans something different. That's my approach moving forward. I think it's pretty clear 5e is not the successor some of us were hoping for, but I gotta admit I'm still intrigued. I'm willing to judge the final product on its merits, not its likeness to my favorite edition. Plus playtests for the next 2 years actually sounds fun to me. It's something to check in on now and then. At the very least, there's bound to be stuff I can cannibalize for my 4e game.

 

[adamc]

Switching? Why on earth would you do that?

This is my advice for anyone who is happily playing an older edition of the game:

If you are having a great time playing 4th Edition*, you should continue to do so. WotC might discontinue support for it, but I can guarantee that hundreds of people here at ENWorld will continue to develop stuff for it. You won't be the only person who keeps playing 4th Edition.

Besides: if 5th Edition keeps its promise of "embracing all editions," you should be able to convert all of the new 5th Edition stuff to your existing game without too much trouble. You can help with this, actually...as you play test the material, ask yourself "how easily will this fit into my 4E game" and then give feedback accordingly.

But switching? Nah.

*Or 3.5E, or Pathfinder, or 2E, or whatever.

The problem with this is that tools like the character-builder wouldn't be available. Other than the adventure tools and character-builder, I don't see any barrier, but lacking those will be a noticeable inconvenience, and their licensing prevents third-parties from filling the gap.

Which, come to think of it, means I doubt I'll switch to anything without a better license.

As far as new products offering something different -- too vague. What does it offer that would appeal to a fan of 4e?

 

[tuxgeo]

Is there a case to be made for why fans of 4e will want to adopt 5e? So far, I'm not seeing the benefit to switching.

No, there is currently no case to be made for why fans of 4e will want to adopt 5e.

There isn't a 5e, either. (You're 1 to 2 years too early. Ask again when it eventually gets released. The best likelihood is that 5e will contain far more stuff -- and maybe even better stuff -- than we have seen in the recent playtest materials.)

 

[Jeff Carlsen]

No, there is currently no case to be made for why fans of 4e will want to adopt 5e.

There isn't a 5e, either. (You're 1 to 2 years too early. Ask again when it eventually gets released. The best likelihood is that 5e will contain far more stuff -- and maybe even better stuff -- than we have seen in the recent playtest materials.)

Isn't a better question, "What changes can be made to D&D Next that 4E players would like?"

How can we build upon what's there? For example, many 4E fans aren't happy with Hit Dice as a replacement for Healing Surges. What could be done to them, either directly or as a module, that would appeal?

 

[Herschel]

Right now DDN is about Moldvay Basic cleaned up. After yesterday's playtests here at Gen Con the system is still a LONG way off from being anything worth playing for most anyone. That likely means Gen Con 2014 for release if they want to do it right and they've been completely above board with what they're telling us.

 

[Bow_Seat]

Right now DDN is about Moldvay Basic cleaned up. After yesterday's playtests here at Gen Con the system is still a LONG way off from being anything worth playing for most anyone. That likely means Gen Con 2014 for release if they want to do it right and they've been completely above board with what they're telling us.

What problems did you run into while playtesting?

 

[n00bdragon]

Right now DDN is about Moldvay Basic cleaned up. After yesterday's playtests here at Gen Con the system is still a LONG way off from being anything worth playing for most anyone. That likely means Gen Con 2014 for release if they want to do it right and they've been completely above board with what they're telling us.

I question how long Hasbro is willing to let D&D go without releasing any real product... unless someone has once again convinced them that maybe THIS time D&D will become a multi-billion dollar franchise on the level of MtG.

 

[Derren]

I'm only speculating, of course, but my guess would be that WotC assumes that anyone who stuck with 4e instead of defecting to Pathfinder is just an uncritical completist who will buy anything they slap the D&D logo on, whether it's an RPG or a board game or blind/random fortune cards or pogs counters or blind/random minis or a box of over-priced dice.

I think WotC doesnt really target the 4E fans with the next edition. The switch to 4E drove away lots players and the rest who stayed with 4E is simply not enough. So obviously WotC will try to please the people who dislike 4E with the next edition while only giving a nod to the 4E players to retain some of them.
Focusing on the 4E players is not feasible for WotC economically.