D&D 5E The new Dungeons & Dragons Starter Set - and online tools?

[Agamon]

A further thought occurs since we are talking about Moldvay Basic. What chargen rules are included? You randomly roll stats and pick your class. There are no decision points after that.

How is that not playing with randomly assigned pregens?

Pundit did say that the Starter is the thing old schoolers would most likely enjoy. I'm thinking the PC creation rules for it will be much the same. Roll stats, pick class, pick from short list of spells (if needed), pick from short list of equipment (or bundles).

 

[darjr]

If it's free and external to the box then why not just include it in the box. Would it really be that hard?

The only good thing that it might be is that character creation IS in the box, but it isn't the same as what's in the PHB and they are afraid of calling it 'character creation'. I think that would be just fine.

But if that's it why not just say that. Why all this cat and mouse?

I really can't wait to hear what this secret is. It even has the pundit acting like the marketing arm of WotC.

 

[MerricB]

If it's free and external to the box then why not just include it in the box. Would it really be that hard?.

If it has to be printed and it's over 100 pages - yeah, it'd be that hard.

 

[Agamon]

Oh! New thought!

Character creation isn't in the box...it is the box! You could read how to make your wizard at breakfast while eating your cereal....

 

[darjr]

If it has to be printed and it's over 100 pages - yeah, it'd be that hard.

Over a hundred pages they are going to hand out for free? Really?

I doubt VERY much that chargen will be in a free printed handout that is over a 100 pages.

And if you mean it's a PDF that someone has to get and print... well that seems like a non-starter.

 

[darjr]

Oh! New thought!

Character creation isn't in the box...it is the box! You could read how to make your wizard at breakfast while eating your cereal....

I know you kid but that would be very cool. What if it also included 'drop' maplike dice tables on the box, or in it!

 

[Hussar]

Over a hundred pages they are going to hand out for free? Really?

I doubt VERY much that chargen will be in a free handout that is over a 100 pages.

I dunno. I honestly could see them doing this. A sort of reverse OGL. You get the rules of the game (largely) for free, but no one is allowed to publish them. Anyone who wants to publish 5e material will have to do individual licenses with WOTC. This way, they don't run into the Pathfinder issues sometime down the road, and they get all sorts of goodwill from the people who play (rather than those who publish) by making the game so available.

Heck, the play test rules are already out there on exactly this sort of agreement. Why not carry one like this?

 

[darjr]

I dunno. I honestly could see them doing this. A sort of reverse OGL. You get the rules of the game (largely) for free, but no one is allowed to publish them. Anyone who wants to publish 5e material will have to do individual licenses with WOTC. This way, they don't run into the Pathfinder issues sometime down the road, and they get all sorts of goodwill from the people who play (rather than those who publish) by making the game so available.

Heck, the play test rules are already out there on exactly this sort of agreement. Why not carry one like this?

Even if this where true, why is this a reason to not have chargen in the starter? It doesn't even sound like a reason.

Why isn't there a patty in that hamburger? Cause the recipe is online for free.

Because that's what it sounds like to me.

 

[Agamon]

And the price drops at the 'Zon.

Maybe eventually, the Starter itself will be free.

 

[MerricB]

Over a hundred pages they are going to hand out for free? Really?

Every indication I've got says that the missing stage is going to be something amazing. It's not a SRD, nor a character generator. What does that leave?

We will be able to create characters.
We will be able to run a full campaign.

They're big statements - it's going to be something big.

Cheers!