D&D 5E Dungeons and Dragons: The "Dungeon Master's" edition.

[Sailor Moon]

Unfortunately, I am disappointed overall with the new DMG because it' no where near what they were making it out to be but.................long pause............... What I do like overall about the game in general is that in the DMG, it talks a lot about individual DMs making different decisions on how to use certain things. It even talks about leaving out certain races if they don't fit "your" world.

This edition really seems to put the power back into individual DM's hands with the book backing you up. I am very pleased by this move and I hope it continues with all future products.

 

[Sacrosanct]

Unfortunately, I am disappointed overall with the new DMG because it' no where near what they were making it out to be.

Do you have specific examples?

 

[Sailor Moon]

Do you have specific examples?

Well the creature creation section has you essentially going to the Monster Manual and taking abilities from preexisting creatures, hence why that section should have been put into the MM to begin with.

 

[SigmaOne]

Can you say more about how they were making it out to be something different? I mean, quotes from developers that don't line up with the reality? I know there were a few things they'd intended to be in that had to be cut --- that always happens, but that doesn't seem like what you're talking about. I'd like to see actual quotes because it seems to me like some people had very specific ideas about what "would" be in the DMG and now they're disappointed that the DM is different from what they'd expected. I'd always felt they'd been rather vague and careful about stating exactly what would be in the DMG. I'm curious how much of the disappointment was result of false assumptions based on over-interpreting vague statements along the way. For what it's worth, I'm completely in agreement with you regarding your other sentiments about this edition giving power to the DM, and that this is a good thing.

 

[Astrosicebear]

Not sure what you were expecting from a product labeled Dungeons Master's Guide?

 

[Sailor Moon]

Can you say more about how they were making it out to be something different? I mean, quotes from developers that don't line up with the reality? I know there were a few things they'd intended to be in that had to be cut --- that always happens, but that doesn't seem like what you're talking about. I'd like to see actual quotes because it seems to me like some people had very specific ideas about what "would" be in the DMG and now they're disappointed that the DM is different from what they'd expected. I'd always felt they'd been rather vague and careful about stating exactly what would be in the DMG. I'm curious how much of the disappointment was result of false assumptions based on over-interpreting vague statements along the way. For what it's worth, I'm completely in agreement with you regarding your other sentiments about this edition giving power to the DM, and that this is a good thing.

During the playtest, we were being told by the developers that the DMG will be full of midules where you can add in elements of 4th edition for example. This was supposed to be the modular edition and that the DMG is supposed to be chock full of these things. At most, they have "snippits" of different options that leave you hanging a bit.

 

[Sacrosanct]

I think this is a case of someone getting a notion in their heads of what "modules" means to them, and when the book doesn't align exactly, they feel wronged somehow. That's the problem with interpretation I guess.

There are somethings that are a bit different than I expected as well, but that doesn't mean I think they failed to deliver on a promise. Just that my interpretation was different from the developers. Unless I see a quote promising something very specific that was omitted, I'm not sure it's fair to say they "failed" at any level.

 

[Mercurius]

I think the problem is that there are all kinds of midules, just not many modules.

Joking aside, I can see where you're coming from. A lot of folks predicted this from the beginning, that WotC wouldn't be able to fully pull off the module-for-every-style, complexity dial, different editions at the same table yada yada yada.

But they've done something different: they've created a really strong, core game that miraculously appeals to a large section of the D&D fanbase. And they've also re-invigorated the idea of a "DM friendly" and run game, which is the second part of your post that no one is responding to, and somewhat answers the first. In other words, they kind of pulled a fast one on us..."And behind the curtain will be the answer to all your modular needs!!!!"

Curtain pulled back.

"And here it is - DM empowerment! Easy to house rule! Lots of fun bits in the toolbox - and you get to put it all together! Or not, if you don't want to!"

Or something like that.

 

[Evenglare]

The fact that I can take 5e which is primarily a theater of the mind game, and slap on spell points, use the advanced combat stuff with facing, use the speed factors and initiative score is pretty damn amazing. Wizards basically made final fantasy tactics at this point. It feels almost exactly like 4e combat except not necessarily with AEDU and even though I really liked AEDU the fact that we have spell points now.. god it's so freaking awesome. I don't know how much more modular you want to get. The book is packed with tons of variant rules to make your game play in completely different ways. Sanity and Honor anyone?

 

[jrowland]

I think along the way modules got pre-empted by DM-wmpowerment. Its a good idea, but lets be honest: For every "Healing Module" you'd have armed camps stating why the are good/bad/meh and how they need to "fix" them etc. As the playtest progressed, and this DM-empowerment thing caught on (partially by design, but I also think partially because we had an incomplete rule-set to playtest) it became obvious that you don't really need codified "modules" but rather some guidance on how to tweak things. I think the DMG does a good job of showing a) what can/should be tweaked b)some ways to tweak c)empowers DMs to tweak.

Going forward, I would not be surprised to see a "Sword & Sorcery" sourcebook (probably 3rd party) that codifies a bunch of tweaks to give you a S&S style game (and likewise for Super-Heroic, et. al.) So we may yet still see hard-coded modules, but they'll likely be bundled into thematic books.

Seriously, most D&D editions are at their best just before a new edition comes out: I can't wait for 6th edition because then 5th edition will be so friggin' awesome! LMAO!