D&D (2024) What could OneD&D to bring YOU back to D&D? (+)

[Desdichado]

Nothing. To quote Mr Darcy, "My good opinion, once lost, is lost forever." 6e (I refuse to dignify the obviously disingenuous notion that OneD&D isn't a new edition by calling it that) is clearly heading in a different direction than I have any interest in, but I've already bailed on D&D twice now, and I can't imagine that I'd come back to the normal, regular game. I've found my Holy Grail system, and it ain't D&D anymore.

If they do something so interesting that I want to buy it just to read it academically, that could happen, I guess. If they do something with the brand outside of the game itself that is interesting enough to hold my interest, that could do it. I don't know what those things are, but I can imagine them existing, at least. If they started publishing really good novels again, or something, or had a really good computer/console game, or a decent streaming show, or something. I could get into those if they weren't hot garbage, but I'd be very skeptical that they wouldn't be. I'm even going to give the movie a chance to win me over, in spite of loads of red flags in the trailers so far.

But I won't play 6e, certainly. I didn't play much 1e, absolutely no 2e, or 4e, or 5e, and all of those did things that I really liked (along with a lot of things that I didn't, to be fair.) Honestly, I'm still salty that 3e turned into 3.5, even though I acknowledge that 3.5 was better than 3e once all was said and done, and I did buy a lot of 3.5 splatbooks. After a while, though, I was just buying them to read them and had little interest in actually using them. And after some time, I didn't even like the 3e premise of the rules very much anyway.

And I guess I could conceivably come back for a really great game with really great friends, regardless of the rules, but that's nothing that WotC can provide.

EDIT: I'd conceivably have a look at another new campaign setting, if it isn't janky. I know it probably didn't really do what WotC hoped it would, but I liked both the idea of Eberron, and its execution, and frankly, I really liked the idea of how they came around to selecting it. I submitted two campaign briefs myself, along with thousands of others, but that made me more excited about the game than anything before or since.

Even if I think that the premise of Eberron, ironically, is held back by being too tightly wed to being D&D.

And I'd be interested in modular stuff. Y'know, stuff that would be useful regardless of what system you play. I'd look at that, just for curiosity's sake, if nothing else.

 

[Incenjucar]

Yes, would not have to be Ravenloft per se, but something huge and immersive.

I am also one of those oddballs that enjoys running high level games.

As much as I'm a purist about running my own adventures, I might pick something like that up just to learn from it. Solid chance I'd learn some new tricks from something on that scale. It would also be nice to see high-level play become more commonplace.

 

[GMforPowergamers]

Not gonna lie, I'm burned out on 5e as a rules set. I think that's why I've been down so much on the playtests and direction of OneD&D - it's not changing enough to revitalize my interest.
When I saw the previews for 3.0, 4e, and 5e, each was different enough from its direct predecessors that I got excited for the changes. I don't feel the same way about OneD&D, even though I still get excited about new games from other publishers.
If you're a lapsed player - or simply a burned-out one like me - what would you like to see to get you excited?

I am a player right now but have been a DM 90% of my just shy of 30 years gameing. 5e has not been my favorite game. I am VERY burnt out on it. My group has 'settled' for 5e being the 1 game we can all agree on, even though it is none of our favorites.

What I want is 4e style game with 5e streamlined ideas with 2e HP... I am sure I am not getting that.

What it would take is enough new stuff for us to say this is different, without making it too much different. Yeah so almost impossible.

 

[mamba]

My group has 'settled' for 5e being the 1 game we can all agree on, even though it is none of our favorites.

If you end up playing 5e, it did something right that those others didn’t… I am actually surprised you do not alternate systems instead

What I want is 4e style game with 5e streamlined ideas with 2e HP... I am sure I am not getting that.

pretty sure too

What it would take is enough new stuff for us to say this is different, without making it too much different. Yeah so almost impossible.

isn’t that basically what they are aiming for? Or does it fall on the ‘not different enough’ side for you?

 

[Ruin Explorer]

So I could make a lot of claims about what would bring me back as a DM, but if I'm really honest it's going to come down solely to to two or three things:

1) Make my life as a DM easier in terms of prep.

5E is one of the prep-heaviest modern RPGs, because you've got encounters (which should be balanced), NPCs (who don't have a great shorthand method), situations (with a real lack of generic systems to support that), traps, treasure/loot, and any monsters that are novel require a lot of effort to put together (unlike, in say, 4E's DDI where I could slap together a novel monster in literally 5 minutes - and it would work, mathematically and tactically).

There's an absolute ton that could be improved here. I'm happy to use digital tools for some of the improvement, but stuff like Beyond's tools are either very poorly designed, or intentionally mis-designed. Specifically Beyond has an encounter builder - good - but that encounter builder has absolutely no easy way to exclude monsters you don't own - extremely bad. Every time you use the builder, you have to click 20+ times to select the sources you want, in annoying drop that sometimes clears itself. Beyond knows what books you own. Beyond knows what monsters you have. But because they have a conflict of interest, in that they want to "advertise" other monsters so you'll either buy them via microtransactions or buy the books they're in, it's never been a priority to fix this.

This is the sort of thing that should be a high priority for Beyond to fix if they're serious about making DM's lives easier. DMs finding a tool easy to use should be more important than extracting the the absolute max money from a few people who are impulsive enough to buy stuff that way.

And that's one example of many.

2) Do better on art. Much better.

5E's original art is okay, but there are very few stunning pieces. This is not true for MtG, even though it's own by the same company, and it's always hilarious to see the massive quality disparity when they put MtG art in D&D products.

I'd also like to see better writing, and more of it, but this is more variable. 5E has some good writing at least. A lot of RPGs do far better, especially these days, though.

So I think those are the biggest two, but close behind:

3) Settings I'm actually excited about/want to run.

This doesn't have to be bringing back older settings. What it does have to be is settings that are exciting, have something to say, and are presented in a really cool way. It also means not bringing out setting books where the actual setting is, quite literally, 10-20% of what's in the book, and claiming those are settings. They're not. They're adventures/campaigns with a certain amount of setting attached. Give me an actual setting I can chew on, and get loads of cool ideas from, and that excites me about D&D again.

When D&D lost me the first time, in the 1990s, that's how it got me back - Planescape - it was too exciting not to run it. When it lost me the second time, with 3.5E, it was mechanics that got me back because 4E was too interesting not to try, but from what we know of 1D&D that's already off the table, so settings are going to matter more.

At this point, I'd rather see new settings than revived ones, I think.

 

[Ruin Explorer]

isn’t that basically what they are aiming for? Or does it fall on the ‘not different enough’ side for you?

I can't speak for @GMforPowergamers but I can certainly say that so far 1D&D doesn't yet seem to be addressing any of the fundamental issues 5E has, and indeed is seemingly doubling down on some of the worst - it appears that they're going to keep the Short Rest class vs Long Rest class divide/power gap, for example.

The fact that they're recommitted to the "popularity contest" approach to rules design after seemingly moving away doesn't bode well here. Especially most people fear change, even when it's positive. I mean, had 3E gone "popularity contest", I have little doubt we'd have still seen race/class restrictions, for example. Even though once they were gone that proved a very popular move.

Still, they've got years yet. Let's hope some future packets are more daring.

 

[GMforPowergamers]

If you end up playing 5e, it did something right that those others didn’t… I am actually surprised you do not alternate systems instead

not really Tuesday night there are 6 of us (5 players and a DM) and Saturday there are 4 of us (1 DM and 3 players) (and in theory we have a 1/month game but it has been 8 sessions in 14 months and non in January so I'm not counting it for this)

2 of us (myself and my oldest friend) over lap the groups so right now we have 8 of us.

3 of us want to play 4e more as 1st pref (of the 3 of us 2 want Savage world as 3rd choice and 1 wants WoD as 3rd choice)
2 of us want to play 3.5 (or pathfinder 1) more as a 1st pret (of them one wants to play WoD as 2nd choice and Mutants and Masterminds as 3rd other wants to play Torg as 2nd choice or Rifts as third (would put up with savage world but really wants original))
1 of us (is insane) and wants 2eD&D as 1st pref and Rifts (original only) as second and Torg as 3rd
1 of us wants to play any WoD or Superhero game most but would settle for 4e D&D.... never actually wants to rank an order
1 of us wants to play 5e most (only 1 but he started in 5e) and would do 4e as second choice and wont play a non D&D game but MIGHT consider pathfinder 2e, but no one else even has looked at it.

Now the fun part were we MIGHT try other systems again is World of Darkness... because the 3 of us that want 4e/savagworld/WoD and 1 of the 2 that wants 3.5/Wod/M&M make up the Saturday group... SO world of darkness is actually higher on the list and was what we were playing before covid... it was only that 5e D&D is easier on roll20 that moved us, BUT I have been experimenting and have a pitch for a 1930's VtM and a 2023 MtA useng the 20th anneversary rules... so maybe.

5e is only 1 persons favorite edition (funny enough the guy who is trying to run the 1/month that never happens)
other possibilities are Rifts and Torg but for the most part there are people with hard limits (major dislike) of each.

I tried to bring up Moruss's 5e variant as an advanced 5e and it was shot down as no one wanting to learn another 3rd pary system.

pretty sure too

isn’t that basically what they are aiming for? Or does it fall on the ‘not different enough’ side for you?

We don't know... this is why we are on the fense. Some of what we see we like some we don't. As for where it will land I don't know.
In general the idea that they wont address the systematic issue with caster/noncaster imbalance (that we feel, and we are not alone, is there)or the HP inflation that 3e 4e and 5e all have make me worry. We also disliked (and it seemed we were not alone) the auto pass on a 20 auto fail on a 1) and the new spell prep/list system. BUT we like the new ranger (except the spell thing) and the bard (although we don't understand why the change from song of rest). We really want a warlord and we are scared to see what the warrior options and wizard options will look like. Since right now Hexblade warlock is our Most played class across all games what they do with that will ALSO infulence us.

I can't speak for @GMforPowergamers but I can certainly say that so far 1D&D doesn't yet seem to be addressing any of the fundamental issues 5E has, and indeed is seemingly doubling down on some of the worst - it appears that they're going to keep the Short Rest class vs Long Rest class divide/power gap, for example.

yes, that is part of it. I also feel that having too many things that go off "Prof x per day" instead of off a short rest is a major flaw being introduced (yes it is already showin up in 5e). My blade singer right now has 2 things that run off it.

The fact that they're recommitted to the "popularity contest" approach to rules design after seemingly moving away doesn't bode well here.

yeah, I worry if enough people that want change are just throwing there hands up... of the 8 of us (plus 3 others I know IRL) 5 of us did the 1st survey and as of today only me and 1 other did the most resent... with 1 other saying 'they would when they have the time'

Especially most people fear change, even when it's positive. I mean, had 3E gone "popularity contest", I have little doubt we'd have still seen race/class restrictions, for example. Even though once they were gone that proved a very popular move.

there is an old adage about customers not knowing what they want.

Still, they've got years yet. Let's hope some future packets are more daring.

again we are paying attention and have a group text where we discuss changes even with lapsed players (the group text is 13 of us including only 7 of the 8 above I play with because the crazy guy that wants to play 2e or original rifts doesn't have a smart phone and doesn't like texting on his old flip phone)


Edit: as part of trying to keep our group together as much as possible back around 5e coming out we all made 'top 10' lists (with 1 exception for not wanting to rank and 1 expectation for joined right after this) and 5e was around the 5th or 6th spot on everyones list. Nobody HATES 5e, but none of us LOVE 5e.

Edit2: my most up to date top 10 is

Spoiler: top 10 games I want to run/play

1) 4eD&D
2) Savage Worlds Rifts
3) Savage Worlds Deadlands
4) Mage the Ascension
5) Vampire the Masquerade
6) 5eD&D
7) Werewolf the apocalypse
8) DCU (using the Mutants and masterminds version of the book)
9) Torg Eternal
10) Star Wars d6 system

with honorable mentions to original Deadlands, original Rifts, 2e D&D and d6 DCU... and maybe outside chance Mutants and Masterminds 2e.

Never want to do again: Pathfinder 1e, D&D3e/3.5 Starwars d20 Starwars saga (although of all my dislikes it is the least) new world of darkness (so Mage the Awakening, Vampire the Requiam ect... with a carve out for Prometheon... I MIGHT be able to be convinced to play but not run prometheon)
this has changed since the original list, Mage and Vampire switched places and TORG Eternal got added pushing d6 starwars down and that removed my old #10 Original Rifts

 

[GMforPowergamers]

As someone who has been in the game since 1992, and even made academic decisions based on the game, but who saw 5E and went lol nope (but did finish a 6-year long 4E campaign):

• Bring back balance without making it boring. No more options intentionally designed to be better, no more avoiding letting non-casters do cool stuff
• Avoid making the game about about our heroes the primary casters and their bumbling sidekicks
• Make martials fun and badass and flexible
• Don't make me buy someone else's adventure to get the new crunch.
• Systemize things to maintain consistent math where possible. Ideally, give us the math. It's so annoying having to figure out math for homebrew.
• Give tactics more depth. Dazed is a good start.
• Use clearer, more exact language. Natural language is terrible.
• Stop making DMs make decisions about written rules. Our job is to break rules, not to guess at what they are.

I have a bunch of other wishes and caveats about buying specific things. Campaign settings that aren't balanced with the rest of the game can rot on the shelf, for example.

where I indurce this 100% I am not sure that my group all would...

 

[Ruin Explorer]

Nobody HATES 5e, but none of us LOVE 5e.

Yeah that's where most of us are at, at this point. If it wasn't for 5E's vast support system (VTTs, Beyond, 3PPs, etc.) and the fact that we've all been playing D&D on and off for 30+ years I don't think it'd have much of a chance.

 

[GMforPowergamers]

Yeah that's where most of us are at, at this point. If it wasn't for 5E's vast support system (VTTs, Beyond, 3PPs, etc.) and the fact that we've all been playing D&D on and off for 30+ years I don't think it'd have much of a chance.

The only people I find that love 5e are new players... BUT even they have a habit of stretching out and finding other systems (not normally other editions of D&D but that isn't never) they like more... and like my experience most find that others in there groups like different things better.

At the game shop that closed right before covid lock downs I had introduced a woman to 5e, and she ended up DMing for the first year of covid online, and then she got her group back in person... and she wanted to use Fate, and another wanted to use Essence?(I might have that name wrong) and another wanted to use Fudge (that I though that and Fate were the same shows what I know) and 2 wanted to stick with D*D... so they all stuck to D&D until her group fell apart only about a month ago. She is now trying to get a Fate group together with very little luck, but she has been invited to a Vampire V5 game I am trying to suggest she at least try.

of the slightly less then a dozen people I know that I brought into ttrpgs (all through 4e or 5e D&D) that didn't stay in my group but kep[t in touch this is not an abnormal story... they get into D&D want to branch out and find it hard to agree on what to branch too...

HOWEVER the biggest exception to this is a young man who was in the same group as that young woman when I introduced both to 5e.... he ended up playing in a 5e game for a bit then switched to running an OSR retroclone. I have not talked to him in over a year but last I heard he had a table of 6 players plus himself doing a OSR game.