D&D General Kobold Press Going Down a Dark Road

[Parmandur]

Folks, I think this is just a case of misreading the FAQ.
1 - the current 5E Players Handbook, Monster Manual and DM's Guide will not continue to be in print once the new version, or edition, or whatever it is being called is released. The PDFs might remain available from WotC, or they may not.

2 - of course those 3 books will still be available in stores as long as their current stock remains, but they will be more and more difficult to buy over time, and eventually those hardcovers will be very tough to find

3 - Wizards seems to taking a more digital, subscription-based model. There is no indication that they will not still sell the books in physical format, but they are absolutely going more heavily with the digital, subscription-based model

The point of the FAQ is simply to say that the new Project Black Flag books will be produced in beautiful hard cover, as well as PDFs, and there will be no subscription-based model.

Messaging is a difficult game sometimes, but there is definitely no attempt to mislead in that FAQ, I promise

I'm a big fan of Kobold Press stuff, and of WotC: for marketing and communication purposes, comparisons like thst in the FAQ are off-putting. I am interested in Black Flag, but I'm also going to get OneD&D books when they come out (and it has confirmed thst books aren't being phased out). Emphasizing compatibility versus differences would be a wiser path, I think.

 

[Alzrius]

Also, 2e had revised core books in 1995 along with the Player Options books. That is as much of a refresh as 5e is getting now.

No, I have to disagree here. The "revised" 2E Core Rules changed the layout, the artwork, and the trade dress, but didn't change the rules in any capacity. They were exactly the same in every regard, without exception. That's not going to be the case for 1D&D, which seems like it will at least be a ".5" change (and despite the marketing to the contrary, I'm still not sure it won't be a full-on 6E).

 

[aco175]

I'll sell someone looking for my 10 year old books next year when I get the new ones.

 

[mamba]

No, I have to disagree here. The "revised" 2E Core Rules changed the layout, the artwork, and the trade dress, but didn't change the rules in any capacity

but the player options did

 

[Alzrius]

but the player options did

The "Option" books were supplements, optional books not part of the Core Rules; they're something you'd compare to Tasha's or Xanathar's, not any sort of edition revision.

 

[mamba]

The "Option" books were supplements, optional books not part of the Core Rules; they're something you'd compare to Tasha's or Xanathar's, not any sort of edition revision.

I don't know, they are optional, but they do more than introduce new subclasses.

"This chapter introduces the PLAYER'S OPTION combat system, an advanced set of skirmish rules designed to add detail and flavor to battles in an AD&D game. The combat rules from the Player's Handbook and DUNGEON MASTERS Guide have been expanded and streamlined to create more active, exciting battles."

"This chapter presents several new combat actions, restructures the AD&D initiative system, and introduces retreats, fatigue, and critical events."

So I guess it is somewhere in between, thanks to being optional

 

[Clint_L]

I think the Kobold Press statement is misleading in two distinct ways:

1. By implying that WotC is abandoning 5e. WotC has directly stated that "OneD&D is 5e." All the playlets materials released thus far are for 5e.

2. By implying that WotC is abandoning print books, when they explicitly are not.

Kobold Press is not exactly lying, but they are definitely cherry picking and presenting certain facts without mentioning others in a way that is obviously designed to encourage readers to draw untruthful conclusions. It's shady as hell, and I want to point out that Kobold Press did not design 5e, so them trying to lay claim to it like this is kind of gross. And makes me more sympathetic to why WotC considered killing the OGL.

 

[Micah Sweet]

One of those technically true things depending on your views on what is 5e and whether it includes the 2024 revisions.

WotC 5e is the 2014 books to me. OneD&D is no more that than any other version of 5e is. WotC 5.5 maybe, at best.

 

[Micah Sweet]

True but that is not what this implies. They are implying WoTC is moving all digital.

‘We aim to keep the spirit of tabletop alive by producing beautiful, inviting versions of the core rulebooks for those who prefer to play face-to-face and those who don’t want to pay a monthly subscription to play.’

It wouldn't surprise me if WotC really pushed digital at the expense of physical books. Not completely, of course, but to me it looks like WotC would really prefer everybody just use DnD Beyond for everything. They just can't pull that trigger just yet.

 

[Micah Sweet]

I am going to try and be respectful in my reply which is more than I can say for yours. But WoTC has not indicated they are moving to digital releases only and this certainly implies that but doesn’t say so directly.

It certainly implies that WotC wants to. And I think that's quite true.