D&D (2024) The impending mess that will be backwards compatibility

[Vaalingrade]

"YOU DON'T HAVE TO BUY ANY NEW BOOKS (even though we bet you'll want to)" is about keeping everyone from running to the lifeboats.

"As long as we don't say you have to buy the new books... you pretty much will no matter how vehemently you protest to the contrary. Because let's face it; your group and/or surrounding community will and soon enough, there's going to be no one around using or allowing the old books. IT happened in 3.5; it happened in 4.5, and by god, it will happen this time too."

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

That and "please buy the books coming out this year".

I've still met some players looking to get into DnD and suggested that they not shell out for core books until the 2024 set comes out.

Hasbro stormtroopers (so, Cobra soldiers, I guess) are on their way to your door now.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

"As long as we don't say you have to buy the new books... you pretty much will no matter how vehemently you protest to the contrary. Because let's face it; your group and/or surrounding community will and soon enough, there's going to be no one around using or allowing the old books. IT happened in 3.5; it happened in 4.5, and by god, it will happen this time too."

Probably, but maybe not. So far, the changes aren't as fundamental as the 3E/3.5 shift, which changed how weapons worked, for instance. (A change to any given class or how you categorize spells is a compartmentalized change that only affects a limited subsystem.)

The best point of comparison at this point is probably Monsters of the Multiverse. There was a lot of howling about the book's changes. Are DMs still using Mordenkainen's Book of Foes and Volo's Guide to Monsters? I bet there are some DMs still using the older books, especially for spellcaster NPCs.

 

[Micah Sweet]

Probably, but maybe not. So far, the changes aren't as fundamental as the 3E/3.5 shift, which changed how weapons worked, for instance. (A change to any given class or how you categorize spells is a compartmentalized change that only affects a limited subsystem.)

The best point of comparison at this point is probably Monsters of the Multiverse. There was a lot of howling about the book's changes. Are DMs still using Mordenkainen's Book of Foes and Volo's Guide to Monsters? I bet there are some DMs still using the older books, especially for spellcaster NPCs.

I definitely still use both older books.

 

[UngeheuerLich]

yeah I am going to walk into every game with a half elf with +2 cha +1 to two other stats and see what they tell me... make it a half high elf to get that cantrip...

I don't think it does make any more problems than it makes now... none at all...
Going by the preview races, the +1 bonus over the other races looks rather underwhelming.

A variant human of revised5e has 1 more stat boost and inspiration 1/day for free on top of the old variant human abilities, and many people chose variant human over half elf...

 

[Greg K]

As of the moment, I am prepared to tell potential players not to bother asking to use 2024 classes based upon previews to date. The same for 2024 species.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

As of the moment, I am prepared to tell potential players not to bother asking to use 2024 classes based upon previews to date. The same for 2024 species.

Man, I thought I planned my games well in advance.

 

[Charlaquin]

I thought it was listing things as backward compatible but you need to stick with the old PHB and cannot take options from both the old and new, but you can still play. Sounds like it could work in theory, but communism works in theory as well. I'm not holding out on it.

jesus christ, you didn't need to murder them like that.

Communism has worked in practice.

 

[Morrus]

But what about a 5e goblin and a 1dd goblin?

Both will use the same core rules. They might be different to each other, as any two monsters are, but they will be perfectly compatible.

 

[W'rkncacnter]

Communism has worked in practice.

no, but more importantly let's not go down that rabbit hole