D&D General Is DnD being mothballed?

[Kurotowa]

A reminder that the pace of hardcover releases actually slowed down from 3.5 to 4e:

3e was pumping out books that were overspecialized to the point of absurdity in order to keep up the release pace. Sandstorm, an environmental book on deserts? Magic of Incarnum, which was all about some weird new magic type (both thematically and mechanically) that had no established place in any setting? Ghostwalk, a new campaign setting entirely about "there are ghosts here"?

Some books had good bits, but those bits didn't justify the entire book. I loved the Dread Necromancer class in Libris Mortis, but I still don't know if that book had any reason for existing. It was just unsustainable.

 

[MockingBird]

Good gravy, they released like 5 years of 5E material just in 2007??? No wonder I never bought any 3E books, analysis paralysis on steroids...

Yeah I missed out on the 3e era at the beginning. Once I started looking to see what was out it was a bit overwhelming.

Side note: someone mentioned how 3.0 had a different feel compared to 3.5 in another thread. It got me thinking. I did some research and reading and I'd have to agree. 3.5 did seem to have a shift. I don't mean in rules, just in feel I guess. I don't know, can't put my finger on it just yet.

 

[darjr]

Oh yea l, the 3.5 glut from WotC.

and it may have done a bit of the same thing the TSR setting glut did. Divide the fan base.

 

[darjr]

Yeah I missed out on the 3e era at the beginning. Once I started looking to see what was out it was a bit overwhelming.

Side note: someone mentioned how 3.0 had a different feel compared to 3.5 in another thread. It got me thinking. I did some research and reading and I'd have to agree. 3.5 did seem to have a shift. I don't mean in rules, just in feel I guess. I don't know, can't put my finger on it just yet.

Did the 3.0 books have miniature diagrams in it? Wasn’t that part of it, 3.5 had more emphasis on tactical mini play.

 

[MockingBird]

Did the 3.0 books have miniature diagrams in it? Wasn’t that part of it, 3.5 had more emphasis on tactical mini play.

I think so, that and the earlier 3.0 adventures, to me, have a different feel to them compared to some of the later ones. I could be totally off base though. I was largely absent from 3.x era.

 

[Zardnaar]

Hmmm must be blood in the water as all the YouTube sharks are swimming around predicting the death of D&D, Magic and WotC. I'm getting them regularly on my feed with all the classic fear thumbnails.

I've noticed that as well.

5E was first edition launched in mature social media age. Got positive social media response.

OneD&D seems to be getting a negative one. Interesting to see what happens.

 

[Zardnaar]

Yeah I missed out on the 3e era at the beginning. Once I started looking to see what was out it was a bit overwhelming.

Side note: someone mentioned how 3.0 had a different feel compared to 3.5 in another thread. It got me thinking. I did some research and reading and I'd have to agree. 3.5 did seem to have a shift. I don't mean in rules, just in feel I guess. I don't know, can't put my finger on it just yet.

Early 3.0 got played like 2E, 3.5 kinda became its own thing.

 

[Parmandur]

Yeah I missed out on the 3e era at the beginning. Once I started looking to see what was out it was a bit overwhelming.

Side note: someone mentioned how 3.0 had a different feel compared to 3.5 in another thread. It got me thinking. I did some research and reading and I'd have to agree. 3.5 did seem to have a shift. I don't mean in rules, just in feel I guess. I don't know, can't put my finger on it just yet.

I first started in the 3.5 era, and books from both were floating around in an undifferentiated 3.x soup with actually what I see in hindsight is a bunch of 2E stuff layered in, and yeah, 3E was different.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

Hmmm must be blood in the water as all the YouTube sharks are swimming around predicting the death of D&D, Magic and WotC. I'm getting them regularly on my feed with all the classic fear thumbnails.

Most D&D YouTubers are garbage. I hit "do not recommend this channel" on any that do the doom thumbnails.

 

[Micah Sweet]

I've noticed it too. I feel like there are some groups on YouTube that have decided its cool to hate on WotC. One video compared it to the time Marvel comics went bankrupt. Seems odd though because some of these channels or personalities have books that are successful because of 5e.

That's just it though. WotC released 5e years ago through the OGL, and just made it even more accessible through the CC this year. There is no reason to support them any longer if you don't like what they're doing now.