D&D 5E Do we need a Fifth Edition Revival (5ER)?

[Jacob Lewis]

I don't know. My 5e players (who don't spend much time online like I do) certainly complain that ...
1) they don't get enough magic item rewards
2) don't get to high levels (campaigns retire around 10th level)
3) feel that encounters are way too easy (or have TPKs - very little "happy medium")
4) don't get enough "cool things to do"

In fact, my wife was just complaining this morning while playing BG3 that she doesn't get to have "cool encounters" in D&D like she does in BG3. That's largely because there's no guidance for interacting with the environment, bonuses for height or flanking (aside from Advantage). "I wish I got cool magic arrows - they're all over the place in this game!" (No guidance for that, either, in 5e.)
Exploding barrels of oil? Creating slippery surfaces? Swinging on ropes or chandeliers? Pushing a boulder into a swarm of goblins?
None of this stuff is in 5e. The game would be improved if the options were there, in my opinion.

Sounds like they need to speak with their DM about it.

 

[Micah Sweet]

I don't think it's going to happen either, so what are the options left for those of us who love 5E? One way is for a community to "take ownership" of 5E in the same was the OSR took ownership of B/W.

I'm going to keep playing and promoting Level Up and incorporating whatever house rules strike my fancy into my game. WotC's shenanigans don't affect my table.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

Why? Why do we, either DMs or Players, need that? Millions are playing with what they have. They are having fun and joying themselves. It's not like they have run out of enjoyment have they?

Dude, no one is judging you. He's writing about pushing back the frontiers of what the system can do.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

In fact, my wife was just complaining this morning while playing BG3 that she doesn't get to have "cool encounters" in D&D like she does in BG3. That's largely because there's no guidance for interacting with the environment, bonuses for height or flanking (aside from Advantage). "I wish I got cool magic arrows - they're all over the place in this game!" (No guidance for that, either, in 5e.)

I really, really, really hope someone at WotC (or a contractor) turns all the BG3 magic items, variant spells, etc., into a single product for sale, digitally, if nothing else.

 

[bedir than]

I really, really, really hope someone at WotC (or a contractor) turns all the BG3 magic items, variant spells, etc., into a single product for sale, digitally, if nothing else.

They finally created the main NPCs as premade PCs on Beyond.

 

[pogre]

I have enjoyed 5e a great deal over the years. I am in wait-and-see mode on the new rules. I guess I'm largely in agreement with @Clint_L , not because of the digital offerings, but because of the ease of recruiting new people.

I mostly want To thank the O.P. @M.T. Black for posting the content of his blog entry and not just a link.

 

[LordEntrails]

Can the scene just go on forever with what has already been released? Maybe. But there are lots of folk who enjoy new content and new ideas, who feel like the game is ossified if it is not being developed. They can stick with Hasbro, sure, but that future seems likely to one of subscription fees and micro-transactions.

Not maybe. The rules have been digitized and there are now billions? of copies that pretty much guarantee one copy will survive for the life of mankind, and maybe beyond.
But it's not one or the other. It's not Hasbro or a revival. New ideas, growth, variety and creativity have never relied upon the IP holder to create for us. It didn't in 1980, and it doesn't today.

Why do I want an active community that shares and cultivates new ideas, mechanics, and experiences in the 5E space?

We already have this. D&D always has. We don't need some social movement, some "Revival" for this to be true. One of the true beauties and strength of D&D is that every table, every DM makes of it what they will. They adapt, create and often share. We do it on this site everyday. It's done on YouTube and Discord and a thousand other places.

He's writing about pushing back the frontiers of what the system can do.

Are you sure? That's not what I read.

 

[Mistwell]

Everything you've purchased on D&D Beyond you access through the continued blessing and support of Hasbro. Any time you've read "they can't come in and take your books and keep you from playing the old games" - that is exactly the case of D&D Beyond. Hasbro already pulled access to 4e - and there's no reason to think that they won't do the same for 5e at their discretion.
You can't download or store it. It's in the cloud. If/when they shut down the servers, you've lost every item you've purchased. It's the same as if Chris Cocks or Cynthia Williams has come into your house and yanked every book from your shelf. It's planned obsolescence and an intentional way to get you to repurchase things in a cycle.

If you install the DDB app on your phone or tablet, or on PC with an emulator like BlueStscks, you can download the books you purchased, or even just those shared with you.

Here is a screenshot I just took to demonstrate. See the "Download" button?

 

[Mistwell]

Yep, this is the exact concern. People may think I'm fear mongering if I point to subscription fees, but surely this is the end goal. Perhaps it will start with saying, "It costs money to maintain your account and give you access to these books. Starting next month, we are introducing a small fee..."

Then we should start seeing them disable the ability to download them?

 

[Retreater]

Sounds like they need to speak with their DM about it.

They did. I told them if they want that game, we could switch to 4E or PF2. So we're currently playing 4E, which despite being much maligned and with a significantly shorter production lifespan, ended up being better supported by WotC than 5e.