D&D (2024) Playstyle Changes from 5E to 5.5E?

[Stormonu]

Yes, I agree. 5E Is long in the tooth.

I know I felt that way about 2E back in the day, around the time of Skills & Powers. But currently, I don't feel like I've run the 5E engine ragged enough that I'm ready for the new model. It still has several years worth of mileage for me. I suppose I'll see ya'll down the road in a few years.

 

[R_J_K75]

I know I felt that way about 2E back in the day, around the time of Skills & Powers. But currently, I don't feel like I've run the 5E engine ragged enough that I'm ready for the new model. It still has several years worth of mileage for me. I suppose I'll see ya'll down the road in a few years.

Without getting into it too much, I'll summarize by saying that I think doing a 5E revision instead of a new edition was playing it safe and unfortunate.

 

[tetrasodium]

Based upon playtests, different visions for classes, and etc...

How has the playstyle changed from 5E to 5.5E?

It appears that there are some very different mentalities and visions behind how the Bauer Edition of the game has been designed and put together. How does that manifest in play, storytelling, worldbuilding, and etc?

Does ze game remain ze same?

We don't really have enough info to guess because there have been almost zero rules reveals. Inspiration being usable on any roll of any die and surprise being fixed from what is effectively"auto win" to disadvantage on initiative & potions being a bonus action is not a set of changes likely to make any big waves in play style

My guess is that potions being a bonus action means we will see a base sidebar or variant rule for the gm to have a lower bar with using the other rule kick in the other rule change that makes bonus action potions matter... Specifically a no more death save die at 0/-5/etc option.

I'd be surprised and disappointed if the phb or dmg does not have at least an optional or variant rule for that because the bonus action potion change is kinda pointless and players still just wait for death saves to null some damage without that other half

 

[mellored]

I honestly think we are beginning to see the cracks that indicate there will be a fracturing of the player base. From my experience, even when a rules refresh is needed redoing the rules always ends up with some people departing and a leveling off or decline in interest (usually the latter). I strongly believe we've seen D&D peak (back before Tasha's actually) and are approaching the rundown of the edition.

I disagree.

Most people like the playtest material more than the 2014 material.

And the focus on keeping compatibility is to prevent a split in the player base.

Obviously not everyone will like every change, but I don't see how this is going to run things down.

 

[CapnZapp]

(or will we finally have a point to useless gold?)

Every other edition has provided a very fun and useful purpose for gold:

* purchasing magic items *

It's not that there isn't already solution...

 

[mellored]

We don't really have enough info to guess because there have been almost zero rules reveals. Inspiration being usable on any roll of any die and surprise being fixed from what is effectively"auto win" to disadvantage on initiative & potions being a bonus action is not a set of changes likely to make any big waves in play style

Grapple, Push, Trip is also a saving throw instead of Athletics. Which just nerfs a specific build.

Throwing nets got some adjustments, but forgot what.

And that might be every rule change.

Everything else is a class adjustment. With the biggest being that martials can add cantrip-level effects to their weapon attack.

 

[Neonchameleon]

Based upon playtests, different visions for classes, and etc...

How has the playstyle changed from 5E to 5.5E?

It appears that there are some very different mentalities and visions behind how the Bauer Edition of the game has been designed and put together. How does that manifest in play, storytelling, worldbuilding, and etc?

Does ze game remain ze same?

To me everyone gets a tune-up and rebalance but there are three major differences:

• Martials all are much stronger out of combat than just their stats and the same number of skills everyone else gets
• Combat is a lot less about playing paty-cake with sponge enemies until someone runs out of hp
• Forced Movement is much more of a thing meaning that battle maps are more needed and combat feels more on location and less green screen

 

[EzekielRaiden]

To me everyone gets a tune-up and rebalance but there are three major differences:

• Martials all are much stronger out of combat than just their stats and the same number of skills everyone else gets
• Combat is a lot less about playing paty-cake with sponge enemies until someone runs out of hp
• Forced Movement is much more of a thing meaning that battle maps are more needed and combat feels more on location and less green screen

So, they made it very slightly less like 5.0 and very slightly more like 4e?

 

[Stormonu]

I disagree.

Most people like the playtest material more than the 2014 material.

Granted, we're the squeaky wheel here (who tends to keep up with this stuff). However, until the books hit the stores, the vast majority of people haven't seen what is coming. Liked or not, the real determiner is if people actually put the money down for the books.

Again, as its been my experience changes on this order will leave a number of folks behind and my overall sense tells me we're seeing the end of D&D's boom era and a settling towards decline moving forward. I don't have proof, just a gut feeling. I suspect we'll see a good number of preorders but sales will fall off quickly as the majority aren't going to want to pay $150 for replacement books that have "minimal changes".

 

[mellored]

Again, as its been my experience changes on this order will leave a number of folks behind and my overall sense tells me we're seeing the end of D&D's boom era and a settling towards decline moving forward.

I think your overestimating the magnitude of the changes. The Devs are going out of their way to make sure everything works together, specifically to avoid a split.

I've played with 2014 and playtest characters side by side without any issues. Simply trading out existing characters with their new versions each time it dropped (except the fist druid attempt, no one wanted to try that).

So in my experience, actually using it, half the people will grab the new stuff right away. The other half will decide there's not enough change to warrant buying another book. And 95%* will just continue playing their current campaign, together.

Then over the next decade, as campaigns end, characters die, and books are passed around, the second half will slowly switch.

*I am sure there will be a few people somewhere who dig their heals in.