D&D General 5.5 and making the game easier for players and harder for DMs

[FitzTheRuke]

I reject the premise of this thread (respectfully). I've been playing many games with the playtest material for - what is it, close to two years? What we've seen so far isn't too different from the playtest stuff. I didn't notice the game getting harder on the DM. If anything, with a much better DMG (which I expect) and MM (which I also expect) I think we're very likely to be in very good shape going forward.

 

[haakon1]

those DMs shouldn't be playing games like 5E.

Yeah, I play 5e, in a 5 player campaign and in BG3, but I won’t DM it.

What was that thread about feeling left out with 5e & in ENworld discussions? Very true.

I know as a Gen X gamer who played all the editions and thinks this one is only OK, I’m not wanted. That WotC conspicuously left our age range out of their surveys is no surprise.

“No one likes us, we don’t care.” - Millwall FC slogan/should be Gen X & Grognard motto.

 

[tetrasodium]

I reject the premise of this thread (respectfully). I've been playing many games with the playtest material for - what is it, close to two years? What we've seen so far isn't too different from the playtest stuff. I didn't notice the game getting harder on the DM. If anything, with a much better DMG (which I expect) and MM (which I also expect) I think we're very likely to be in very good shape going forward.

The kinds of problems sky flourish discussed in the video are not things that the dmg can retroactively patch. The idea that the dmg would be used as an errata for the phb and left to the gm to buy then enforce rather than having it being written for the GM's needs is more than a little silly

 

[DarkCrisis]

That would be a GSL->OGL fiasco level mistake eventually written about in textbooks. Thing is the fact that wotc doesn't have a strong position in the VTT market. GM's who are already running their game with a VTT have already invested (sometimes significant) money into their VTT & setup of choice. Those GMs will resent being pressured to change to what is currently vaporware by the system being designed with hostility towards the GM as a primary goal. The GMs who do not currently use a VTT by choice because they prefer something like pen paper minis & chessex mat will for once find themselves in complete 100% agreement with GMs who prefer their VTT of choice.

Both groups of GMs have the benefit of a wide array of upcoming & recently released solid TTRPGs... We all saw what happened the last time wotc created their biggest competitor by strippuing away GM suypport whhile trying to force. change through the hostile GSL.

It won’t happen over night. It’s a long game. Make things more and more enticing to get more and more to go digital.

People who say “it will never happen” are not looking at the long game.

The next major step which is years and years away will probably print to order physical books.

I’m honestly surprised they aren’t doing few DDB versions with every physical copy sold.

 

[tetrasodium]

It won’t happen over night. It’s a long game. Make things more and more enticing to get more and more to go digital.

People who say “it will never happen” are not looking at the long game.

The next major step which is years and years away will probably print to order physical books.

I’m honestly surprised they aren’t doing few DDB versions with every physical copy sold.

If wishes were horses

 

[haakon1]

This is me. I would love to play 3.5/PF1 again but fudge no to being the DM. I cracked open my PF1 book and got PTSD. No thank you.

I still DM 3.5e, but it’s a ton of work. I definitely couldn’t run a once a week game, but we haven’t done that since college. Once a month is a relatively frequent game among folks I know.

 

[mamba]

“No one likes us, we don’t care.” - Millwall FC slogan/should be Gen X & Grognard motto.

for people that do not care there is an awful lot of complaining everywhere (not just here, YT etc too)… so leave that slogan to the FC

 

[haakon1]

for people that do not care there is an awful lot of complaining everywhere (not just here, YT etc too)… so leave that slogan to the FC

What it means is we understand people don’t like us, but attempts to shut us up won’t succeed.

Well that’s the theory, but the reality is they do work.

Because of the hostility here, I take several month breaks a few times a year.

Why I return and post again is a mystery to me.

 

[FitzTheRuke]

The kinds of problems sky flourish discussed in the video are not things that the dmg can retroactively patch.

This wouldn't be the first time that I've disagreed with Slyflourish. I think he's got good and valuable insights, but he tends to be overly reactionary IMO. He spends too much time worrying about "What if this thing someday becomes a problem?" for my taste. To me, if it's not a problem NOW, then it's not worth worrying about. I have enough things to worry about.

The idea that the dmg would be used as an errata for the phb and left to the gm to buy then enforce rather than having it being written for the GM's needs is more than a little silly

I wasn't suggesting that the DMG would be errata for the PHB. I don't think that's needed. The DMG should just be a tool to empower DMs to do what they do, and do it well.

 

[Oofta]

Yeah, I play 5e, in a 5 player campaign and in BG3, but I won’t DM it.

What was that thread about feeling left out with 5e & in ENworld discussions? Very true.

I know as a Gen X gamer who played all the editions and thinks this one is only OK, I’m not wanted. That WotC conspicuously left our age range out of their surveys is no surprise.

“No one likes us, we don’t care.” - Millwall FC slogan/should be Gen X & Grognard motto.

No age group has monolithic preferences. If you happen to feel left out, I can sympathize but it's not like they don't care. You personally just don't happen to be the target audience even if other Gen Xers are.

I have to admit that I'm never sure what the issue really is, 5E is fairly flexible and with a few tweaks and restrictions can give quite a different play experience. On the other hand no game can work for everyone, fortunately there are a lot of options out there or get some 3PP supplement for 5E that moves it more in your direction.