D&D (2024) Kobold Press posts 2024 DMG Hit Piece

[Remathilis]

It was weird to watch how the early Tales of the Valiant was positioned to be the more conservative version of 5E compared to the upcoming WotC revisions...which is not a wide market niche, as it turned out.

Nor did it work in practice since many of the more radical things were mirrored or exceeded by KP. Only one of those two companies standardized subclass levels or has universal spell lists, for example.

 

[Parmandur]

Nor did it work in practice since many of the more radical things were mirrored or exceeded by KP. Only one of those two companies standardized subclass levels or has universal spell lists, for example.

Yeah, arguably Tales of the Valiant ended up being the more creative departure by a bit, which isnbad...but it means their marketing is a tad confusing. It’s the conservative 5E option, but it changed more than the 2024 revision, but not too much more...?

 

[Micah Sweet]

Kobold Press is probably the biggest TTRPG company outside WotC and Paizo (maybe Modiphius, but they don't do 5E stuff). They aren't underdogs. They may be smaller than WotC, but they're in the top percentile of the industry.

Everyone is an underdog compared to WotC. And that's the direct comparison being made here.

 

[Belen]

I guess I just do not see it as a hit piece or overly negative. It is salty and self-serving but I see way worse on a regular basis. I like both WOTC and KP and I would not see this article as affecting my view that much.

 

[Micah Sweet]

However, it comes off as tone deaf since it's just reinforcing the divide in the community. The people who prefer D&D[emoji3481] aren't going to be moved to play TotV, in fact the opposite is happening. Those who already had a bone to pick with WotC just got more reason to stay the course. Nobody jumped ship, it only keeps you in your camp. I guess MAYBE someone who was playing Level Up because they hated WotC might jump ship to TotV instead, but that's not hurting WotC.

I guess if you're of the opinion that there is no bad press as long as they spell your name right, it's fine. But it reeks of a company that bet a lot on being the next Paizo against anti-WotC sentiment and it's not working out the way they want it to.

I'm not saying it's definitely the best move. I'm saying it's an understandable one with plenty of precedent, and stuff like this happens all the time. How nicely (or not) they present their argument doesn't affect what I buy either way, because it doesn't affect content.

 

[Morrus]

Everyone is an underdog compared to WotC. And that's the direct comparison being made here.

Yes, that's a pithy truism, but it's irrelevant. I refer you to my previous post.

 

[KYRON45]

Doubtful: it makes me seriously less inclined to buy more books from Kobold, and I have enjoyed their books before.

I wish i could get upset about a corporate entities behavior. Their goal is to make money. My goal is to buy things that make me happy.

 

[GothmogIV]

Yes, that's a pithy truism, but it's irrelevant. I refer you to my previous post.

Russ, if you found the post made by KP in poor taste, that's a fair opinion. But KP's market share compared to WotC is miniscule. So KP may be big compared to other tiny parts of the TTRPG ecosystem, but it is still miniscule compared to Wizards. Wizards will be fine.

 

[Oofta]

I am surprised you still buy WotC at all if something this minor reduces your interest

When did WotC trash talk KP or any other 3PP? Tell people that their product was better because those other companies produced a bad product?

In addition just because we don't hear about every misstep and business decision that I may disagree with by these 3PPs, doesn't mean they don't make decisions I wouldn't like. Any company of any size is going to occasionally do thing I don't like.

I'm not upset, I'm not 100% boycotting them. Outside of this particular thread I doubt I will ever mention them again. But this book? I might or might not have considered it. Now? Nah.

 

[Morrus]

Russ, if you found the post made by KP in poor taste, that's a fair opinion. But KP's market share compared to WotC is miniscule. So KP may be big compared to other tiny parts of the TTRPG ecosystem, but it is still miniscule compared to Wizards. Wizards will be fine.

I'm not concerned about WotC's wellbeing. Did I say something to imply that I was?

Like I said, KP isn't in competition with WotC. It's in competition with all the other 3PP 5E creators. WotC isn't even in the same industry as everybody else.