D&D 5E (2024) D&D 2024 Is Now OFFICIALLY Called "5.5e"

Settling a debate that has lasted for over two years, the current edition of Dungeons & Dragons, which has been known by various names up until now, has finally received an official designation: D&D 5.5e.

Previously, the current ruleset was referred to as 'One D&D', before becoming 'D&D 2024'. Other variations exist, but the most common version used by fans was D&D 5.5.

The 5.5 terminology echoes the edition names used in the early 2000s for D&D 3E and D&D 3.5.

D&D Beyond has an FAQ related to the name change. In it, they say that "Earlier on, [the 2024 rules] were referred to differently. As D&D Beyond evolved and more players used both versions side by side, it became clear that “5.5e” matched how the community already talks about the game and made things easier to understand."

The terminology will be used going forward on D&D Beyond, although unlike the 3E/3.5 hardcovers, the physical book titles will not include any edition designations.

The 2014 edition of D&D is to continue to be called "5e", with the 2024 version being "5.5e". WotC says that "5.5e refers to content that uses the 2024 updated core rules, which are fully compatible with Fifth Edition."

Despite including the "e" (for "edition") WotC continues to maintain that 5.5e is not a new edition, and merely a 'rules update', or 'version'. Whether 'edition' and 'version' are synonyms or not we'll leave people to debate.

The logo at the top of the page is our own mockup to represent the news, and is not an offical rebranding.

 

[Minigiant]

I was thinking more like eliminating pact magic the SR class design malicious compliance SR nova loop & such. Ranger never had trouble at my tables because basic math is easy enough that I never bought into wotc's absurd claims like "If your 5E characters have no magic items, the game would still be balanced. Magic items are pure candy"

I was using ranger because it specially refers to rules and mechanics that exist in 5.5e but not 5.0e.

Nothing in 5.5e currently refers to things only in 5.5e which cant be generally interpreted in natural thought or is peripheral in application.

That is a choice

There is nothing stopping WOTC or any 3PPs from making something that only makes sense with 5.5e rules.

You could make a standard spellcasting variant for Warlocks of 5.0 and 5.5.

You cant make a thornmaster ranger that uses Favored Enemy uses in 5.0. Without causing confusion.

 

[mamba]

So, 5.0(e)"Fifth Edition (Adjacent)": Specific term for any RPG that was developed from the original 5e (O5e)?

so 2024 is 5.0 adjacent then

 

[Corinnguard]

so 2024 is 5.0 adjacent then

When you put it that way, I would say that it does become a 5e-adjacent as some players are staying with the original 5e (O5e) regardless of what 2024 offers.

 

[DEFCON 1]

Some folks kept calling the game 5.5, even though the publishers at the time said it was just 5E. But they didn't care if it was "wrong" and did it anyway.

Now that they aren't "wrong" anymore... I do hope they are fully prepared for a bunch of people to STILL continue to call it 5E or 5E 2024 even though that's now the "wrong" one. Because we don't care if it's wrong either... we will still stick with what we've been using the entire time and to heck with what the new Bilsland-led regime has chosen to go with that changed what the Crawford-led regime went with.

And if that means things are still "confusing"? Get over it. We all have brain cells... we have all been able to throw a handful of them at the problem this entire time and known exactly what the situation has been. Because it's never been about confusion, it's been about ego. Our egos demand things work the way we want them to, and when the people in charge refuse to make them do that... we get salty and act like there's some big problem at hand that needs to be solved. Nope! There's really no problem if we just take 10 seconds to think about the situation (which of course I know a lot of people just don't want to do.) But all what really just needs to happen is for all of us to just grow up.

 

[Morrus]

Now that they aren't "wrong" anymore... I do hope they are fully prepared for a bunch of people to STILL continue to call it 5E or 5E 2024 even though that's now the "wrong" one. Because we don't care if it's wrong either... we will still stick with what we've been using the entire time and to heck with what the new Bilsland-led regime has chosen to go with that changed what the Crawford-led regime went with.

You’re very brave.

And if that means things are still "confusing"? Get over it. We all have brain cells... we have all been able to throw a handful of them at the problem this entire time and known exactly what the situation has been. Because it's never been about confusion, it's been about ego. Our egos demand things work the way we want them to, and when the people in charge refuse to make them do that... we get salty and act like there's some big problem at hand that needs to be solved. Nope! There's really no problem if we just take 10 seconds to think about the situation (which of course I know a lot of people just don't want to do.) But all what really just needs to happen is for all of us to just grow up.

Calm down, please. You’re getting excited.

 

[Olgar Shiverstone]

Recognizing that the toothpaste is out of the tube a bit late, wouldn't you say?

Now they look like bigger fools than before.

 

[Corinnguard]

Recognizing that the toothpaste is out of the tube a bit late, wouldn't you say?

Now they look like bigger fools than before.

It took them a while to make that Insight check.

 

[Belen]

Some folks kept calling the game 5.5, even though the publishers at the time said it was just 5E. But they didn't care if it was "wrong" and did it anyway.

Now that they aren't "wrong" anymore... I do hope they are fully prepared for a bunch of people to STILL continue to call it 5E or 5E 2024 even though that's now the "wrong" one. Because we don't care if it's wrong either... we will still stick with what we've been using the entire time and to heck with what the new Bilsland-led regime has chosen to go with that changed what the Crawford-led regime went with.

And if that means things are still "confusing"? Get over it. We all have brain cells... we have all been able to throw a handful of them at the problem this entire time and known exactly what the situation has been. Because it's never been about confusion, it's been about ego. Our egos demand things work the way we want them to, and when the people in charge refuse to make them do that... we get salty and act like there's some big problem at hand that needs to be solved. Nope! There's really no problem if we just take 10 seconds to think about the situation (which of course I know a lot of people just don't want to do.) But all what really just needs to happen is for all of us to just grow up.

It was just easier and less confusing to say 5.5 versus 5.24, 5e2024, etc.

I guess we could have used 5R, or 5er. May have been fun to say 5er.

WOTC muddied the waters with a definitive statement of how to differentiate. They changed too many minor things that was change for the sake of change to still use the lie that it was just fixes to the rules.

They could have fixed some core issues, added variant rules for weapon masteries, and gotten near 100% to upgrade. Instead, they made a bunch of changes that would normally come with a new edition.

There was no need to make goblins fey etc.

 

[Belen]

Well, they're adventures. The differences between a 5E and a 5.5E adventure are basically the format of the stat blocks.

I would continue to say 5e compatible or compatible with all 5e versions.

If people explicitly use 5.5 then they are going to get dinged by the fragmented player base. I have seen several KS that are being forced to release 2 different versions of their products.

 

[cranberry]

As long as people can easily distinguish the original from the abomination, the name doesn't really matter.