Ah yes, the 2024 release will be "fully compatible", when the preludes to it aren't even considered compatible any more. There's information in both of those books besides those stat blocks and racial write-ups.
The only thing that isn't "compatible" is the lore, you can use the weird original kobold all you want alongside characters entirely made from newer books.
Just because something isn't in print anymore doesn't mean it isn't compatible. If i can pick up my copy of Volo's and use the Monster stat blocks in an encounter with the 2024 rules, it is sufficient.
Right, and you don't have to adjust anything. At all. It just works.
AL is an odd fringe use case, since they don't even allow everything from 5E as is. And a DM can already say "no, I don't like those options, because Reasons" anytime. Neither takes away from full compatibility. And yes, it is just like saying that pre-errata spells will work just fine, because they do. 5E is a modular, exceptions based system. Races, Classes, Spells, Monsters are all, always, exceptions to the rules. That's what full compatibility is.
Right and nothing breaks if you have a rogue, wizard, warlock, and bard, in the same group, so obviously nothing will break if you have some options with "PB per Long Rest" mechanics in place of "per short rest" mechanics.
That depends entirely on what is meant by "Full" and "Compatible." First print versions of PHB spells that have received errata are still fully compatible with 5E. The Tasha's Race changes are fully compatible with the 2014 PHB rules. if by "compatible" we mean they can play side by side without the math breaking, and "fully" meaning the math won't break at all or even break a sweat. That's literally all that matters. Someone can be playing a PHB Dragonborn at the same table as a Dragonborn from Fizban's, and an Encounter can use Monsters from Volo's and Monsters fo the Multiverse, right now. Those options are all fully compatible, at least in terms of what WotC cares about and is aiming for.
No need for the "at least" caveat, IMO. Playing a PHB Forest Gnome Hunter Ranger with Tasha's used to bump wisdom instead of intelligence, and the Tasha's variant Ranger stuff turned on, works just fine. As does a new Deep Gnome with +1 in each of Con, Dex, and Int, Eldritch Knight Fighter. As does playing both side by side in the hands of two players in the same game.
And you can run that group through any 5e adventure, or build encounters based on monsters throughout the life of 5e. You can use mostly new style statblocks but give spellcasting monsters lists of combat spells, or build a necromancer that is mostly in Monster Manual style but with new style spellcasting, and literally no problems arise from any of it. There just....isn't any incompatibility.
here///
I mean most games will tell you what book to use basic 5e from now, or 5e from now + tasha and other mods, or (and this will be the most common) the 5.5/6/anniversary edition book. there will be lip service paid to useing all of them but you will not find games useing all of them often.
I'd say that I doubt it, but it's more accurate to say that I think this a completely preposterous notion.
and you right now find people that say they allow 1 or both... come 2024 there will be WAY less both... it will be 1 or other.
no what matters is finding a game you want to play. I (so far) like the new direction and can almost guarantee I will not have an issue... but people who want to play the 2014 version are going to have to do more work to find games
There aren't multiple versions. There are just more options.
the same could be said about 3.5 and 3o... but over a 6 month period people found it hard to play 3.0... I was on the WotC boards and I was at gencon the year it came out and the year after... I can tell you no matter what they said it wasn't used
And the updated books in 2024 will not be even a fraction as much of a change to the game's rules as was the case with 3 to 3.5.
There literally isn't any incompatibility between 2014 and now, and there won't be between 2014 and 2024.
