D&D 5E 28/1/13 L&L D&DNext goals part Four

[Blackwarder]

This time Mike talks about the advance rules

http://wizards.com/dnd/Article.aspx?x=dnd/4ll/20130128

Warder

 

[Dragoslav]

IMHO:

Include tactical combat rules that allow the option to add more miniatures gaming elements to combat. This would include a grid, options for facing, rules for more detailed zones of control, and so on.

Really? They're still on with this whole "facing" thing? I don't know which member of the design team keeps bringing up facing at the meetings.

Provide a system that emphasizes refreshing resources by encounter instead of by day. The nice thing about our approach is that since this is an option, we don't have to settle for half measures. Everything can be encounter-based, even hit points.

As long as they still have healing surges (or hit dice, whatever) so that you don't literally get EVERY resource back after each encounter.

Create rules for giving mechanical weight to character motivation, personality traits, and so on.

Interesting. I assume they're talking about something more than just "Monks must be Lawful" or other alignment restrictions.

Provide a structure for a more story-based approach to D&D, treating the DM and players as co-authors of a narrative with a specific focus.

I'm glad to know that they're framing their modularity goals in the context of providing different playstyles beyond just the obvious ones.

Use action points, fate points, or a similar meta-mechanic as a reward or a way to give players a mechanical option to boost their power for a specific moment.

So, action points definitely an option. Nice.

Create rules for realms management and strongholds.

I'd love to have this!

Provide rules for horror and sanity, along with other rules to change D&D's genre.

Wow, wasn't expecting that. I've been wanting to run a horror-themed campaign, though, so I'd definitely be interested in such a module if they did come up with one.

I know I've given some of these points a skeptical treatment, but with this update it does really sound like they want to make an edition that can handle the playstyles of all editions, including 4e. I'm still skeptical that they really understand what was at the heart of 4e that made it such a unique experience, but I at least know that they're aiming in the right direction.

 

[the Jester]

I like that list.

 

[Gorgoroth]

I've DMed D&D horror once, and I must say, it was quite difficult. I really had to pull out all the stops to make it believable and not like a b-movie from the 1970s. So any optional rules that actually help that, that aren't cheesy or fake in and of themselves, could be a welcome addition.

Mostly looking forward to the mini rules and also the armor-as-DR rules. Realms and stronghold stuff could be cool too, for once your PC wants to hang up that longsword and pour over some maps of troop formations and keep the game going. Like mini-games inside the bigger game. Good stuff, but light on specifics. As usual, the specific rules will have to be seen before jumping up and down.

E.g. a detailed magic item creation module...that would be sweet, AND provide a simple explanation for why magic items are a certain rarity in the game world. If there are only so many dragons flying around, it makes sense that dragon-scales would be extremely expensive, and thus dragonscale armor would no longer be produced in the current age. I do NOT want everything to be merely "residuum".....sigh

 

[Li Shenron]

That list is very good.

One underlying issue is however how complex each of those will be, on an individual basis. For instance "realms management and strongholds" sounds great, but it can itself be fairly simple or totally intricated. I'd probably take the former gladly, but not so much the latter.

I am also very happy that they are separately addressing mass combat rules (1) for armies, (2) with PCs playing a role and (3) something intermediate like PC vs lots of monsters.

 

[Evenglare]

If they actually accomplished this I would be sold on Next. Right now it looks like another edition, but if they make it my fantasy sandbox, I will definitely enjoy it.

 

[Klaus]

Wow, wasn't expecting that. I've been wanting to run a horror-themed campaign, though, so I'd definitely be interested in such a module if they did come up with one.

In some form or another, this has been in D&D since 2e Ravenloft (Fear, Horror and Madness Saves) and d20 Call of Cthulhu (Sanity).

 

[TwoSix]

Really? They're still on with this whole "facing" thing? I don't know which member of the design team keeps bringing up facing at the meetings.

I think at some point they're going to put it in a playtest package, there will be a giant storm of "WTF?", and it will quietly slink away.

 

[Iosue]

Facing was present in AD&D, and often I find myself wishing for something like it when I play 4e. Some people want it.

 

[Blackwarder]

I think at some point they're going to put it in a playtest package, there will be a giant storm of "WTF?", and it will quietly slink away.

I think that as long as it only some part of a tactical module than there are enought folks who might use it...

There is a reason why it's in advanced....

Warder