Brown Jenkin
First Post
Something that came to mind that really hasn't been addressed.
They say they are simplifying the rules and making it so that roles are more defined. They are also saying there will be a SRD and OGL. To me these things seem incompatable. The one thing that struck me was that the 3rd party publishers helped drive the complexity of the 3.x system. People want to have thier bizare elven subrace that is part fighter, part druid, part wizard and want a way to build and play that (or some other wierd combination). The 3rd party publishers last time helped start the Feat and PrC glut that WotC then took up and expanded themselves. With an OGL I see the same thing happening here. We will get new races and classes that fill niche roles and greatly expand player options beyond the defined roles envisioned. WotC will then also see these products and that they are selling and start expanding these options officialy with thier own products as well. Within a year we will once again have new races, classes, and feats coming out with each new book and we will be right back at the complexity and diversity we are at now. The real basis for success or failure is more likely to be how well the rules are built to deal with this inevitable glut.
They say they are simplifying the rules and making it so that roles are more defined. They are also saying there will be a SRD and OGL. To me these things seem incompatable. The one thing that struck me was that the 3rd party publishers helped drive the complexity of the 3.x system. People want to have thier bizare elven subrace that is part fighter, part druid, part wizard and want a way to build and play that (or some other wierd combination). The 3rd party publishers last time helped start the Feat and PrC glut that WotC then took up and expanded themselves. With an OGL I see the same thing happening here. We will get new races and classes that fill niche roles and greatly expand player options beyond the defined roles envisioned. WotC will then also see these products and that they are selling and start expanding these options officialy with thier own products as well. Within a year we will once again have new races, classes, and feats coming out with each new book and we will be right back at the complexity and diversity we are at now. The real basis for success or failure is more likely to be how well the rules are built to deal with this inevitable glut.
