D&D 4E 5E as a Rewritten 4E with Flavor Bits from Other Editions?

[SlyDoubt]

I believe it will most closely resemble 3E at the base level because I think at the very bottom level, 3E did basically everything right. It's after that foundation that things get messy.

I think they will use that structural foundation and build on top of it differently than they did with 3E. They will integrate concepts that work within that general framework from all editions and what we will end up with won't look very much like 3E, but it will be structurally based on it.

Most of all we've heard already points towards that. I think they will be looking at 1E and 2E for ideas on flavor, attitude and character concept and from 4E on character balance, tactical elements, and definition of rules.

Essentials to me was already looking backwards and using the 4E system to express ideas that developed in previous editions. I think 5E will be doing a similar thing and Essentials to me is proof that it definitely can be done.

 

[ferratus]

I believe it will most closely resemble 3E at the base level because I think at the very bottom level, 3E did basically everything right. It's after that foundation that things get messy.

I don't know. The biggest complaint I have with 3e is the BAB system, and that's pretty basic.

(FYI, I hate it because it ruins multi-classing, the extra attacks of fighters are largely pointless, and the rogues can't hit anything even though they are melee characters).

 

[SlyDoubt]

I think BAB as it exists in 3E can be modified. More the core being feats, skill ranks, saves and BAB in some form.

Because I can agree to that to some degree. I do think there are problems there, but those are things that can be adjusted. To me the actual values aren't the foundation.

 

[FireLance]

Short answer: no.

Long answer: I'm hopeful that it will be possible to emulate many of the iconic mechanics of 4e, but it will also be possible to leave them out for people who don't want them. So if you don't want encounter powers, for example, your PC can have a constant bonus or more daily powers instead.

So, you can have your wizards with only daily spells, if you want, but you can also have a 4e AEDU wizard if you want. Similarly, you can have a fighter with just attack and damage bonuses, or an AEDU style fighter with powers.

 

[Raith5]

This thread isn't really about predicting what the final product will be but rather if it would be a success if it is merely a 4E rewrite. A lot of tidbits seem to suggest it won't cleave all that close to 4E but have some elements, core or optional, so I guess the poll really is there to generally gage if moving away from 4E makes sense for the designers. You might want to start another thread to hash out just how many elements are cause to predict an implied setting. No offense, as I fully understand that to be a valid concern for you.

Do you mean a design success in terms of growing the hobby, the business etc or being successful at the table.

In terms of the hobby, D and D has to be able to cater to virtually all of the previous editions to be successful. If it alienates any of the major segments, then what is the point of going through a new edition? The alineated segment will just go off and play 3rd ed, 4th ed or basic D and D and WOTC will get no money!

In terms of being successful in game terms, I just hope it can capture some of dynamic elements of 4th ed - especially fluid battles and wizards not using slings/cross bows - while doing a better job of staying true to some of the D and D staples.

 

[grimslade]

I think 5E will just be a reskinned XE

I think 5E will be 2E with a few knobbly bits from 3E and rituals.
I think it is all BECMI with Tieflings
I think it is 3.5 with the serial numbers rubbed off

I have a feeling it will be all of these things. You can make a case for all of them with the scant information we have. This is a good thing. The playtest is using premades so it is difficult to see what is hardcoded and what is an option pre-picked.

 

[MoxieFu]

I think the core will sort of be like Castles & Crusades, then they will add back a 3e layer, then a 4e layer.

This would be my absolute dream edition. Just as long as I have to add those layers to a core instead of having to rip them back out.

 

[Remathilis]

If 5e was was D&D Essentials+ with some cleanup on isle 5, it might sell. I might buy the PHB even. However, I could say I wouldn't dropping my Pathfinder books for it.

However, they're not aiming for that. The return of Vancian magic tells me that. We're talking "spell books" and "spell slots" and that is not 4e rehashed. Something tells me the design idea went "lets take 3e, strip out the fiddly bits and use 4e simplicity in the math, flatten it out some more, and reflavor with the good ideas of AD&D". Least, that's what I'm hoping for.

 

[howandwhy99]

I think the core will be even far lighter in design than C&C. We might get a book < 100 pages. Well, unless they add in some MM & the DMG too. Then it could still be a typical 256 page book.

I like where they are going, but I still wonder how much I could run it like I run my OD&D game, which is based on a significantly different philosophy. Whatever the case I think much of the materials will be very, very easy to port to earlier D&D and 4e, and a good deal of the supplements to 3.x too.

 

[Mark CMG]

Do you mean a design success in terms of growing the hobby, the business etc or being successful at the table.

In terms of the hobby, D and D has to be able to cater to virtually all of the previous editions to be successful. If it alienates any of the major segments, then what is the point of going through a new edition? The alineated segment will just go off and play 3rd ed, 4th ed or basic D and D and WOTC will get no money!

In terms of being successful in game terms, I just hope it can capture some of dynamic elements of 4th ed - especially fluid battles and wizards not using slings/cross bows - while doing a better job of staying true to some of the D and D staples.

For these purposes, WotC sets the terms of success and decides for how long they will support any given edition of the brand. On a side note, it'll be interesting to see how much previous edition material will be accessible moving forward, through reprints or PDF, how much of that material will be usable, either unaltered or with limited conversion, and if 5E is truly (beyond the talking points) meant to be a game that allows all editions into the so-called big tent.