D&D 5E 5E inspired by B/X?

[Grimstaff]

Looks very possible based on some recent Facebook posts from Mike Mearls. More detail on my blog here: http://beyondtheblackgate.blogspot.com/2015/04/the-old-school-roots-of-d-5e.html?m=
Thoughts?

 

[Minsc]

That's why this game is so good!

 

[not-so-newguy]

Looks very possible based on some recent Facebook posts from Mike Mearls. More detail on my blog here: http://beyondtheblackgate.blogspot.com/2015/04/the-old-school-roots-of-d-5e.html?m=
Thoughts?

An emphatic YES!

I'm currently putting together low level campaign using old DnD modules. The possible exception is Rise of Heroes (a 0 level adventure designed for fifth edition).

 

[fjw70]

For me the 5e basic rules are an updated BX and the standard game is an updated AD&D. Prior to 5e, 4e and BX were my favorite editions (with AD&D 3rd). Now it's 4e and 5e. Best two designed RPGs every IMO.

 

[The Human Target]

That would explain a lot.

 

[Iosue]

I don't know how much we can say that B/X inspired 5e, although there was definitely influence. Mearls first mentioned his modified B/X game in this Legends & Lore.

First, to give you some insight into where I'm coming from, I take the idea of approaching the entirety of D&D's history very seriously. I'm about to start a new D&D campaign at the office, and I'm using the 1981 basic D&D rules as a starting point. As I plan the campaign and (eventually) run adventures, I plan on making house rules, adopting rules from other editions, and shifting the rules to match how the game moves along. In some ways, it's a reality check against the ideas I see proposed for the next iteration. Would I want them in my campaign? Do they work for my group?

Obviously, this represents only one DM and gaming group. The aim is to give myself a perspective just removed enough from the design work that I can strike a midpoint between the community of D&D fans and the people working on the game. With that in mind, I have a few issues that have come up in my prep work. I'd like to talk about one of them this week.

This was from March of 2012, when design work was already quite far in Core 5e. He also mentioned his campaign here and here.

 

[Jeff Albertson]

Total, it's like BECMI and 3rd Ed had a kid (though, there is some 4th Ed influence, too, the good stuff, save ends, for example).

 

[ExploderWizard]

Interesting. Those house rules are enough to turn the core B/X game into an entirely different animal. Taken together you can see the influence of those rules taking the game in an ever increasing narrative direction.

The original B/X wasn't really designed to weave group fantasy stories. It was purely a game of fantasy exploration that quite often produced surprising and varied results. The fragility of 1st level characters was a feature, not something that needed to be fixed.

Interestingly enough, there were some rules that I expected to see that weren't listed. Without alternative house rules, character generation in B/X was six 3d6 rolls in order. Then, after choosing class, one could raise prime requisite scores by lowering other scores on a 2 for 1 basis.

 

[delericho]

There are clearly bits of stuff that come from all the editions: in the various sub-classes and the backgrounds I see 2nd Ed's Kits; in the 'breezy' way the game plays (and also Basic), I see BECMI; in the more structured and mathematical underpinnings I see the universal mechanic structure that came in with 3e; and the hit dice are very reminiscent of 4e's healing surges. (There's more, of course. )

So, yeah, there's certainly some inspiration from B/X (one of few editions I've never played).

 

[Dausuul]

Looks very possible based on some recent Facebook posts from Mike Mearls. More detail on my blog here: http://beyondtheblackgate.blogspot.com/2015/04/the-old-school-roots-of-d-5e.html?m=
Thoughts?

Could you put a NSFW warning on that link? Fortunately it's Sunday, so I'm looking at it from my home computer, but during the week I would likely have been browsing during breaks at work. I love Frank Frazetta; my boss and co-workers, however, might not agree.