D&D 3E/3.5 5E solve me this: 3Es and 4Es biggest problem

[Rechan]

D&D will never be a one-book only, never-errata'd/updated game. Never.

It's the same reason why there will always be edition turnovers.

 

[Aeolius]

Hell, I feel fine with banning elves/dwarves/halflings/gnomes (and rules relating to them) if it doesn't fit my campaign.

Absolutely. I tell prospective players that "PCs must have a natural swim speed and the ability to breathe underwater without the use of magic". Awakened cuttle fish? Fine. Emancipated lacedon? Fine. Stock human. Nope.

I go with a line item veto - after I have access to the supplement in question. The book would have to be pretty awful for me to ban the whole thing, but I do want to see what you are trying to slip past me first.

And of course a DM is subject to bribery.. Corona or Fire Rock Pale Ale, depending on the campaign.

 

[Umbran]

In many ways, I too prefer to run 'dead' or 'closed' systems. It lets me set up the world to support the game as presented without the worry that sudden changes to the ruleset will send ripples through the campaign.

Ah. You see, I think the burden of rules regulation should be on the GM's end, not on the publisher's end.

You don't want new rules to send ripples through the campaign, then just don't accept rules updates during the campaign! Leave everyone else the freedom to accept them or not, at their desires.

 

[WheresMyD20]

D&D will never be a one-book only, never-errata'd/updated game. Never.

 

[trancejeremy]

I dunno about that - I remember my friends and I tried Rolemaster after my friend ordered it in the mail...we couldn't figure out how to make characters so we went outside and played baseball. Eventually we figured it out in the later weeks, but thanks to all the crits it was as TPK.

Similarly, with Dragon magazine producing new classes all the time, someone always wanted to play one. Sure, most of them were supposed just for NPCs, but that never held anyone back from wanting to play it.

Not to mention a lot of the early Jim Ward articles. He was apparently the first ,er, "power gamer", coming up with exploits like poison and such.

 

[Rechan]

Yes, that may have happened in the ancient past but it won't in the future.

 

[GSHamster]

The problem is that new rules are what people buy.

We saw this in the OGL days. WotC made the d20/OGL hoping that other publishers would put out adventures and similar for a common rule system. Instead everyone published rules, and rules are what sold.

The cold hard truth is that we will buy rules more than we will buy other supplements. WotC wants to make money, and so they need to produce what the market desires.

 

[FireLance]

The solution to the 3e and 4e problem of players who want to use a variety of material and options is, of course, DM skill, in much the same way that the solution to 1e and 2e's problem of ensuring that all characters, regardless of whether or not they are spellcasters or not, can contribute to the adventure and share the spotlight is DM skill.

Different DM skills, no doubt, but DM skill nonetheless.

 

[nightwyrm]

The problem is that new rules are what people buy.

We saw this in the OGL days. WotC made the d20/OGL hoping that other publishers would put out adventures and similar for a common rule system. Instead everyone published rules, and rules are what sold.

The cold hard truth is that we will buy rules more than we will buy other supplements. WotC wants to make money, and so they need to produce what the market desires.

The math is quite simple. Players and DMs buy rulebooks. Only DMs buy adventures and setting material. Heck, a lot of DMs ban their players from buying adventures and setting stuff.

 

[WheresMyD20]

Yes, that may have happened in the ancient past but it won't in the future.

I must have misunderstood the meaning of the word "never".

As far as the future goes... I don't know the future, so I consulted my Magic 8-Ball. It said "Ask again later". YMMV.