An idea for WotC - how to transition to "5E"

[arscott]

Here's a thought. What if WotC released the 5E playtest material via DDI? Who would drop subscription with a chance to test the new edition? They'd probably have a massive increase in subscriptions on their hands.

This. I'd probably get an insider subscription if it meant the chance to playtest 5e.

 

[delericho]

Here's a thought. What if WotC released the 5E playtest material via DDI? Who would drop subscription with a chance to test the new edition? They'd probably have a massive increase in subscriptions on their hands.

You're not wrong. It could work, and they might go for it.

But for the playtest to be meaningful, it needs to be done early enough for changes to be made to the system. That means an announcement of 5e followed by a pretty long delay before the final release.

Is the potential buzz for playtesting a new edition worth the possible loss of interest in existing products? More importantly, would WotC be willing to take the risk?

My gut says "no". I would be surprised if they don't follow the same model as for 3.5e and 4e - an announcement and a fairly quick lead-in to the new edition.

 

[broghammerj]

I'm glad the article points out why I don't like 4e....it's, homogeneity. At some point I can call a power sword damage or I can call it spell damage, however, the name doesn't make it feel different when the mechanics are the same.

I would embrace 5e as I don't care for 4e. I'm also not a huge 3e fan as it tends to breakdown for me at around 12th level.

I think that a well advertised play test on the ddi would cause subscriptions to rise. This is especially the case if I could actually impact the game with feedback. A year long trial of play could be a unifier amongst the edition wars people. This would truly be our "game"and would avoid the negative connotations associated with 4e marketing. A new more open source attitude to dnd would go along ways.

 

[Mercurius]

Here's a thought. What if WotC released the 5E playtest material via DDI? Who would drop subscription with a chance to test the new edition? They'd probably have a massive increase in subscriptions on their hands.

That's what I was advocating in the original post. The "alpha playtesting" is essentially what they are doing now--trying out ideas on their readership. But the beta playtesting would actually be playtesting, and would come in two forms: more 4E-compatible options-esque books and exclusive D&D Insider material that could be more radical.

 

[Otterscrubber]

OP, good summation and good ideas. Sounds like they were trying some new ideas with the Essentials characters if you ask me. There seems to be a consolidation of powers consensus, I hope there is also a consolidation of magic item consensus. There are so many magic items out there now it is as boggling as powers. Although if they streamline powers then they would probably also get some streamlining of magic items as a trickle down effect.

Also, I hope whatever new power structure they use in 5e you don't "forget" lower level powers as you level. That has always been difficult aspect of 4e for me to get over. Makes no sense whatsoever, I don't care what long winded stream of rationalization gets used to justify it.

 

[MortalPlague]

Also, I hope whatever new power structure they use in 5e you don't "forget" lower level powers as you level. That has always been difficult aspect of 4e for me to get over. Makes no sense whatsoever, I don't care what long winded stream of rationalization gets used to justify it.

It doesn't make a whole lot of sense from a flavor standpoint. But from a gaming standpoint, there's only so many powers you can be expected to keep track of. At epic levels, PCs have a ridiculous amount of options as it is, without retaining their lower level powers.

The only solution I can come up with is this; when you start replacing powers, instead of having completely new powers, you get to tack a rider on to an existing power. Either extra damage, a status effect, something. So you're becoming more effective at what you know, learning a new way to do an old trick, rather than learning yet another new trick.

 

[Mercurius]

OP, good summation and good ideas. Sounds like they were trying some new ideas with the Essentials characters if you ask me. There seems to be a consolidation of powers consensus, I hope there is also a consolidation of magic item consensus. There are so many magic items out there now it is as boggling as powers. Although if they streamline powers then they would probably also get some streamlining of magic items as a trickle down effect.

Also, I hope whatever new power structure they use in 5e you don't "forget" lower level powers as you level. That has always been difficult aspect of 4e for me to get over. Makes no sense whatsoever, I don't care what long winded stream of rationalization gets used to justify it.

I'd like to see a complete overhaul of magic items. I thought they were on the right track with the common/uncommon/rare/artifact differentiation, but they didn't go far enough. What I'd like to see are more "pseudo-artifact" magic items--which would be rares--the type of items that PCs really look forward to finding and that are game changers. Commons would be stuff like potions and other expendables, while uncommons would be your garden variety enhancements of what a character can already do.

But the key point: bring the magic back to magic items, and less dependency on underwhelming daily powers.

As for powers, I'd like to see more of a mechanism for powers to improve by level. So, for instance, an at-will power wouldn't remain static but add, say, 1 HP of damage every two levels.

Secondly, I'd like to see powers creep a bit closer to simulationism. I think the aw/e/d/u approach was a nice try but doesn't really work out all that well or, at the least, is awkward and sort of a patch for what I think D&D should have done, and seems to have been avoiding every since its inception: move towards a power point/mana/fatigue system. I'd like to see WotC take something similar to Ars Magica or Talislanta and adapt to D&D.

In a more "realistic" approach, you would never forget powers. You would both be better at them but also know newer, better powers. It has always bothered me that the only difference between a 1st level Wizard and a 20th level wizard casting magic missile is the INT modifier; at the least it should include the half level bonus, and maybe quite a bit more.

 

[Jhaelen]

The only solution I can come up with is this; when you start replacing powers, instead of having completely new powers, you get to tack a rider on to an existing power. Either extra damage, a status effect, something. So you're becoming more effective at what you know, learning a new way to do an old trick, rather than learning yet another new trick.

It's what they did with the powers from the Dark Sun themes. Also, racial and at-will powers become more powerful depending on tier.

So there's really no reason not to do it.

 

[RHGreen]

Here's a thought. What if WotC released the 5E playtest material via DDI? Who would drop subscription with a chance to test the new edition? They'd probably have a massive increase in subscriptions on their hands.

I have no real interest in DDI, but if they did that I'd probably join - at least until the game was released.

When 4E was coming out I even bought the preview books just to get any info possible - and I knew they were pointless and rubbish before I bought them.