D&D 5E Any word on Basic Updates?

[halfling rogue]

Particularly the DM rules? I know they updated a few things for the Player packet, and while it would be pretty cool to see a couple things added to this (backgrounds...) I think it stands up pretty well. But the Basic DM guide is in need of some more info. The monsters and rules to build encounters are there, but that's about it. The magic items are the same ones out of the starter set. This document dropped when the DMG was still in production so they put this warning in the document:

Work in Progress!
This information from the Dungeon Master’s Guide represents
in-progress versions of the rules in that book. Updated
information will appear in future versions of the D&D
basic rules.

It is quite possible that the info in the current document is the only info we're going to get. And hey, I know they don't have to give us any more for free... BUT if their warning label is only intended to tell us they will only updated the current info within the packet, then why has nothing been done in 6 months? This leads me to think there will be more info added.

That said, why haven't we seen any updates yet, and when do you think we'll get a "final"** Basic document?










**I say this understanding that this will be a "living" document. However, the current Basic DM rules are incomplete. I'm thinking about when the Basic whole (Player/DM Rules) will be understood as complete, regardless of what 'living' rules might trickle in from time to time. Does that make sense?

 

[Zaran]

Supposedly we are getting Random Encounter tables for monsters. We are getting Elemental themed player options. From what I understand almost everything mechanics-wise that comes out will be given out for free and it won't be a lot.

 

[Jester David]

Going back and updating something you "finished" is tricky, especially when there's future stuff to do. But even with that in mind, WotC has a pretty terrible track record at updating things. A lot of stuff released as "temporary" or "playtest" during the 3e and 4e days was never revised.

Right now they're working on the various surveys and updates, the next storyline, their articles, and the OGL. When all that's done they might look at the Basic Rules. But, at that point, they'll have other deadlines looming.
So... never?

 

[wedgeski]

I don't know...are you somehow expecting the Basic rules to gradually "catch up" with the PHB and DMG? I'm pretty sure that's never going to happen, and was never the intention.

 

[neobolts]

I don't know...are you somehow expecting the Basic rules to gradually "catch up" with the PHB and DMG? I'm pretty sure that's never going to happen, and was never the intention.

This is true. While they certainly aren't going to give away the farm, the basic rules will continue to have light updates to contain everything needed to run any 5e module they produce.

 

[halfling rogue]

I don't know...are you somehow expecting the Basic rules to gradually "catch up" with the PHB and DMG? I'm pretty sure that's never going to happen, and was never the intention.

I'm not quite sure what you mean by "catch up" with the PHB/DMG. I think the Basic Player's Document is "caught up". Here's more of what I mean, in this interview Mearls said,

[Basic D&D] is going to be a updated a few times when it first launches. With basic D&D you'll have the core monsters, magic items, all the rules for creating adventures, for Dungeon Master guidelines, for balancing encounters, for treasure, treasure tables, encounter tables.

So far we have some of what he mentioned, but not all of what he mentioned.

In another interview with Escapist he said,

"In August, with the release of the Player's Handbook, Basic D&D will expand to include the essential monsters, magic items, and DM rules needed to run the game, along with the rules for wilderness, dungeon, and urban adventuring."

In August we got monsters, encounter builder, and magic items. I'm wondering when they are going to update the rest.

My point is, they had a plan, they talked about the plan in public. Mentioned specific things that would be included, but have been pretty silent about it since the launch. Just wondering when the stuff they mentioned is going to be included.

 

[halfling rogue]

Going back and updating something you "finished" is tricky, especially when there's future stuff to do. But even with that in mind, WotC has a pretty terrible track record at updating things. A lot of stuff released as "temporary" or "playtest" during the 3e and 4e days was never revised.

Right now they're working on the various surveys and updates, the next storyline, their articles, and the OGL. When all that's done they might look at the Basic Rules. But, at that point, they'll have other deadlines looming.
So... never?

By 'final' and 'finished' I should have used a better term. Mearls says it better:

For the D&D basic rules.....Our goal is to continue to make updates to the basic rules for D&D until the end of the year, at which point it will be feature complete.

"Feature complete" is what I was thinking. Obviously they failed to reach their goal.

 

[Jester David]

By 'final' and 'finished' I should have used a better term. Mearls says it better:

"Feature complete" is what I was thinking. Obviously they failed to reach their goal.

This is true. They released the DM rules early, before the DMG was finished and they had all the treasure content and the like, with the plan on going back. And then completely didn't.
But, as I said, that's because they released something, which makes adding more less of a priority compared to things they haven't released yet.

Heck, they haven't even incorporated the Tyranny of Dragons monsters and magic items into the DM Basic rules yet.

 

[halfling rogue]

This is true. They released the DM rules early, before the DMG was finished and they had all the treasure content and the like, with the plan on going back. And then completely didn't.
But, as I said, that's because they released something, which makes adding more less of a priority compared to things they haven't released yet.

Ah, I now see I misunderstood you. I understand now and I fear you might be right

 

[lkj]

This is true. They released the DM rules early, before the DMG was finished and they had all the treasure content and the like, with the plan on going back. And then completely didn't.
But, as I said, that's because they released something, which makes adding more less of a priority compared to things they haven't released yet.

Heck, they haven't even incorporated the Tyranny of Dragons monsters and magic items into the DM Basic rules yet.

I'm sort of not expecting them to incorporate monsters and magic items from the adventures into Basic in order to keep the raw baseline rules very streamlined. You just grab the add on if you want to run a particular adventure.

That said, it does seem like they are delayed from their initial plan to update the rules a final time after all the books were released. Shrug. It might not have all the features in it yet, but it's at least a complete game.

AD