(+) Beyond 2024 - Reprinting and reselling subclasses

[Krachek]

By the time I have played OneDnD new classes and subclasses, they will have release new content. So old sub classes from Xananthar and Tasha are kind of dead for ever for me.

 

[TwoSix]

Well, that's a hypothetical world. At the moment, plenty of people still buy the hardcover books. (Cue all the folks posting Amazon stats.)

Why do we want a new player in 2026 to not have the ability to pick up a PHB subclass from 2014 without hunting it down on D&D Beyond?

Why does a new player in 2026 have a need to pick a choice that was made 12 years ago, especially when they have multiple subclasses right in their new PHB?

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

Why does a new player in 2026 have a need to pick a choice that was made 12 years ago, especially when they have multiple subclasses right in their new PHB?

Because some of them, like the Oath of Devotion, are iconic for a reason?

 

[mamba]

Didn't they say something along those lines at the creator summit? That they would combine, update and expand whatever does not make it to the PHB into a new book, like we have Xanathar for 5e? I am pretty sure I heard that somewhere. Just a matter of time...

 

[Parmandur]

So, I disliked the idea of Mordenkainen's at first, since I already had books with all monsters and PC options: but I ended up getting it 8n the end anyways.

There are somewhere ~120 Subclasses for 5E, and while I can see already that the old versions will work with the new Class framework, a big book that revamps a bunch of Xanathar's and Tasha's options along with subsequently released options (like the Ravenloft or Fizban's options) and some new stuff...I can see it. Maybe not till 2026 or 27

 

[TwoSix]

Because some of them, like the Oath of Devotion, are iconic for a reason?

I feel confident that WotC is creative enough to express iconic class tropes in more than one way.

And like I said, I'm fine with them reusing some. But if the 2024 PHB has all the same subclasses as the 2014 PHB, plus a few standouts from XgtE/TCoE, that's a waste of potential.

 

[Clint_L]

Well, they got my money for Monsters of the Multiverse, and that offered relatively few updates, so I guess I'm the sucker they are looking for.

 

[Parmandur]

I feel confident that WotC is creative enough to express iconic class tropes in more than one way.

And like I said, I'm fine with them reusing some. But if the 2024 PHB has all the same subclasses as the 2014 PHB, plus a few standouts from XgtE/TCoE, that's a waste of potential.

We know there is one new Subclass, a Bard College of Dance (unless that's a refluff of Swords or something).

Mostly I'd expect redo of established popular archetypes.

 

[Parmandur]

Well, they got my money for Monsters of the Multiverse, and that offered relatively few updates, so I guess I'm the sucker they are looking for.

It ended up being worth it, though!

 

[TwoSix]

We know there is one new Subclass, a Bard College of Dance (unless that's a refluff of Swords or something).

Mostly I'd expect redo of established popular archetypes.

To be clear, I'm against this because I don't want to see a cleavage in the community between "old" 5e and "new" 5e. I want the 2024 PHB to simply be "more" 5e, and the best way to do that is to present a book that isn't simply a redux of concepts we already have.

I want tables where players mix-and match old material, new material, and third-party material to be the norm. Tables where people say "New books only, everything from before the new PHB isn't allowed" should hopefully be rare. WotC can heavily influence the way that transition goes with the choices they make in presenting new material.

 

[Parmandur]

To be clear, I'm against this because I don't want to see a cleavage in the community between "old" 5e and "new" 5e. I want the 2024 PHB to simply be "more" 5e, and the best way to do that is to present a book that isn't simply a redux of concepts we already have.

I want tables where players mix-and match old material, new material, and third-party material to be the norm. Tables where people say "New books only, everything from before the new PHB isn't allowed" should hopefully be rare. WotC can heavily influence the way that transition goes with the choices they make in presenting new material.

I feel what you are laying down, but the audience for the PHB is, mainly, new players: and that means providing the moat popular options front and center, which WotC knows better now thanks to years of Beyond and survey data.

 

[TwoSix]

I feel what you are laying down, but the audience for the PHB is, mainly, new players: and that means providing the moat popular options front and center, which WotC knows better now thanks to years of Beyond and survey data.

And that's fine. I'm not offended if WotC's marketing focus means new material isn't something that appeals to me. But going back to the OP's question, I won't buy a book that's predominantly reprints, whether that be a later expansion book or the PHB. I'm not anti-revision, I'm simply anti-rehashing.

 

[JEB]

Why do we want a new player in 2026 to not have the ability to pick up a PHB subclass from 2014 without hunting it down on D&D Beyond?

To add to this: After Monsters of the Multiverse was released, new users couldn't go back and buy Volo's and Mordenkainen's Tome of Foes material anymore on DDB - it only remained accessible to existing buyers. I would expect the same to happen when the 2014 core is replaced by the 2024 core. Updates for 2024 edition will likely be the only form in which these options remain available (unless you have legacy access or an old print copy).