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<blockquote data-quote="Iosue" data-source="post: 6275598" data-attributes="member: 6680772"><p>Mearls and Co. have been extremely closed-lipped regarding possible products. However, there are these <a href="https://twitter.com/mikemearls/status/311348809521299456" target="_blank">two</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/mikemearls/status/325751479648534529" target="_blank">tweets</a> from Mearls:</p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>That first one in particular suggests to me that the DMG will be completely optional. It will be the book that holds the various campaign level modules for really changing up the core game. That's why it will assume you are an expert DM. It's going to assume you've played before, you have a sense of what you want D&D to do for you, and you'll be ready to try the various modules and dials in the DMG.</p><p></p><p>Thus, I really think that, if the $50 price tag for the PHB is true, it will truly be a largely complete game, like the Pathfinder Corebook. It may only lack a bestiary. If so, I expect the idea is that you can buy the starter set for cheap to get the bestiary in there, or else spring $30 or $40 on the Monster Manual, which will probably very Monster Vault-like.</p><p></p><p>The more I think about it, the more this makes sense.</p><p></p><p>Starter Set - The basic game as Mearls described earlier. Basically, the playtest as it exists now with the core four races, plus the core four classes collapsed into their most basic form (Cleric of Light with Priest Background, Path of the Warrior Fighter with Soldier Background, Evoker Wizard with Sage Background, Thieving Rogue with Guild Thief Background), with the background serving as class features. 10 levels, with a campaign adventure that'll take you there from 1st level. Bestiary for those 10 levels of monsters. The game is targeted for new and casual gamers, but can appeal to fans of B/X. The 10-level campaign provides structure enough for even the most novice of players to run a game every week, allowing plenty of opportunity for people to really get hooked without a huge buy-in. Some folks will never play again after completing part or all of the campaign, but some who do continue will want more options. Enter...</p><p></p><p>...the Player's Handbook - The rulebook of choice for experienced players, fitting for both long-timers looking to play the new edition and the relative new folks transitioning from the Starter Set. The Player's Handbook contains all the rules that you need to play, with many new options for classes, subclasses, backgrounds and feats. And yet the Starter Set players can smoothly transition in with their characters entirely compatible. The book also includes a few optional rules for tweaking your game a certain way. If it doesn't have monsters, Starter Set folk can still use their Starter Set Bestiary.</p><p></p><p>Here, initial buy in for a new player is $20, with the $50 PHB a reasonable step up. The veteran player looking to get into 5e need only pay $70 to get a complete game, with campaign and bestiary, much cheaper than having to buy three $30+ books. Furthermore, WotC doesn't have to try and rush to get all three books finished by GenCon. The Starter Set and/or the PHB are the game.</p><p></p><p>The old 3 book model is obsolete. It made sense in 1977, when the game had been spread over 7 or 8 pamphlets and countless Strategic Review/Dragon articles, and you had OD&D still in print as well as the Holmes Basic Set, and each book was essentially a compilation compatible with what was already out there. It was workable in the 80s, when B/X and BECMI were funnelling in the new players, but after the fad days of the early 80s it started to split the market. It started to show its age in the 90s, when TSR started cycling through a bunch of basic sets to try and get new players to buy the books. It's flaws were covered over with the hype of 3e, the mass-market was largely abandoned for a greater piece of the gamer market pie, and Adkinson and WotC were happy for it to be a loss leader. But finally it was exposed in 2008, when WotC found you could sell Starter Sets with no problem, but that didn't mean folks were willing to make the jump to the 3 hardcovers. Essentials was an attempt to find a new model, but it was obviously flawed, with waaay too much duplication.</p><p></p><p>That's not even getting into the greater reliance and preference for digital media. As screwed up as the promised Digital Initiative turned out, DDI was still one of 4e's greatest successes. So going back to making your customers buy 3 books totaling $90+ in order to get a complete game? Not going to happen. Nobody uses that model. 5e would be dead in the water.</p><p></p><p>But they can have their cake and eat it, too. A full basic game, fuller than the 4e starter set, fuller than the Pathfinder Beginner's Box, reasonably priced, and able to be played casually, that expands the market. A Player's Handbook that is all the book you need to play, with loads of character options not found in the Starter Set. Frontload cost to the Starter Set and PHB, because that's what most people getting into the game will buy. An optional Monster Manual for people who want <em>moar monsters</em>. An optional Dungeon Master's Guide that contains all sorts of new rules and modules for people who want to tweak their game. Online DMing advice and digital tools. Put out PDF and Kindle versions, and this game is good to go. You still have your traditional Basic Set, Players Handbook, Dungeon Master's Guide, and Monster Manual. But now they aren't a barrier to expanding the game.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Iosue, post: 6275598, member: 6680772"] Mearls and Co. have been extremely closed-lipped regarding possible products. However, there are these [URL="https://twitter.com/mikemearls/status/311348809521299456"]two[/URL] [URL="https://twitter.com/mikemearls/status/325751479648534529"]tweets[/URL] from Mearls: That first one in particular suggests to me that the DMG will be completely optional. It will be the book that holds the various campaign level modules for really changing up the core game. That's why it will assume you are an expert DM. It's going to assume you've played before, you have a sense of what you want D&D to do for you, and you'll be ready to try the various modules and dials in the DMG. Thus, I really think that, if the $50 price tag for the PHB is true, it will truly be a largely complete game, like the Pathfinder Corebook. It may only lack a bestiary. If so, I expect the idea is that you can buy the starter set for cheap to get the bestiary in there, or else spring $30 or $40 on the Monster Manual, which will probably very Monster Vault-like. The more I think about it, the more this makes sense. Starter Set - The basic game as Mearls described earlier. Basically, the playtest as it exists now with the core four races, plus the core four classes collapsed into their most basic form (Cleric of Light with Priest Background, Path of the Warrior Fighter with Soldier Background, Evoker Wizard with Sage Background, Thieving Rogue with Guild Thief Background), with the background serving as class features. 10 levels, with a campaign adventure that'll take you there from 1st level. Bestiary for those 10 levels of monsters. The game is targeted for new and casual gamers, but can appeal to fans of B/X. The 10-level campaign provides structure enough for even the most novice of players to run a game every week, allowing plenty of opportunity for people to really get hooked without a huge buy-in. Some folks will never play again after completing part or all of the campaign, but some who do continue will want more options. Enter... ...the Player's Handbook - The rulebook of choice for experienced players, fitting for both long-timers looking to play the new edition and the relative new folks transitioning from the Starter Set. The Player's Handbook contains all the rules that you need to play, with many new options for classes, subclasses, backgrounds and feats. And yet the Starter Set players can smoothly transition in with their characters entirely compatible. The book also includes a few optional rules for tweaking your game a certain way. If it doesn't have monsters, Starter Set folk can still use their Starter Set Bestiary. Here, initial buy in for a new player is $20, with the $50 PHB a reasonable step up. The veteran player looking to get into 5e need only pay $70 to get a complete game, with campaign and bestiary, much cheaper than having to buy three $30+ books. Furthermore, WotC doesn't have to try and rush to get all three books finished by GenCon. The Starter Set and/or the PHB are the game. The old 3 book model is obsolete. It made sense in 1977, when the game had been spread over 7 or 8 pamphlets and countless Strategic Review/Dragon articles, and you had OD&D still in print as well as the Holmes Basic Set, and each book was essentially a compilation compatible with what was already out there. It was workable in the 80s, when B/X and BECMI were funnelling in the new players, but after the fad days of the early 80s it started to split the market. It started to show its age in the 90s, when TSR started cycling through a bunch of basic sets to try and get new players to buy the books. It's flaws were covered over with the hype of 3e, the mass-market was largely abandoned for a greater piece of the gamer market pie, and Adkinson and WotC were happy for it to be a loss leader. But finally it was exposed in 2008, when WotC found you could sell Starter Sets with no problem, but that didn't mean folks were willing to make the jump to the 3 hardcovers. Essentials was an attempt to find a new model, but it was obviously flawed, with waaay too much duplication. That's not even getting into the greater reliance and preference for digital media. As screwed up as the promised Digital Initiative turned out, DDI was still one of 4e's greatest successes. So going back to making your customers buy 3 books totaling $90+ in order to get a complete game? Not going to happen. Nobody uses that model. 5e would be dead in the water. But they can have their cake and eat it, too. A full basic game, fuller than the 4e starter set, fuller than the Pathfinder Beginner's Box, reasonably priced, and able to be played casually, that expands the market. A Player's Handbook that is all the book you need to play, with loads of character options not found in the Starter Set. Frontload cost to the Starter Set and PHB, because that's what most people getting into the game will buy. An optional Monster Manual for people who want [i]moar monsters[/i]. An optional Dungeon Master's Guide that contains all sorts of new rules and modules for people who want to tweak their game. Online DMing advice and digital tools. Put out PDF and Kindle versions, and this game is good to go. You still have your traditional Basic Set, Players Handbook, Dungeon Master's Guide, and Monster Manual. But now they aren't a barrier to expanding the game. [/QUOTE]
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