D&D General D&D 2024 does not deserve to succeed

[Marandahir]

That was a joke on how some things once/short rest in 5E are now PB times/long rest in the new rules.

That was actually the change in Tasha's Cauldron of Everything; they've backpedaled since then to make most such features per short rest again (and make short rests more important for more classes, to boot).

 

[dave2008]

Sure. Or course. I'm just not sure I want to mix PCs rebuilt using the 2024 rules with unmodified 5e PCs.

It worked fine during the playtest, can't imagine much changed in final

 

[Cap'n Kobold]

Sure. Or course. I'm just not sure I want to mix PCs rebuilt using the 2024 rules with unmodified 5e PCs.

The base classes have been modified: it is only the subclasses that will be pre-2024.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

The base classes have been modified: it is only the subclasses that will be pre-2024.

And artificers.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

Like I said, in play of course the PCs are front and center, and stuff that can't possibly affect the PCs is probably not going to get tracked much, unless I'm personally into it. The point is I never want to treat the world like it exists for the PC's benefit. As soon as I can't see the setting as existing independently (even if that's not really true), I lose interest. Plot and character are without meaning if setting is just a backdrop for both, and I try very hard to make the world feel as real as possible.

Have you played Traveller? That is much more designed around the idea that the player characters are ordinary people just like everyone else. It doesn’t have action hero tropes built into to game mechanics like D&D.

 

[Oofta]

I think there is a bit of a difference between the illusion of the living world and tracking dozens of variables that may never affect the players. For example, I may say that a dungeon exists in the mountains to the north, but I'm going to stock that dungeon until the players decide to go there. I certainly won't bother worrying what is going to happen to the dungeon in 6 months from now and most importantly, I'm not going to concern myself with the dungeon if I have no intention of letting the players go there. I guess theoretically they could wander far enough north (intentionally or not) and find it, but I'm not going to worry about that until they actually wander that far north..

The illusion says that the dungeon was always there and it was always full of orcs and a white dragon. Reality says I figured that out between when they opted to travel North to see if there was any truth to the rumor orcs are raiding caravans. That's what I mean by "what is needed and a little on the edges".

I don't use "dungeons" except perhaps in rare cases where the PCs need to retrieve a McGuffin. Instead I have groups, factions and powerful individuals some of which are not humanoids. If I have a white dragon with some orcish allies, that dragon will have goals and plans. If they didn't, if they weren't some sort of threat in and of themselves, then they were part of some other organization that has it's own goals and plans that is some sort of obstacle or threat to the PC's sphere of interest.

Like I said, sometimes these things fade into the background and many rumors and possible thread have only the thinnest of backstories. But I will likely still tuck away a note somewhere and may use the idea again later. For example in an old campaign, a wererat gang had been chased out of town. So in a current campaign I'm using them again in a different city with a new group (except for my wife). The Scourge wererat gang were not wiped out, they just relocated.

I typically have multiple competing enemies, allies and events at least broadly outlined for every campaign. They exist and pursue their own goals even if the PC take no interest in them. Some events may still happen. It may be a different approach than you take. I have concrete ideas of what's going on and quantum individuals and locations that may get more detail when they come into focus, but those ideas still exist even if they are not fully realized.

 

[Micah Sweet]

Have you played Traveller? That is much more designed around the idea that the player characters are ordinary people just like everyone else. It doesn’t have action hero tropes built into to game mechanics like D&D.

I have played Traveler, yes. And when I started playing D&D, it didn't have nearly so many action hero tropes built into it. The modern game is more that way, and continuing to move further in that direction. One of the reasons I like Level Up is that I can play it more like I used to, but it's still 5e so I can get players to actually play it.

 

[dave2008]

The modern game is more that way, and continuing to move further in that direction.

I mean 4e is much more of the hero vibe than 5e. So if anything, 5e has lessened that, I don't really see 2024 as much of a change. At least not in our playtest. 5e is also a lot easier to play as a gritty realism than 4e, you don't have to change much to slide that direction.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

I have played Traveler, yes. And when I started playing D&D, it didn't have nearly so many action hero tropes built into

It still had plenty. It was Conan, Aragorn, Doctor Strange, Grey Mouser and Van Helsing the early years. Whist Traveller was the crew of Serenity minus River.

 

[Minigiant]

I mean 4e is much more of the hero vibe than 5e. So if anything, 5e has lessened that, I don't really see 2024 as much of a change. At least not in our playtest. 5e is also a lot easier to play as a gritty realism than 4e, you don't have to change much to slide that direction.

D&D has gone more heroic over time as that was always the pitch to new prospective players.

I can't imagine many people were convinced to play D&D by saying you can be a butcher's son or the strong farmer. Many were told they can be like the characters from books and movies.

The game bait and switched you and hoped you like zero to hero to earn being the action hero.

With the internet, its harder for people to market the white lie. So 3e., 4e, and 5e are more heroic.