D&D 4th Edition

[johnsemlak]

I want a sorcerer that is his own class, really different from wizards. This means different spell list and a couple of class features wizards don't get. And please get rid of that one level delay of gaining new spell levels.

Agreed. The sorceror is not different enough IMO to be a different class. I woudl prefer the sorceror to have a distinct approach to spells and spellcasting.

 

[William Ronald]

Ranger REG, Bendris Noulg:

Thanks for chiming in on the BOEF debate between WotC and the Valar Project! It had been a while since I looked at some of the releases and the appropriate threads.

As there has been some limitation of the use of the D20 license already, I do not think that further limitation would be too difficult. Of course, Hasbro may or may not wish to do so. It depends on their plans for D&D, which are unknown.

 

[Ranger REG]

Of course, I wonder since the new restrictions on the d20STL have been implemented, will the market output shifts from more d20-labeled products to more strictly-OGL products (and less d20 product).

Or will the current social climate (yeah, we are still smarting from the infamous Janet Jackson's indecent exposure) force OGL publishers to be very ... mindful?

 

[Bendris Noulg]

Actually, when the Book of Erotic Fantasy was announced with Anthony Valterra's name attached to it, he is still pretty much employed by WotC as the President. Eventually, he did resigned.

While true that he eventually resigned, his depature from WotC was announced simultaneously to announcing Valar/BoEF. Perhaps that disclaimers from WotC just seemed more redundant to me than they really were (i.e., only Valar needed to apologyze for their indescretion in the Press Release, where as WotC really did little more than over-react).

Of course, I wonder since the new restrictions on the d20STL have been implemented, will the market output shifts from more d20-labeled products to more strictly-OGL products (and less d20 product). Or will the current social climate (yeah, we are still smarting from the infamous Janet Jackson's indecent exposure) force OGL publishers to be very ... mindful?

Honest opinion? Don't think so. If anything, BoEF has shown that such themes sell, and to my knowledge, slinky artwork never hurt Mongoose's sales. I'm guessing we'll see an increase in OGL-only, although this guess is also attached to my view that the d20 logo is of temporary worth (that is, established companies known for making d20 material might consider the fact that they no longer need the marketing support the logo grants, with further restrictions doing little more than increasing such instances).

For example, if Mongoose reprinted Quint Fighter, would they change the artwork (which was "legal" at the time of original publication but is now out-of-bounds) or keep that artwork and drop the logo? Either is fair game given the situation, but from a business perspective, dropping the logo is by far the easiest and most efficient choice, and I doubt its absence would stop people from picking it up.

 

[Ranger REG]

Perhaps it's a good thing that RPG have a low profile when it comes to the media's attention ... that is, until another gruesome homicide occur and a search of the defendant's house reveal an RPG among his possession.

That and some ultra-conservative religious groups trying to get national TV exposure to spotlight the "hidden danger and corruption of RPG."

 

[SSquirrel]

As there has been some limitation of the use of the D20 license already, I do not think that further limitation would be too difficult. Of course, Hasbro may or may not wish to do so. It depends on their plans for D&D, which are unknown.

Actually they are now. MerricB has been posting slides from gamingreport.com of WOTC's approach to D&D's future from GAMA. Very cool stuff.

The return of the Basic set

Hagen

 

[SSquirrel]

While true that he eventually resigned, his depature from WotC was announced simultaneously to announcing Valar/BoEF. Perhaps that disclaimers from WotC just seemed more redundant to me than they really were (i.e., only Valar needed to apologyze for their indescretion in the Press Release, where as WotC really did little more than over-react).

Anthony had told WOTC about his polans for the book long before and as he said in a thread on enworld awhile back, they had no problem with it at the time.

For example, if Mongoose reprinted Quint Fighter, would they change the artwork (which was "legal" at the time of original publication but is now out-of-bounds) or keep that artwork and drop the logo? Either is fair game given the situation, but from a business perspective, dropping the logo is by far the easiest and most efficient choice, and I doubt its absence would stop people from picking it up.

They would be grandfathered to the older version of the license thgey utilized if they so desired. I think if they revamped to 3.5 they may have to tho.

Hagen

 

[MerricB]

I'd have to say, based on WotC's plan for D&D, 4th edition is some way away.

The plan they have laid out for the expansion of the game over the next few years is extremely impressive.

Products for introducing people to the game (Miniatures, Basic Set, Novels)

Products for supporting people who don't want much expansion (Miniatures, Maps, Novels)

Products for supporting hard-core games (Supplements, Settings and more!)

Cheers!

 

[Ranger REG]

They would be grandfathered to the older version of the license thgey utilized if they so desired. I think if they revamped to 3.5 they may have to tho.

Umm. Are you referring to the older version of the OGL (which is not the case here) or the d20STL (which is the case because of the restrictions here)?

I may be wrong, but if you were to reprint older products (supply sold out but demand is strong) and slap on the d20 logo which now under the jurisdiction of recent version d20STL (v.6.0), you may technically be in violation, if such older product have questionable content that would conflict with the Quality Standards.

 

[Felon]

Agreed. The sorceror is not different enough IMO to be a different class. I woudl prefer the sorceror to have a distinct approach to spells and spellcasting.

Sorcerors exist mainly for the purpose of giving dragons, rakshasas, and other spellcasting monsters a quick-n'-diry way to access a wizard's spell list without the overhead (namely the need for the DM to provide each one a fully-stocked spell book and the need for the DM to carefully prepare a spell list prior to each encounter).