D&D 5E Don't Throw 5e Away Because of Hasbro

[TheSword]

What you do matters, even if it happened a couple years ago. Especially if you're unrepentant about it and were essentially strong-armed into changing your mind.

Totally self sustaining. It’s a miracle of nature.

 

[mamba]

I mean it’s been a couple of years now since they did anything even slightly objectionable

pretty sure there were a few things people complained about since the OGL

 

[AstroCat]

For the past nine months, I’ve heard from a fair number of people, including people close to me and people I’ve worked with, say they don’t want anything to do with Hasbro, WOTC, or D&D. Unfortunately, they’re piling all of 5e in there too.

5e isn’t D&D. Since its release into the Creative Commons by two different companies, 5e is now an open system supported by hundreds of publishers and, in some cases, with whole games built around it.

5e is now and forever an independent tabletop roleplaying platform not tied to any single company.

If someone doesn’t like 5e as a system, that’s totally fine. Not every system is for everyone. I know many who love the tactical crunchiness and character customization of Pathfinder 2. I know many others who love the fast and furious grim dark fantasy of old-school games like Shadowdark, EZD6, and Old School Essentials. That’s cool.

Likewise, if you’re happy with D&D and don’t want or need anything else, that’s cool too. Most D&D players probably never consider products outside of what WOTC produces for D&D. I definitely recommend looking at the many awesome D&D / 5e compatible products many other publishers have created. Here are ten notable products for 2022 and my YouTube video segment on favorite products of 2023, all from other publishers than WOTC. Check them out.

If you enjoy 5e but you’re done with Hasbro or WOTC or the D&D brand, this message is for you.

5e isn’t D&D.

You can enjoy the hell out of 5e without having to use any products or pay any money to Hasbro.

There are several excellent alternative core books for 5e – my current favorite being EN Publishing’s Level Up Advanced 5e and more on the way like Kobold Press’s Tales of the Valiant.

These companies pay no license fees to Hasbro. Their work is completely independent from D&D. In A5e’s case, they have their own system reference document they wrote and released under a Creative Commons license that’s significantly bigger than the 5.1 SRD.

These systems and products are completely independent from Hasbro or WOTC or D&D. 5e's rules were built by designers, many of whom aren't at Hasbro anymore, based on principles that go back 50 years and two full company acquisitions ago.

Yes, 5e came from the development of the 2014 version of D&D. 5e stands for “5th edition” and that’s the 5th edition of D&D, but that doesn’t matter now. Now, all of the mechanics are released under a Creative Commons license and, as mentioned, there’s a whole separate one you can use instead if you don’t want to use the one published by WOTC.

If you love 5e, as I do, don’t throw it out just because you’re mad at one company publishing material for it. 5e is ours and I personally think it’s awesome. You’re not hurting anyone or supporting the wrong group by buing products for it, running it, and playing it.

Game on.

We were a 2014 5e test group, and I still like 2014'ish 5e. We have bailed on 5e of the last few years and especially won't be playing 2024 version. But doesn't mean 5e 2014'ish won't come around our table here and there, it's a good game.

 

[MonsterEnvy]

We were a 2014 5e test group, and I still like 2014'ish 5e. We have bailed on 5e of the last few years and especially won't be playing 2024 version. But doesn't mean 5e 2014'ish won't come around our table here and there, it's a good game.

What has changed your mind on the 2024 revision? I am just curious,

 

[SlyFlourish]

Someone should patent WotC-Fan-Hate as a source for clean energy. It seems to be entirely self-sustaining. Endlessly renewing itself without any need for stimulus.

I mean it’s been a couple of years now since they did anything even slightly objectionable but the hate threads haven’t slowed a bit. I truly am impressed.

Yeah, that’s not true.

 

[jayoungr]

Out of curiosity (I've been a bit out of the loop), what is the latest WotC action that has caused widespread fan outrage? The most recent one I'm aware of is the Pinkertons thing, but that was a while ago and I wonder if I've missed something.

 

[Retreater]

Off the top of my head, controversies in the past 6 months.

Blurgate was pretty lousy. Putting copyright strikes on YouTubers channels.
Cancelling orders of new books.
Attempting to remove 2014 content from DND Beyond.
The usual mass layoffs.
Confusing stance on AI.
Online gambling partnership.

I'm not enraged about any of these, but they're still pretty negative looks.

 

[Piperken]

Out of curiosity (I've been a bit out of the loop), what is the latest WotC action that has caused widespread fan outrage? The most recent one I'm aware of is the Pinkertons thing, but that was a while ago and I wonder if I've missed something.

Most anyone who played or was involved with Magic: The Gathering TCG over the years has expressed serious, legitimate concerns about:

• The overall state of the trade carding game and its health
• The organization and management of the Pro Tour, and specifically how one qualifies for it
• The state and management of online play (which ties in implicitly with the first two)

A different product/area yes, but given the ties-in that exist now between RP settings and card sets, it reflects on how the company and its parent might be perceived, with good reason!

 

[Hussar]

Mass layoffs? Wasn’t it like three people this year?

 

[mamba]

Mass layoffs? Wasn’t it like three people this year?

The December layoffs were ‘fewer than 100’ at Hasbro, no idea how many of that are at WotC or D&D, or why only those would count