D&D 5E Dwindling Basic Rules Support for WotC/Partnered Adventures

[MrHotter]

I just own the PHB and that had been good enough for me so far. I also notice a lot of references to the DMG in the CoS as well. It mentions madness and traps from the DMG that I can think of. I guess it was time for me to get the MM and the DMG anyway.

 

[GMMichael]

Question: "Will we ever get an online supplement for OotA like we did for the previous adventures? What about CoS?"

Mearls' Answer: "not in the form we've done them. we're looking at how we can deliver something more useful"

Translation: "We're looking at how we can deliver something we can sell."

Let's give credit: Basic Rules and SRD are, in the corporate eye, bending over backwards to be nice to the client base. If I were a diehard D&D fan, I'd be all-but-eternally grateful for the free stuff they've provided. Return the favor and shell out cash for the rest.

 

[Awesome Adam]

I think the FREE basic rules were a way to reassure people about the quality of the game, before they get invested in buying the books. I don't think it was ever intended as a way for a Dungeon Master to avoid buying the books altogether.

 

[ExploderWizard]

I think the FREE basic rules were a way to reassure people about the quality of the game, before they get invested in buying the books. I don't think it was ever intended as a way for a Dungeon Master to avoid buying the books altogether.

Yep. I see the free rules as serving two purposes. First, to allow any interested person to try before they buy. A group can get together without buying any material and try out the game. If they like the basic game they can keep playing or get more invested. Second, for the casual player. The type that plays only occasionally and doesn't invest enough to buy material. I'm sure we all know someone who could be described as a part time gamer. They borrow dice and look at other player's books and only play once in a while.

These types of players are typically NOT DMs. The DM if anything will be the most invested participant at the table. I don't see much reason to support DM material with tons of free stuff. These are the hardcore gamers of the group and they will actually spend money on product that they like.

 

[lkj]

Translation: "We're looking at how we can deliver something we can sell."

Let's give credit: Basic Rules and SRD are, in the corporate eye, bending over backwards to be nice to the client base. If I were a diehard D&D fan, I'd be all-but-eternally grateful for the free stuff they've provided. Return the favor and shell out cash for the rest.

As far as the 'something we can sell'-- Eh. Maybe. Might be they are working on (or collaborating on) some nifty digital offering into which such supplemental material would be folded and perhaps sold. But I think I'd slightly alter your premise to "we're working on something that will help us make more money"-- Which can also include increasing sales of other products. I believe the Basic Rules serve just that function, as you and others here mention. The free Basic Rules serve them in a couple of ways-- increase goodwill and have an easy hook to bring in new players. Both of which should translate into making more money. So, I can see them releasing something free and useful to make the main product more compelling. I really have no strong feeling one way or the other which way they'll go.

With regard to baseless speculation-- When Mike makes comments like that, I get the impression he is very vaguely teasing something they are actively working on in the background. There were several oblique hints about DM's Guild in his feed for many months prior. So, what would make the supplemental material more useful? My best wild guess would be that it comes in a format that increases usability beyond just providing the stats. The obvious (though not necessarily correct) idea would be as data for a set of digital tools. Something besides fantasy grounds. Another possibility is releasing it on DM's Guild in a format that others could build on easily. Shrug. Who knows.

AD

 

[jayoungr]

So, what would make the supplemental material more useful? My best wild guess would be that it comes in a format that increases usability beyond just providing the stats. The obvious (though not necessarily correct) idea would be as data for a set of digital tools. Something besides fantasy grounds.

The only problem with that theory is that it only makes the data "more useful" for a certain subset of D&D players--namely, those who prefer their monster stats in electronic form. Not everyone does, and considering how simple it is to cut and paste a few monsters into a PDF, it seems odd that they would restrict themselves to making things useful for only the digital adopters. (I don't count a PDF as a strictly digital tool, since it can easily be printed out for use of the hard copy at the table.)

 

[lkj]

The only problem with that theory is that it only makes the data "more useful" for a certain subset of D&D players--namely, those who prefer their monster stats in electronic form. Not everyone does, and considering how simple it is to cut and paste a few monsters into a PDF, it seems odd that they would restrict themselves to making things useful for only the digital adopters. (I don't count a PDF as a strictly digital tool, since it can easily be printed out for use of the hard copy at the table.)

Agreed. But presumably they could still provide a printable version of that material for those that wish it: File-ExporttoPDF

But I'm only guessing. It's possible that it's just a new way of distributing the content that I'm not thinking of.

AD

 

[ccs]

As far as the 'something we can sell'-- Eh. Maybe. Might be they are working on (or collaborating on) some nifty digital offering into which such supplemental material would be folded and perhaps sold. But I think I'd slightly alter your premise to "we're working on something that will help us make more money"-- Which can also include increasing sales of other products. I believe the Basic Rules serve just that function, as you and others here mention. The free Basic Rules serve them in a couple of ways-- increase goodwill and have an easy hook to bring in new players. Both of which should translate into making more money. So, I can see them releasing something free and useful to make the main product more compelling. I really have no strong feeling one way or the other which way they'll go.

With regard to baseless speculation-- When Mike makes comments like that, I get the impression he is very vaguely teasing something they are actively working on in the background. There were several oblique hints about DM's Guild in his feed for many months prior. So, what would make the supplemental material more useful? My best wild guess would be that it comes in a format that increases usability beyond just providing the stats. The obvious (though not necessarily correct) idea would be as data for a set of digital tools. Something besides fantasy grounds. Another possibility is releasing it on DM's Guild in a format that others could build on easily. Shrug. Who knows.

AD

Just sell me a damned book already.

 

[jayoungr]

Just sell me a damned book already.

A book wouldn't fix this issue. You've already bought the books that cover it--the Monster Manual and the adventure.

 

[Shasarak]

It's probably worth noting a recent tweet from Mearls on the subject of online supplements:

Question: "Will we ever get an online supplement for OotA like we did for the previous adventures? What about CoS?"

Mearls' Answer: "not in the form we've done them. we're looking at how we can deliver something more useful"


This strikes me as there being one of those surprise plans behind the scenes. I could speculate. But, instead, I'm going to go eat lunch.

AD

With the release of the Ravenloft adventure I really can not see them putting out anything that does not hype that. If you release a supplement for OotA now then it would just confuse the general DnD public who can only hold one concept in their mind at any one time.