Not for my tastes.
hypathetical 5e from YOU...Forked Thread: Academic Studies Recent Edition Wars
- Thread starter GMforPowergamers
- Start date
Not for my tastes.
GMforPowergamers
Legend
I don't care...this is a hypathetical look into each of our own minds...how about you throw out some ideas instead of just poo pooing mine...
JRRNeiklot
First Post
Didn't 4e do this very thing? And 3e? And hell, even 2e, and 1e, for that matter.
I choose 1e because it's better than anything that has come since.
M.L. Martin
Hero
I'd give serious attention to whether or not this fear of 'splitting the fanbase' and the desire to create one game to rule them all during the WotC era has been good for the game and the overall hobby.
If not, then I'd give serious consideration to creating a modular rules-set that starts from a general baseline that can be left 'as is' for standard, 'beer and pretzels', minis-free dungeon-crawling play, but launches immediately with 'snap-on' rules to support things like increased character customization, tactical combat, heavier skill and personality-focused roleplaying, domain rulership and wargaming, etc.
'Central' products would be designed for use with the baseline rules set and the main combinations of options, while more specialized products would be done as PDFs or third-party licensees for gamers who focus on a more specific style of play.
Something like this appears to have been the goal of the PLAYER'S OPTION products, although how well they achieved that goal is open to debate.
This would probably run D&D into the ground. That's what happens when you place someone who's not really a D&D fan in charge.
If not, then I'd give serious consideration to creating a modular rules-set that starts from a general baseline that can be left 'as is' for standard, 'beer and pretzels', minis-free dungeon-crawling play, but launches immediately with 'snap-on' rules to support things like increased character customization, tactical combat, heavier skill and personality-focused roleplaying, domain rulership and wargaming, etc.
'Central' products would be designed for use with the baseline rules set and the main combinations of options, while more specialized products would be done as PDFs or third-party licensees for gamers who focus on a more specific style of play.
Something like this appears to have been the goal of the PLAYER'S OPTION products, although how well they achieved that goal is open to debate.
This would probably run D&D into the ground. That's what happens when you place someone who's not really a D&D fan in charge.
Hey, you asked "how about this"?
(edit: sorry there was supposed to be a smiley wink, but the smilies are not working for me).
MichaelSomething
Legend
Here's what I think 5th Edition could turn out to be...
You just returned from your Friendly Local Gaming Store with the 5th Edition of Dungeons and Dragons! Hooray! As you open the box you find not a series of books but a card. It has some account information and directions leading you towards the new Dungeons and Dragons website. Wanting to see the new 5th Edition, you go to the website and open an account with the information on the card. After you complete that task, a CGI Gary Gygax appears. “Welcome to the latest edition of Dungeons and Dragons!” the computerized Gygax proclaimed. “When I first developed this game, I had no idea how popular it would become. What was once a humble past time for me became the foundation for an entirely new way of gaming! A way where you could literally do whatever you could think of and customize the game to whatever you wanted it to be! Now with this; 5th Edition, you can truly create the game you want! I hope you have as much fun with this as I and many others had.”
After that short intro speech, you look over the options. You skip the ones that explain what roleplaying and Dungeons and Dragons are go straight to the section called “The Player’s Handbook.” After you click, you come to the following screen which tells you the following…
Welcome (insert your account name here) to the 5th Edition of Dungeons and Dragons, the most customizable edition ever! You can construct the Dungeons and Dragons of your dreams! The first step is select all of the races, classes, and other options that make Dungeons and Dragons Dungeons and Dragons! Once you are done you can download a PDF and/or order a physical print of your book to bring to your gaming table!
Intro articles
You only get one first impression. Please select the article/author you would like to first read when you open your PHB! We have over 20 different introductions to select from!
(Here would be a listing of various intro articles you can choose. Mike Mearls, Skip Willians, Erik Mona and many other D&D authors would be among the choices you could select)
Races
Now you can include/exclude whatever races you want! Create a classic fantasy world or just pick at random! If it exist in D&D, you can play it!
(Here would be a listing of every D&D player race ever. Here you would select the races you wanted.)
Classes
What classes will you select for your Dungeons and Dragons Game???
Fighter (old school style): This fighter class is designed to be like the Fighters classes of earlier editions. He has few special abilities and is designed to be very realistic. This class is not a good fit for a game which demands powerful character abilities.
Fighter (new school style): This fighter class is designed with the latest in gaming ideas. With this class, you’ll never have to worry about being outclassed by spell casters in high level play. This class is not a good fit for games where powerful characters are not required.
Fighter (Chris Params version): Chris Paramas has returned to Dungeons and Dragons with his unique take on the Fighter class! If you enjoyed his previous work, you’ll love this!
(The above is just a small sample of the different classes available. There are over a hundred different classes in the listing. Everything from Bards to Warlocks is on the list and there are at least four different versions for every class.)
Art Style
No RPG Book is complete without great artwork (of course, if you wish to lower the cost of your PHB, you can exclude any art what so ever. You can do whatever you want)! Select from over 30 artist and art styles in whatever combination you desire!
(Here would be a lot of different artist and art styles. You would select which types of picture you want and how much of it you want.)
By this point, I think you get the general idea of what I’m trying to portray here.
You just returned from your Friendly Local Gaming Store with the 5th Edition of Dungeons and Dragons! Hooray! As you open the box you find not a series of books but a card. It has some account information and directions leading you towards the new Dungeons and Dragons website. Wanting to see the new 5th Edition, you go to the website and open an account with the information on the card. After you complete that task, a CGI Gary Gygax appears. “Welcome to the latest edition of Dungeons and Dragons!” the computerized Gygax proclaimed. “When I first developed this game, I had no idea how popular it would become. What was once a humble past time for me became the foundation for an entirely new way of gaming! A way where you could literally do whatever you could think of and customize the game to whatever you wanted it to be! Now with this; 5th Edition, you can truly create the game you want! I hope you have as much fun with this as I and many others had.”
After that short intro speech, you look over the options. You skip the ones that explain what roleplaying and Dungeons and Dragons are go straight to the section called “The Player’s Handbook.” After you click, you come to the following screen which tells you the following…
Welcome (insert your account name here) to the 5th Edition of Dungeons and Dragons, the most customizable edition ever! You can construct the Dungeons and Dragons of your dreams! The first step is select all of the races, classes, and other options that make Dungeons and Dragons Dungeons and Dragons! Once you are done you can download a PDF and/or order a physical print of your book to bring to your gaming table!
Intro articles
You only get one first impression. Please select the article/author you would like to first read when you open your PHB! We have over 20 different introductions to select from!
(Here would be a listing of various intro articles you can choose. Mike Mearls, Skip Willians, Erik Mona and many other D&D authors would be among the choices you could select)
Races
Now you can include/exclude whatever races you want! Create a classic fantasy world or just pick at random! If it exist in D&D, you can play it!
(Here would be a listing of every D&D player race ever. Here you would select the races you wanted.)
Classes
What classes will you select for your Dungeons and Dragons Game???
Fighter (old school style): This fighter class is designed to be like the Fighters classes of earlier editions. He has few special abilities and is designed to be very realistic. This class is not a good fit for a game which demands powerful character abilities.
Fighter (new school style): This fighter class is designed with the latest in gaming ideas. With this class, you’ll never have to worry about being outclassed by spell casters in high level play. This class is not a good fit for games where powerful characters are not required.
Fighter (Chris Params version): Chris Paramas has returned to Dungeons and Dragons with his unique take on the Fighter class! If you enjoyed his previous work, you’ll love this!
(The above is just a small sample of the different classes available. There are over a hundred different classes in the listing. Everything from Bards to Warlocks is on the list and there are at least four different versions for every class.)
Art Style
No RPG Book is complete without great artwork (of course, if you wish to lower the cost of your PHB, you can exclude any art what so ever. You can do whatever you want)! Select from over 30 artist and art styles in whatever combination you desire!
(Here would be a lot of different artist and art styles. You would select which types of picture you want and how much of it you want.)
By this point, I think you get the general idea of what I’m trying to portray here.
Doug McCrae
Legend
I'd immediately start work on 6e. Two steps ahead, baby!
Remathilis
Legend
I'm not sure it would be a good "5e" but I think there could definitely be a market for a "Classic" D&D game that has a very lite base kernel (some on par with Basic D&D) and lots of optional supplements to add on new rules (skill systems, feats) classes (ranger, bard, monk), races (gnome, half-orc, dragonborn) etc.
The only think wrong with this scenario would be module writing would be a royal pain: you couldn't know if a particular game is going to have X races, Y spells or Z supplemental rules. It'd be a homebrewers dream, but a publisher's nightmare.
M.L. Martin
Hero
It's already been written and should be out at GenCon.
All right, so that's the HERO System 6th Edition.
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