D&D 5E Hypothetical 50th Anniversary Core Rulebooks

[Charlaquin]

Structural but not systemic.

They'll incorporate the revisions to the Variant Class Features UA, maybe include a few more "best-of" archetypes from Xanathar's, include all the latest errata, and give the books a sweet new special cover that's different from the holiday 2018 covers so I'll have to buy them all over again.

Oh, and Aasimar & Eladrin in DMG will be changed to their VGM and MOT incarnations.

I'd LOVE for them to include Goblinoids and Orcs in the PHB as those are extremely popular races that show up in pretty much every game as an antagonist race, but I doubt they'll do so. If they did, I would expect the E:RLW/EGW stats for Orcs to show up, as opposed to the VGM version with racial penalties.

I could easily see that, maybe with goblinoids and orc PC races appearing in the monster manual.

 

[Li Shenron]

I think they won't wait until 2024 if they want to do a revision/half-edition. Instead, I expect some "premium" version of whatever core books will be the current ones at that time. Probably a box with the 3 core books in alternate covers, and some extra such as dice, a poster map, deluxe character sheets, and some collector's bonus price tag.

 

[Professor Murder]

A better question would be: If you didn't physically need a new book, how much change would there need to be for you to buy a new printing?

 

[atanakar]

I don't agree that it will be a 5e product for the 50th anniversary. Making 6e would spoil the mystery since they would have to announce it two years in advance. I voted no new books.

Certainty : A limited edition gold set of polyhedral dice. A 50th pencil distributed in flgs. An Adventure League Special 50th Adventure.

 

[Lem23]

Why would they have to announce a new version 2 years in advance? There's absolutely nothign to stop them suddenly announcing a new version and putting it out for immediate sale, other than that it would probably get leaked.

 

[Professor Murder]

Why would they have to announce a new version 2 years in advance? There's absolutely nothign to stop them suddenly announcing a new version and putting it out for immediate sale, other than that it would probably get leaked.

From a marketing standpoint, there is no benefit in a surprise edition drop. It would be a massive slap in the face to the existing customer base and would do massive damage to the brand.

 

[Jeff Carlsen]

I'd like to see a PHB as a minor, backward compatible revision that pulls in some of the better ideas from Xanathar's and the like. For the Monster Manual and DMG, I'm open to more substantial revision, as these are toolkits for adventure building and can always be improved.

 

[Umbran]

There's absolutely nothign to stop them ...

Don't think about what might stop them. Think instead about what aspects of doing so would end up being bad for them.

As an example - doing that means that on Day 1 no VTT software would have adaptations ready to go - which means sales to those who play online will be poor.

 

[OB1]

I voted 5.3 though I think it's closer to 5.2. Nothing printed in the 50th ani edition will contradict anything that has come before. Something like the below I think could work, as it wouldn't make purchase of the set mandatory for those who have older books, but would make a more robust Core 3 for new players and DMs.

PHB - Addition of select classes, subclasses, races and spells from other printed sources, but nothing removed and nothing brand new
MM - Addition of more robust humanoid section, possibly another dragon type, possibly additional monster variant sidebars
DMG - Addition of variant rules for Classes (like the UA), addition of something akin to the Heroic Chronicle from EGtW, addition of variant rules for social/exploration pillars

 

[LuisCarlos17f]

WotC has learnt the feedback is too important.

A sourcebook about optional rules as Unearthed Arcana is possible.

* Other option could be a no-corebook, crunch but not core bases but updated version of older base classes (without special game mechanic): jester, factotum...

 

[Enevhar Aldarion]

I am going to hold them to their word from early in this edition's lifespan that they will never change the PHB in a way that would require players to buy an new one. So nothing gets replaced or majorly modified or anything more serious than the errata they have already done. They can change the cover and the artwork and that kind of stuff all they want, or even mess with some of the fluff, but not the mechanics.

Now, of course, I think one of the reasons they originally said this was because of them never selling pdfs of the books, since while a pdf can be updated for free, major changes to the book means people have to buy new copies, so only a physical version of the book released means no major revisions. But with all the platforms where you can buy the books digitally now, this may change, since those platforms would update your original digital copy at no charge.

 

[Xenonnonex]

The anniversary book should give UA as available options to play.

 

[jayoungr]

I'm thinking just a special anniversary edition cover, with lots of shiny gold.

 

[MatthewJHanson]

My guess is if anything there's fancy new covers and updates with the current errata.