We all know 4E is coming, whether some of us want it to or not (like me), but here's an interesting twist to all of this.
What if WotC stated they're never going to plan to do a 4E and we simply need to make the best of what we have and what we can tweak in 3.5E? But they want our help to do it and they'll do their best to make it happen?
Personally, I think something like this would be awesome since no one has to switch editions, people can expect their D&D to continue to expand and not hit the edge of a cliff once a new edition rolls around, and every generation of D&D gamers can enjoy the same game and not have to say to each other "I only know 2E and 3.0E, John knows 3.5E, my son knows only 3.5E and a little of 4E, Will and Diana know only 1E, and Joe only knows 4E..."
Now on a much more objective perspective, what would you as the customer and fan want WotC to do to make 3.5E more interesting and less complex yet please both the folks that want "rules light" and "rules heavy"? Obviously something like this means WotC really needs to get rolling on all their backed up errata, for one example.
Other than errata, what rules in 3.5E would you want WotC to modify (similar in scope to the "Polymorph" issues)? What parts of the 3.5E system would you want WotC to explore to make the game evolve and more fun without requiring a whole edition change (e.g. the Tome of Battle, Magic of Incarnum, and Tome of Magic books)? What sort of products would you want in an edition that "never ends"?
Another interesting question would be do you think D&D would dry out if 4E never came? Do you really think a game like D&D needs to roll up an entire new editon and set of rules in order to stay fresh and keep the fans wanting more? Or can they come to a happy medium in 3.5E? Will there ever be a "peak" to the D&D system rules or must there always be complete revisions of the system into a whole new edition? What is stopping the current edition from evolving in its current state? Is it our fault or WotC's?
Let's not all forget, the only reason 3E came was because D&D really needed a complete overhaul from what TSR did to it. That's the only reason D&D got such a transformation. What do you think would have to happen to 3.5E in order for 4E to be released? I think the same thing that happened to 2E would have to happen, but do you ever see 3.5E drowning in the same garbage 2E did to itself?
What if WotC stated they're never going to plan to do a 4E and we simply need to make the best of what we have and what we can tweak in 3.5E? But they want our help to do it and they'll do their best to make it happen?
Personally, I think something like this would be awesome since no one has to switch editions, people can expect their D&D to continue to expand and not hit the edge of a cliff once a new edition rolls around, and every generation of D&D gamers can enjoy the same game and not have to say to each other "I only know 2E and 3.0E, John knows 3.5E, my son knows only 3.5E and a little of 4E, Will and Diana know only 1E, and Joe only knows 4E..."
Now on a much more objective perspective, what would you as the customer and fan want WotC to do to make 3.5E more interesting and less complex yet please both the folks that want "rules light" and "rules heavy"? Obviously something like this means WotC really needs to get rolling on all their backed up errata, for one example.
Other than errata, what rules in 3.5E would you want WotC to modify (similar in scope to the "Polymorph" issues)? What parts of the 3.5E system would you want WotC to explore to make the game evolve and more fun without requiring a whole edition change (e.g. the Tome of Battle, Magic of Incarnum, and Tome of Magic books)? What sort of products would you want in an edition that "never ends"?
Another interesting question would be do you think D&D would dry out if 4E never came? Do you really think a game like D&D needs to roll up an entire new editon and set of rules in order to stay fresh and keep the fans wanting more? Or can they come to a happy medium in 3.5E? Will there ever be a "peak" to the D&D system rules or must there always be complete revisions of the system into a whole new edition? What is stopping the current edition from evolving in its current state? Is it our fault or WotC's?
Let's not all forget, the only reason 3E came was because D&D really needed a complete overhaul from what TSR did to it. That's the only reason D&D got such a transformation. What do you think would have to happen to 3.5E in order for 4E to be released? I think the same thing that happened to 2E would have to happen, but do you ever see 3.5E drowning in the same garbage 2E did to itself?
Last edited:
