D&D (2024) I am so torn [UPDATE: I bought it]

[Reynard]

EDIT: For anyone opening the thread for the first time -- I broke on purchasing D&D 5E 2024.

I have never NOT owned a copy of the current edition of D&D, and I played/ran all of them except OD&D (though 4E was admittedly brief).

I am also still mad that WotC has not released the 3.5 SRD into CC, and about the OGL debacle in general. But they have also done some things as shows of good faith, particularly opening up Beyond to 3rd parties and making 2024 available to other VTTs (which legitimately surprised me).

I am teetering on the fence whether to break my "no money for WotC" rule and getting the 2024 core book.

Help push me to one side or the other, please.

 

[Retreater]

If it makes you feel better, tell yourself what I tell myself - which is what WotC told me: "It's not a new edition."
I haven't felt the need to purchase every slightly updated version of the game ... like when the Skills and Powers books came out for AD&D 2E. Or D&D Essentials for 4E.
Don't succumb to FOMO. If you're happy with what you have now, there's absolutely no reason to buy a new product.

Think of it this way. Sony announces the PlayStation 6. While it has slight improvements over the PS5, it is fully backward compatible, you still have tons of games you want to play on the PS5, and Sony has said that there will be a firmware update to allow you to play PS6 games on the PS5. That's basically what's going on here.

 

[AlViking]

I think someone in management screwed up with the OGL but as you said they've taken multiple steps the other way and are now opening up DndBeyond. We've only started using the new books but so far I like most of the changes they've made. Maybe wait for the new MM and see what people say about it?

Considering that we've had 5e for 10 years it needed a bit of spit and polish. I know some people just settle on a specific edition or variation and never move on but the people I play with are happy with the change. There's no one big thing but the little tweaks and and adjustments work for us.

 

[ART!]

You could wait until used copies are available. That's what I might do...

 

[Charlaquin]

I’d just look for a secondhand copy. Then you can have the book without giving money to WotC, if you feel strongly about that.

 

[Echohawk]

Help push me to one side or the other, please.

My strategy for dealing with situations like this is to toss a coin.

More specifically, decide that heads means "buy the books", and tails means "don't buy the books". Then toss a coin. In all likelihood, when you see the coin, you'll either experience a sense of satisfaction with the outcome, or a sense of annoyance. Either way, you'll find out what you really wanted the result to be. Then ignore the coin and do that

 

[Velderan]

If you're on the fence from a "is the new content worth the money" perspective, I would wait until the Monster Manual is out and find a copy at a store to flip through to see if you like whatever changes they made there. Having flipped through the 2024 PHB and DMG, they definitely seem like improvements from the 2014 versions but for me at least the monsters are what I want to see since I primarily DM.

The "am I comfortable giving WotC money" question basically comes down to what did you want them to do to make things right by you and what have they done of those things. It's been awhile since I looked to see where the older edition SRDs are on their roadmap, but Kyle Brink was the one saying it wasn't going to be a lot of work and since he's moved on who knows how things like layoffs and newer projects have impacted that assessment.

 

[Reynard]

If you're on the fence from a "is the new content worth the money" perspective, I would wait until the Monster Manual is out and find a copy at a store to flip through to see if you like whatever changes they made there. Having flipped through the 2024 PHB and DMG, they definitely seem like improvements from the 2014 versions but for me at least the monsters are what I want to see since I primarily DM.

Me too, re: GMing.

The "am I comfortable giving WotC money" question basically comes down to what did you want them to do to make things right by you and what have they done of those things. It's been awhile since I looked to see where the older edition SRDs are on their roadmap, but Kyle Brink was the one saying it wasn't going to be a lot of work and since he's moved on who knows how things like layoffs and newer projects have impacted that assessment.

My line in the sand has been "release the 3.5 SRD into CC" because the threat of "de-authorizing" the OGL is really only an issue for those games and companies reliant on the 3.5 SRD via the OGL. However, those seem fewer and fewer these days. In fact, I am not sure if any currently published games or companies are dependent on that situation anymore.

 

[payn]

I have never NOT owned a copy of the current edition of D&D, and I played/ran all of them except OD&D (though 4E was admittedly brief).

I am also still mad that WotC has not released the 3.5 SRD into CC, and about the OGL debacle in general. But they have also done some things as shows of good faith, particularly opening up Beyond to 3rd parties and making 2024 available to other VTTs (which legitimately surprised me).

I am teetering on the fence whether to break my "no money for WotC" rule and getting the 2024 core book.

Help push me to one side or the other, please.

I wasnt going to get the new books because im not playing D&D currently. That isnt some I hate WotC (not that I love them) I just am not interested. If I suddenly became interested I would get them. However, the limited edition covers were too cool to pass up and something I did want to support.

It's ok not to buy if you are not going to dive in and play, but if you got a reason, you got a reason.

 

[jayoungr]

Secondhand copies are already on eBay. That's where I got mine.