D&D 5E (2024) If D&D 2024 Had Been Radically Different, Would You Have Stuck With 5E

[Reynard]

Obviously the real answer is “it depends.” But, since you specifically asked not to answer that way, and said to assume the changes were to my liking, yeah, of course I would have adopted it. I can’t imagine why someone wouldn’t, under the assumption that it changed in a way they would personally like.

There are folks that love 5E enough that even if they liked the new version, they would stick with 5E. This, of course, has been true of every new edition.

 

[FrogReaver]

Sure. But it also isn't the question at hand.

But I would gladly participate in that thread.

I voted.

But also Not sure how it’s not relevant seeing as it’s part of the very premise of the thread question.

 

[payn]

A new edition change is always going to peak my interest. Im definitely gonna take a look. There have been several times now I stopped playing an RPG because I no longer liked the cut of its jib. So, im not an auto-adopter, and Ive had many years of not playing D&D at all, so its not something that bothers me either.

 

[Charlaquin]

There are folks that love 5E enough that even if they liked the new version, they would stick with 5E. This, of course, has been true of every new edition.

I don’t know, I feel like if you assume the changes would have been in line with your tastes… even if you think 5e is a nearly perfect game, the premise is that it changed to become even more perfect by your personal standards. So, seems like a no brainer. “Would I like a game that’s closer to my personal ideal? Yes, obviously.”

I guess I could theoretically imagine a case where one doesn’t consider the cost and effort involved in changing systems to be worthwhile, if 5e is already close enough to a perfect game for them that any improvements could only be minor.

 

[Yaarel]

The reason I play D&D 2024 is because I like it.

 

[Benjamin Olson]

I would have more respect for the new edition if it really did its own things according to some sort of coherent vision rather than just being obvious improvements, a few half-baked ideas, and a bunch of random remix for the sake of sowing confusion.

But I was pretty happy just sticking to 2014 5e. I think within the confines of D&D sacred cows and needing to somewhat satisfy people of wildly different gaming tastes 2014 5e basically hit pretty close to the sweet spot, and while you could make some obvious improvements and streamline some needlessly complicated parts on a detail level, I didn't really want to see anything massively overhauled. Once again it's not the platonic ideal of fantasy gaming or anything, but given that it basically had to feel like a successor to several pretty different games its a damned fine effort. It's got jank and weirdnesses, but having had it as the first edition where I seriously got into D&D I was a native to it, and I liked much of the jank and weirdnesses. And I knew the rules, and knew people to play with who knew the rules.

One thing I've always found interesting is how many ENWorld threads I see proposing some fix to a 5e problem that I don't actually consider a problem. Now we have whole 5e clones built around solving things I considered non-problems (sorry Nimble, I really never felt that rolling attack and damage separately was holding back my fun). The point being that while, as I said above, I would respect a wider swing 6e more than the poor effort of 2024 5e, it probably still wouldn't be my cup of tea, because 2014 5e was already my cup of tea, at least withing the narrow bounds of what could plausibly fulfill a role as some sort of successor of all D&Ds.

 

[thullgrim]

As someone who does not play 5e because I don’t like the game a new edition definitely cause me to check it out. If it was D&D I liked I would adopt.

 

[môrgondír]

In the alternate universe in which I'm still alive in 2044, I'd probably buy the books just to check them out.

I'm a mortal 'Uatu the Watcher', observing all the moments dispassionately, but with a certain curiosity.

 

[dave2008]

Let's imagine an alternate universe in which D&D 2024 wasn't just an iteration on 5E but was an intentionally innovative game. We can keep that nebulous and say it held onto enough D&D tropes to still be D&D TO YOU (to avoid the inevitable 4E comparisons).

Would you have decided to stick with 5E anyway because like it that much? Would you have given the new one a shot? Or would you have immediately adopted.

And before every single poster says "it depends" -- assume that whatever the innovations were, they were at least palatable to you.

It of course depends. Our customized version of D&D is the ideal game for us and the most fun we have had playing D&D ever. Now if the game changed to be more like our game, then we might "adopt" it. However, if it would make the game more difficult to play the way we want, then no we would not play it.

Innovation means nothing if I don't like the way it "plays."

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

My long running Ptolus game went from 3E to Castles & Crusades to 5E (and is now slow-walking a transition to 2024, as people are inclined to do so). If 2024 had been a big shift, but a shift we liked, we would have gone for it. When your game runs 19 years, it seems likely you will tire of some of a game's warts and be interested in trying the new hotness.