D&D 4E If you had to choose; end of 4e OR 4.5e?

[Ydars]

I am not asking what YOU would do in your games; I am asking what YOU think WoTC should do "now that 4E is dead" (note this is hypothetical).

Of course many people would carry on playing 4e, but I haven't put an option for that because if I did, the premise "4E is dead" wouldn't mean a whole lot.

 

[Asmor]

None of the above.

A 4.5e which fixes whichever problems WotC thought were egregious enough to entail canceling the entire line.

Why would you assume a 4.5e would be a mix of 4 and 3.5, and go back towards the simulationist side of the scale?

 

[Ydars]

Asmor, I don't really assume this; I just had to pick something for 4.5E to give it some identity. Otherwise, the name 4.5E wouldn't give people any indication of what the changes were; and I am not clever enough to make another suggestion for how to fix 4E .

Also, I picked the simulationist thing because for many people, the flavour of 4E is what is wrong and much of this, if I read these forums correctly, appears to revolve around the fact that combat is so pervasive and also so gamist in design. I personally have a problem with it and so do lots of other people.

Since this thread is asking those EN Worlders who don't fully embrace 4E what WoTC should do about it, it seemed appropriate.

I fully accept that some people dislike 4E because it is not gamist enough though.

 

[Jack99]

Why is there no option for continuing 4E (just releasing supplements)?

I voted 5e! But my answer is really that anything that doesn't involve Pathfinder or 3.x is fine with me.

 

[kenmarable]

Combination of the last 2 options - Sell it to Paizo!

Or, just OGL or Creative Commons every WotC D&D product (3.x & 4e) and let the community just do as they will with it. It will organically grow along the lines of what would be most interesting and fun rather than what is most interesting and fun and can still make a profit.

 

[Darrin Drader]

There are simply too many good options on the poll. The only one I wouldn't pick is a return to 3.5 because there are some well documented flaws with the system. The high level play issue is the most pressing, but there are others, such as the rapidly diminishing returns of iterative attacks, ultra-complicated grappling rules, issues with shapechanging, and the disparity in power level between the base classes in the core rules and the other classes that were released later, all of which I think Pathfinder is doing a good job addressing so far. If the final release manages to fix the high level play problem, then it will accomplish its objective, in my opinion.

But I wouldn't mind seeing a new edition that combines the core 1/2 level + ability modifier base for BAB and saves and then adds back in the simulationist elements of 3.5 that were stripped out. Then remove the powers mechanic and go back to the traditional Vancian magic and class abilities + feats to determine what your character can do. Keep 4E's methods for leveling up and down monsters and generating NPCs (in actual play, I used methods that were similar anyway thoughout 3.x, rather than spending the time to make everything technically perfect before a game). Finally, bring monster hit points back to 3.5 levels to make combat less grindy.

Make these changes and I'd be completely onboard a new edition.

 

[LostSoul]

5E: The Game of SimuNarr.

Stay 100% in character in an engaging fantasy world where you discover what it would be like to be a ninja who mends pots, if you've got what it takes to make a living in the cutthroat world of pot mending, and how you and your group feels about the moral implications of leaving your old ninja life aside, even though your parents sold your younger sister into slavery to pay for your ninja college fees.

With a grid-based tactical comabt system.

 

[Korgoth]

[Cramer]
SellSellSell!
[/Cramer]

 

[MoogleEmpMog]

Either create a new edition (hopefully one that would continue to be really, really excellent) or sell the rights (hopefully to Evil Hat, although Green Ronin also works).

The other suggestions involve outcomes that would CERTAINLY mean I would not be playing D&D for an edition, which makes games harder to find.

 

[Vyvyan Basterd]

I am not asking what YOU would do in your games; I am asking what YOU think WoTC should do "now that 4E is dead" (note this is hypothetical).

D'oh! Totally misread your question.

None of the above. WotC should lock the D&D franchise away in the Disney Vault and then re-release it in 2012 as the Gold Collector's Edition.