Is WotC's policy of no 4.5 good or bad?

[Jhaelen]

Would you support a 4.5?

Nope. Or rather, it depends on what you'd call 'support'.

I'd do the same thing I did when they switched to 3.5: I continued to use my 3.0 books supplemented by the new SRD. I did buy 3.5 supplements, though.

In the case of 4.5 I'd continue to use my 4.0 books supplemented by DDI. I'd continue buying 4.5 supplements, though.

I didn't even buy AD&D 2.0 because I felt the changes from 1.0 weren't sufficient to warrant new books.

If WotC wants to sell me a new set of rulebooks, they'll have to release 5e, and it would have to give me the impression of being both significantly different from 4e and a noticable improvement on 4e.

 

[Dice4Hire]

First of all, I do not see essentials, or errata to date as 4.5.

So 4.5, to me, is a non-issue. I think essentials is a different take on 4E, just like psionics, Martial "Rituals" and even powers that came out after the PHBI. There has been development of 4E, and WOTC knows the system a lot better now than they did.

But there is not enough difference to call it a 4.5.

I even doubt there was enough changes in 3.X to call it 3.5.

Now Pathfinder is definitely a 3.Something. There are enough changes there.

 

[UngainlyTitan]

I think the issue with 3.5 was you really did have to buy new books as any changes in 3.x tended to cascade through out the system and not buying the 3.5 books meant that you could not buy future D&D books. Well you could but would then have to convert of houserule in any new classes that employed the revised mechanics.
Essentials does not (IMO) any of the existing stuff and is not a must buy. I will most likely get the rules compendium because it would be nice to have a single reference for the rules. And I could possibly see myself buying the DM set and may be the tilesets and monster vault.
However, while I am interested in some of the new classes (the mage in aprticular) I will probably only look at it in DDI.

 

[Ranes]

I think the issue with 3.5 was you really did have to buy new books as any changes in 3.x tended to cascade through out the system and not buying the 3.5 books meant that you could not buy future D&D books.

Or you could just use the free SRD and continue buying D&D books.

 

[Infiniti2000]

Would you support a 4.5?

Yes, but I'd rather they made a 4.1. If they explicitly used 4.5, can WotC now publish a 4.1 without the nerdrage?

 

[MrMyth]

The game certainly has things I would fix, from core things like the potency of multiple attacks to smaller areas like resistance for PCs and monsters. But the game as a whole is functional - I'm quite happy for now for them to just keep coming out with good products. Especially good starting points like Essentials, which gives an option for those who want to grab a stand-alone product that avoids the bloat of powers and feats... while still providing new options for those that like the entire system.

I'd rather they keep up with this, keep publishing errata to fix any problems, and keep experimenting with new products (as we've seen them keep pushing the limits with PHB2, PHB3, and Essentials)... and then, 5 years down the road or so, bring all that they have learned together into a full new edition.

 

[DEFCON 1]

I don't have any problems with anything that might be considered a '4.5' for the simple fact that I don't believe hardcover copies of any 4.5 books will ever exist.

I fully believe that the current edition of D&D will continue to evolve, but it's main source of parsing out this evolution will be via D&D Insider. I think they will treat D&D the same exact way they do WoW (and other video games)... changing and balancing mechanics online so that there aren't books that need to be "repurchased". Online subscription and rules distribution will replace hardcover books.

If you own the original 4E hardcover books and enjoy that game as-is... you don't need to buy anything else to play a successful game (like the folks who own and just play Vanilla WoW). If, however, you find you play and enjoy D&D 4E enough that you want more to the experience... then you've probably already become (or should become) a D&D Insider to get all the extra and expanding stuff you just don't get from buying the first three books.

The only "reprinting" of book I might think they'd do is perhaps a yearly or bi-yearly softcover Rules update book like they are releasing with Essentials. Something that might only cost $15 bucks for those people who want a solid rules book to reference to, if getting stuff out of the DDI Compendium is too much of a hassle. But that rule book would by no means be required, as all the rules will eventually be online in an updated Compendium form.

4.5 won't be an all-new set of hardcover rulesbooks. It will be an updated set of DDI Tools that will include evolved and updated Rules Compendium, Character Builder and Adventure Tools (with Monster Builder, Encounter Builder, Trap Builder etc. etc.) And if you are already a DDI subscriber, you will get all this stuff for "free" as part of your subscription.

 

[IronWolf]

I don't have any problems with anything that might be considered a '4.5' for the simple fact that I don't believe hardcover copies of any 4.5 books will ever exist.

Yeah, they will be paperback...

I fully believe that the current edition of D&D will continue to evolve, but it's main source of parsing out this evolution will be via D&D Insider. I think they will treat D&D the same exact way they do WoW (and other video games)... changing and balancing mechanics online so that there aren't books that need to be "repurchased". Online subscription and rules distribution will replace hardcover books.

While it is likely DDI will continue to play an important role in D&D as we continue forward, I don't think they can stop with the books just yet. Largely because it would seem to me to alienate new players from the system. I think folks would be reluctant to sign up for a subscription to play a game around their dining room table.

While DDI sounds like it a useful tool I think it is seen that way by people already playing the game and committed to playing the game. I think actual physical books are needed to hook those people who haven't started playing yet. And the books needs to be in front of people at the bookstores.

Now once these new players get hooked they very well might see the value of DDI and get future books or supplements from there, but for the moment I think it is too early for the physical books to go away.

The only "reprinting" of book I might think they'd do is perhaps a yearly or bi-yearly softcover Rules update book like they are releasing with Essentials. Something that might only cost $15 bucks for those people who want a solid rules book to reference to, if getting stuff out of the DDI Compendium is too much of a hassle. But that rule book would by no means be required, as all the rules will eventually be online in an updated Compendium form.

I think they will need a book filled with more than just rules laid out in a rule like format. They will need books that have some "fluff" to help paint the fantasy world you can play in - the hook into RPG gaming.

 

[Jack99]

I think they will need a book filled with more than just rules laid out in a rule like format. They will need books that have some "fluff" to help paint the fantasy world you can play in - the hook into RPG gaming.

We are talking about reprinting. The fluff from say Underdark will still work fine, no matter how much change the rules are subject to, hence the need for only reprinting a compendium of rules.

 

[IronWolf]

We are talking about reprinting. The fluff from say Underdark will still work fine, no matter how much change the rules are subject to, hence the need for only reprinting a compendium of rules.

I meant to draw new players in. I don't see a player new to the game being drawn in by a book that is just a reprint of rules. The book would be too dry.

For existing players, certainly, a reprint of the rules could work. A player new to the game needs a current Player's Handbook in my opinion as though it covers rules, it has expanded explanation/fluff/background to help get a new player into the game.