D&D 5E Kate Welch on Leaving WotC

Kate Welch left Wizards of the Coast a few days ago, on August 16th. Soon after, she talked a little about it in a live-stream.

She started work at WotC as a game designer back in February 2018, and has contributed to various products since then, such as Ghosts of Saltmarsh and Descent into Avernus, as well as being a participant in WotC's livestreams. In December 2019, her job changed to that of 'senior user experience designer'.

"I mentioned yesterday that I have some big news that I wouldn't be able to share until today.

The big news that I have to share with you today is that I ... this is difficult, but ... I quit my job at Wizards of the Coast. I no longer work at Wizards. Today was my last day. I haven't said it out loud yet so it's pretty major. I know... it's a big change. It's been scary, I have been there for almost three years, not that long, you know, as far as jobs go, and for a while there I really was having a good time. It's just not... it wasn't the right fit for me any more.

So, yeah, I don't really know what's next. I got no big plans. It's a big deal, big deal .... and I wanted to talk to you all about it because you're, as I've mentioned before, a source of great joy for me. One of the things that has been tough reckoning with this is that I've defined myself by Dungeons & Dragons for so long and I really wanted to be a part of continuing to make D&D successful and to grow it, to have some focus especially on new user experience, I think that the new user experience for Dungeons & Dragons is piss poor, and I've said that while employed and also after quitting.

But I've always wanted to be a part of getting D&D into the hands of more people and helping them understand what a life-changing game it is, and I hope I still get the chance to do that. But as of today I'm unemployed, and I also wanted to be upfront about it because I have this great fear that because Dungeons & Dragons has been part of my identity, professionally for the last three years almost, I was worried that a lot of you'll would not want to follow me any more because I'm not at Wizards, and there's definitely some glamourous aspects to being at Wizards."

She went on to talk about the future, and her hopes that she'll still be be able to work with WotC.

"I'm excited about continuing to play D&D, and hopefully Wizards will still want me to appear on their shows and stuff, we'll see, I have no idea. But one thing that I'm really excited about is that now I can play other TTRPGs. There's a policy that when you're a Wizards employee you can't stream other tabletop games. So there was a Call of Cthulhu game that we did with the C-team but we had to get very special permission for it, they were like OK but this is only a one time thing. I get it, you know, it's endorsing the competition or whatever, but I'm super excited to be able to have more freedom about the kinds of stuff that I'm getting involved with."

 

[Snarf Zagyg]

The "easiest yet" doesn't necessarily equate to "easy."

If I gave you a cupcake and a snickerdoodle, the snickerdoodle would be the spicier of the two, but only someone who couldn't handle any spiciness at all would consider it truly spicy.

And if D&D designers stopped trying to further improve the game, we'd all still be rolling 1d6 for all weapon damage and there'd only be two character classes.

Yes, that would be nice. But after reading through this thread, I have a few (non-joke) observations:

1. It doesn't seem obvious that this is what Ms. Welch had in mind, or what, exactly. Improving "new user experience" could mean changing the rules, yet another new introductory set, more official Youtube and Twitch training and video sessions, or something else.

2. Nothing comes without sacrifice. Look at your example. Sure, maybe there are people that want things spicy, much spicier. So you, Whizbang, makes the amazing Ghost Pepper Cookie with Carolina Reaper Chocolate Chips. And you think, "This is it, this is the spicy cookie we've all wanted!" And everyone that wants spicy foods is so happy! But do you know who isn't happy? The many people who either just want a cookie, or don't care much for spicy foods.

What do I mean by this? Sure, if you could design D&D from the ground up to be different, you'd have a different system. But the reason that D&D is the proverbial 800 lb gorilla in the TTRPG market is because it has a legacy that can be used to leverage to teach other people, as well as a brand. You don't start fresh; quite literally, you are standing on the shoulders of giants (and four prior editions) and using that. That is both an amazing advantage and a burden.

From the actual evidence, 5e is easy enough for players to pick up. It has had sustained, phenomenal growth that people would have killed for if you said it 6 years ago. That doesn't mean it can't be improved in some ways, but there is a limit to how simple it can become. Almost every other TTRPG is able to leverage the fact that players (and DMs) have already learned to play something else- usually, D&D.

 

[Hatmatter]

Making D&D easier for new players doesn't necessarily require rules changes, though.

I firmly agree. Let the game be the game and then cast the nets far and wide and let everyone who wants to play give it a shot.

 

[Nikosandros]

Maybe. That's how my initial DMs did it back in the AD&D days. I know there was a chart we eventually found that had a limited pool of spells to roll on for a first level character, but I don't recall that being in the AD&D PHB.

My AD&D books are all packed away at the moment, so I can't look and see.

You remember correctly, that chart is in the DMG. I love 1e, but it ain't a well organized game...

 

[AbdulAlhazred]

Initial spells are not subject to the chance to know roll.

Right, but you still get the luck of the draw, assuming the DM goes by the system presented in the DMG. That system also has the oddity that it can't be extended. TBH most DMs in later 1e and 2e times simply let players pick at least a couple of spells. Despite all of Gary's admonishments, it was pretty hard to keep PCs from getting whatever they wanted anyway. They would trade, every NPC had to have a spell book, etc. Every new PC would usually be handed a quill and told to copy down the vital stuff or else, no dead weight on our team! lol.

 

[jasper]

You remember correctly, that chart is in the DMG. I love 1e, but it ain't a well organized game...

If I ever become an EVIL Millionaire I going to buy the rights to 1E. And Reedit and publish the books to be more light 5E.

 

[Jeff Albertson]

And if D&D designers stopped trying to further improve the game, we'd all still be rolling 1d6 for all weapon damage and there'd only be two character classes.

Which could be a good thing: Martial Person, Magic Person, d6 weapon, flavour as you like; just depends how you look at these things.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

Which could be a good thing: Martial Person, Magic Person, d6 weapon, flavour as you like; just depends how you look at these things.

I feel certain there's an OSR ruleset that strips it back down to fighting-man and magic-user, and all weapons do a d6, but I can't think of which it would be, as that's way more retro than I've ever been interested in.

 

[Northern Phoenix]

I suspect Kate Welch is far too young to remember those 1st edition days.

I suspect that applies to most people under the age of 40.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

Nothing comes without sacrifice.

If WotC creating a product that does a better job of bringing in new players, without changing the rules in any substantial way, constitutes a "sacrifice," well, I'm envious about how the rest of your life is going.

From the actual evidence, 5e is easy enough for players to pick up.

I guarantee you this has been argued in favor of every version of D&D.

"Well, I understood the original three booklets, so I don't know why Moldvay has to create this 'easy mode' explaining it all in one document in slightly clearer English!"

That doesn't mean it can't be improved in some ways, but there is a limit to how simple it can become.

No one is arguing that D&D should be reduced to a one-page rulebook or anything of the sort. Do better, man.

 

[Olli Rose]

No one is arguing that D&D should be reduced to a one-page rulebook or anything of the sort. Do better, man.

He didn't say that anyone was arguing that.