D&D General Kobold Press Going Down a Dark Road

[GMforPowergamers]

3e has a major flaw that hinder it becoming massive in popularity like 5e. 4e has the same one. System mastery. Both are so complex in their mathematics and designed with system mastery in mind, that you are almost encouraged to build a game breaking character as a reward, that it can be discouraging to new people. It’s also overwhelming. 5e is simple and remains simple. That’s also the benefit that it and 1e had over all other editions that let them be popular, they didn’t/don’t have a ton of materials to buy and play with. You have your core books and a small, small handful of additional optional materials. I hope 1D&D doesn’t get away from that model but with 5e increasing its supplement count the last few years I could see it getting out of hand in 4 years.

where I agree with the flaw you identify with 3e I disagree it stopped new players enmass

 

[Imaro]

Because the second is a direct replacement for the first, and I think a lot of folks will see it from that perspective.

Eh, to be honest I think you're right... it will be a "replacement" for the majority of players and as long as the other supplemental, campaign, adventure, etc. stuff works with it with minimal fuss it'll be compatible.

 

[Micah Sweet]

Downloads aren’t a measure of enthusiasm but a measure of curiosity. When there are ongoing changes people look to see those continuing changes. Response to those changes had been tepid at best. That’s like saying response to 4e was better than 3.5 because 4e initially sold better than 3e but we know later print runs of the book showed rapid decline in sales.

True. I downloaded the playtest and never really had any intention to buy the new books.

 

[GMforPowergamers]

Because the second is a direct replacement for the first, and I think a lot of folks will see it from that perspective.

someone else said it better then me:
we will just ask what veersion of the game it is we will be playing at this table...

1D&D will not be an edition by name but will splinter like 1e/2e adn 3e/3.5 at least if not like 3.5/4e

 

[Micah Sweet]

3e has a major flaw that hinder it becoming massive in popularity like 5e. 4e has the same one. System mastery. Both are so complex in their mathematics and designed with system mastery in mind, that you are almost encouraged to build a game breaking character as a reward, that it can be discouraging to new people. It’s also overwhelming. 5e is simple and remains simple. That’s also the benefit that it and 1e had over all other editions that let them be popular, they didn’t/don’t have a ton of materials to buy and play with. You have your core books and a small, small handful of additional optional materials. I hope 1D&D doesn’t get away from that model but with 5e increasing its supplement count the last few years I could see it getting out of hand in 4 years.

Well, people can't buy books you don't release, and you know WotC is  all about those dollas.

 

[UngainlyTitan]

right... because they are two different versions of the game (we used to call versions editions but now that is a bad word)

Shrug, the same was ture when I started. Some one might say they were starting a D&D campaign and it could mean anything from 1e AD&D, D&D, 2e AD&D, or for some, any other rpg. I remember being asked to join a campaign that was pitched as D&D but Warhammer rules. As in a D&D setting but WFRPG rules.

 

[Reef]

Well, people can't buy books you don't release, and you know WotC is  all about those dollas.

Oh come on. Are you seriously trying to villainize WOTC because they are trying to make money? Of course they are. Every single company out there is. Just because you personally don’t like what they’re selling, doesn’t mean it’s some big evil conspiracy to just fool us all into giving them money.

 

[Parmandur]

again my example is someone says "5e" and so someone comes with a character from the 2014phb and another comes with a character from the 2024 PHB (yes not out yet)

Nothing needs to be changed on the character sheet. Particular beats general.

 

[UngeheuerLich]

I don't see why? all teh WotC editions are pretty simple rroll d20 get high good... 3e had more math imbalance and both 4e and 3e had bigger numbers to track, but at the end of the day it's really the same concepts

if being easier is all it takes FATE would out sell 3very edition of D&D

in my experence 4e and 5e are easier then 2e and 3e(3.5/pf) but new players learned all the same

See, d&d is not that complicated. But it comes doen to system mastery needed to make a useful character. 2e was actually easier than 5e in that regard.
Roll stats, chose class, weapon and nonweapon proficiencies and race, go. Easy.

 

[mamba]

In a lot of ways, Tasha's changed the game significantly. One of the reasons I feel people make the arguments for compatibility is that they're assuming a base including everything prior to 1D&D, as opposed to actually comparing the 2014 and 2024 PH.

Why should we base the comparison on 2014 PHB instead of all the things that were introduced since and are being used by many? It makes more sense to compare against the current game than it does to limit it to 2014, because the incremental change is from the current game to 1DD, not from 2014 to 1DD.