D&D 5E L&L Basic Dungeons & Dragons

[DEFCON 1]

Nik meant that DrivethruRPG is the exclusive PDF source for WotC's back catalog and (separately) also have a POD service. So far, WotC hasn't made any of their PDFs available for POD. Check out the White Wolf stuff on DrivethruRPG, and you'll see that, where it's available, it's just on the same regular page as the PDFs.

Ah, gotcha! So yeah... if WotC thought people would actually pay for a printed Basic game... they could certainly set that up with DriveThru. Get both them and DriveThru a little extra cash.

Although one question on it though would be if the additional material they added to Basic for all the modules that get released was their own separate PDFs for download, or if they got added and updated inside the single Basic game PDF. Because that would potentially lessen the viability of the PoD, if it had to get printed and reprinted and reprinted with each additional update.

 

[MoonSong]

Ah, gotcha! So yeah... if WotC thought people would actually pay for a printed Basic game... they could certainly set that up with DriveThru. Get both them and DriveThru a little extra cash.

Although one question on it though would be if the additional material they added to Basic for all the modules that get released was their own separate PDFs for download, or if they got added and updated inside the single Basic game PDF. Because that would potentially lessen the viability of the PoD, if it had to get printed and reprinted and reprinted with each additional update.

I think it isn't very likely they add a lot of content -apart from errata- once they fully publish the trinity. It is the basic game...

 

[DM Howard]

I think it isn't very likely they add a lot of content -apart from errata- once they fully publish the trinity. It is the basic game...

Eh, I don't think they'll add oodles of content to it. Errata is one thing, but more actual content? It's supposed to be the Basic Game, after all, not The Game.

 

[Mistwell]

Eh, I don't think they'll add oodles of content to it. Errata is one thing, but more actual content? It's supposed to be the Basic Game, after all, not The Game.

This quote implies they will, to me:

"As we introduce new storylines like Tyranny of Dragons, we’ll also make available free PDFs that provide all the rules and stats missing from Basic D&D needed to run the adventures tied into the story. The adventures released as part of Tyranny of Dragons are playable without requiring any of the core rulebooks or the Starter Set. With just the Basic Dungeons & Dragons rules, you can play D&D for years."

 

[DM Howard]

This quote implies they will, to me:

"As we introduce new storylines like Tyranny of Dragons, we’ll also make available free PDFs that provide all the rules and stats missing from Basic D&D needed to run the adventures tied into the story. The adventures released as part of Tyranny of Dragons are playable without requiring any of the core rulebooks or the Starter Set. With just the Basic Dungeons & Dragons rules, you can play D&D for years."

Then I'll shut my mouth! I hadn't noticed that before. If this is true then they must, indeed, be leaning very heavily on adventures selling.

Edit: Which is interesting, because I have maybe bought a total of two adventures in my entire 15 year run with D&D.

 

[jrowland]

This quote implies they will, to me:

"As we introduce new storylines like Tyranny of Dragons, we’ll also make available free PDFs that provide all the rules and stats missing from Basic D&D needed to run the adventures tied into the story. The adventures released as part of Tyranny of Dragons are playable without requiring any of the core rulebooks or the Starter Set. With just the Basic Dungeons & Dragons rules, you can play D&D for years."

I read that to be very specific adventure-related rules, rather than "new" basic rules, so-to-speak. For example, An adventure has underwater combat: free pdf to cover underwater combat for the Basic game as it relates to that adventure. While one *could* consider this a "new" basic rule one might include in a PoD, it isn't exactly deal-breaking to miss it. If you want that sort of crunch, get the PHB/DMG.

 

[Thaumaturge]

[*]I can preface all of my campaigns with, "We're playing Basic D&D, with the following rules additions."

This is perfect.

Thaumaturge.

 

[Nellisir]

It just occurred to me that the biggest expansion to the free Basic could come with future campaign settings. I think you'll always be able to play the D&D adventures with the core four classes & races, but a Dark Sun release could be accompanied by a free Basic Dark Sun with gladiators, templars, preservers, and merchants, as well as rules for desert adventures. I think that's not too likely, but it would preserve the "can play any adventure with Basic" promise while still allowing setting-specific adventures. The Dark Sun rulebook would have more advanced options, of course.

 

[erf_beto]

Great to hear this!
It's almost like D&D will become itself an old-school rules lite RPG, like the thousands of retro-clones out there.

So what exactly will be in it? I don't suppose we'll see many Feats - IF there are Feats at all!

If adventures can be played right out of the box, with only the free PDF, how will monsters, spells and items be described there? If an NPC uses a spell, will they copy its description from the PHB in case it's not in Basic pdf? Every time?

 

[YRUSirius]

Nah, no feats. Skills as in predetermined backgrounds (fighters are always soldiers etc) seems likely. Some basic magic items up to level 20 (+x weapons, potions, etc). Basic and classic monsters up to level 20 (goblin, skeleton, orc, oger, some dragon).

-YRUSirius