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

[Blackbrrd]

And they must be very confident about their optional rules, races and classes. I would not be surprised if the most "min-max friendly" classes and sub-classes are NOT in Basic D&D.

As for the adventures being that great... Well, I'm somewhat skeptical. Most commercial adventures I read and played (with few exceptions), whatever the editor, where a succession of linear static dungeons. More often that Dungeons & Dragons, it has been Rail & Road.
If WotC is able to publish non linear (or seemingly non linear) adventures where dungeons are not an endless succession of 10 ft wide corridors, traps, doors and monster waiting to be slaughtered while the PC recover from their 15 minutes adventure's day, I would be happy to buy them. Very happy. If it's combined with a lighter ruleset, a convincing "bounded accuracy" and a flater power progression, it may be the best thing ever to happen to D&D. But that's a lot of "if".

Red Hand of Doom (3e), Reavers of Harkenworld and Madness at Gardmoore Abbey (both 4e) are all adventures that don't feel linear. Examples of the opposite are the 4e adventures H1, H2, H3 and P1 which I felt where linear slugfests.

I really hope WotC releases lots of adventures that aren't part of a adventure path. These often feels very railroady by their nature (you need a specific main outcome to be able to continue on the next adventure).

 

[Aloïsius]

I really hope WotC releases lots of adventures that aren't part of a adventure path. These often feels very railroady by their nature (you need a specific main outcome to be able to continue on the next adventure).

Yup. And 5e, with its flatter progression curve, is probably able to support that : make adventures that can be played at 1st, 3th of 5th level without much problem just by adding or removing some opponents.
I would like to be able to create a campaign just by picking whatever generic adventures I like and meshing them together without headaches due to level adjustment. Like a sandbox campaign were each grain of sand would be a small little gem.

That would require two pages in each adventures : one explaining how to adjust the adventure (locations, organizations, main NPC) to various campaign setting and the other how to adjust to various level (opponents to add, remove, level up or change). A third page about plot hook with other published adventures would be neat as well.

 

[Blackbrrd]

Yup. And 5e, with its flatter progression curve, is probably able to support that : make adventures that can be played at 1st, 3th of 5th level without much problem just by adding or removing some opponents.
I would like to be able to create a campaign just by picking whatever generic adventures I like and meshing them together without headaches due to level adjustment. Like a sandbox campaign were each grain of sand would be a small little gem.

That would require two pages in each adventures : one explaining how to adjust the adventure (locations, organizations, main NPC) to various campaign setting and the other how to adjust to various level (opponents to add, remove, level up or change). A third page about plot hook with other published adventures would be neat as well.

I don't think the adventures will be made to support groups of both 1st an 5th level, but will be as they have always been, for levels x to y. For instance level 3-5. The advantage of the bounded accuracy, is that if the PC's blunder into the harder part of the adventure, they won't automatically be TPK'd. The fights will be hard, and they might try another lead instead. In other words, the adventures can be designed less linearly.

It should be easier to adjust the level of the adventure to suit the level of the PC's in 5e, but bounded accuracy, and especially at low levels, the margin isn't quite small. When you get to level 3+, the margin is already bigger than it gets in 4e and at level 10+, it's probably more than twich what it is in 4e.

 

[Klaus]

Also: Is that new art? Those look like 5e goblins.

Yes, that is a gorgeous new piece by Kieran Yanner (whose most recent work was as cover/concept artist for Numenera). And yes, those are 5e goblins.

 

[Riley]

The staggered release schedule of BD&D is interesting. The MM and DMG portions of BD&D won't be posted until August, so they can be sure to match the printed books, which are still in process (DMG, at least).

This gives me hope that the lack of BD&D rules in the Starter Set is a good thing, since it shows care to make sure that the eventual printed BD&D product will not contradict anything in the AD&D rules.

What intrigues me most is that the must be EXTREMELY confident in the value of their adventures, since they are the only products you "must" buy to play, being PHB, DMG and MM optional at this point,

I agree, and I am glad. I love premade adventures, and it feels like a long time since wizards of the Coast/TSR has taken adventures seriously. I wish them success, and I hope that the ones they offer will be distinct from the particular Pathfinder narrative style - and that they will be good.

 

[jrowland]

I have to say I didn't expect that much free material online.

Character creation up to lev 20. The 4 basic classes. The 4 basic races. Some monsters. Some DM stuff.

What intrigues me most is that the must be EXTREMELY confident in the value of their adventures, since they are the only products you "must" buy to play, being PHB, DMG and MM optional at this point,

Technically, the adventures are NOT a "must" buy to play. You can play 5E Basic D&D for free...forever...if you make your own adventures.

Nit Pick aside, I get your point. But the VAST majority of players and DMs alike will not be satisfied with the free only version. All it takes is one player wanting to play a Barbarian in a 5E Basic Game and boom: PHB booksale (DM willing of course).

 

[DaveMage]

Kudos on a fantastic move by WotC!

Makes the game much more accessible to a (very) wide audience.

 

[Jack99]

And they must be very confident about their optional rules, races and classes. I would not be surprised if the most "min-max friendly" classes and sub-classes are NOT in Basic D&D.

My guess for what will be in the Basic Set looks like this:
Races: human, elf (high), dwarf (mountain), halfling (stout)
Classes: fighter (warrior), cleric (war), Wizard (evoker) and Rogue (thief)

 

[Nilbog]

Seems a wise move to me. I'm guessing the 4e model of splatbooks wasn't particularly profitable, after all I guess it is catering to a diminishing base (those who already own the system), I can't imagine that seeing Martial Power 2 encouraged many people who didn't own 4e to buy into the system, and as time progresses those who own 4e grow less interested in more expansions (they did tend to become a bit samey).

Having a cheap entry point into the system is a very good method. Say £20 an adventure plus a free pdf and you are good to go, is very likely to encourage a lot of impulse buys. Will it impact on the PHB/DMG/MM sales in the short term? I'd guess not so much as people think, I reckon most people who were going to buy them still will, a few who were sitting on the fence may opt not too, but I can't see it being too damaging, and IF the systems and adventures are good (and seeing that the first two adventures are by Kobold press, i'm optimistic!), in the long term I think sales will benefit.

What I'm really excited about is how they tie it in with other media platforms, video games and mobile apps specifically, I really hope that they can push the DnD brand further into the mainstream as i think its a fantastic hobby and would be great to get as many people interested as possible.

Interesting times!

 

[Nellisir]

Bear in mind that an awful lot of D&D players only ever buy the PHB - the minimum required to own the rules of the game. If "the minimum required to own the rules of the game" is now a case of downloading a free copy of Basic, a chunk of those people who only buy the PHB will now, instead, just download Basic. That's got to hurt sales.

I don't see it that way at all. First of all, it's a Basic edition. Four races, four classes, basic spells. No idea about what or how feats and skills will be included, although after spells _and_ monsters, there can't be much room. Want to play a tiefling, or a gnome or a half-elf? Buy the PHB. Upgrading the pdf to incorporate new rules to play new adventures means they'll keep adventures basic and playable by the Basic rules, not that tieflings will show up in the Basic set in December.

But won't those people just use someone else's PHB?
Yeah...but people did that anyways. Zero sum equation, that.

Second, you're assuming the PDF won't grow the audience, when that's clearly the whole point. If 100 new people download the free pdf, and 10 go on to buy the PHB, that's 10 additional sales. Plus the grognard audience that wasn't going to buy the PHB anyways because it's too expensive and wrong game and yadda yadda...well, now they've got a free entry point. Maybe 5 of that 100 buy the pHB; now you're up 15 sales. Plus the kids that can't afford a PHB, but can download a PDF -- they'll get into the game, badger their parents, and get the PHB for the holidays. There's another sale.

I could see WOtC doing a GSL-style license with this, allowing publishers to publish adventures compatible with the Basic Rules, but I don't think we'll see the OGL.