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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Waller" data-source="post: 6171350" data-attributes="member: 6747584">Q: Could you describe how you see the tiers of play for D&D Next?Rodney: 11-17 is for the higher level abilities & 18-20 is for those higher level, a bit more creative or crazier choices/options.  Q: Any plans for more world and setting books? Mike: We can say we're planning on some time in 2014, but we still have a lot of work to do. We want it to be easy to run older material. I run stuff as is, populating it with D&D Next versions of monsters to make sure it works. So yes, that's very important to us going forward. Q: Can you tell us what kind of modules you're considering and what will be in core? Mike: We don't really have plans yet for exactly where all the options will sit in that first release, but I envision some options living in an unearthed arcana type deal. As far as those optional modules that might appear in those first books, something for more tactical combat, options to change how healing works, how resting works, skill options.Jeremy: It's also important to note that we expect to have modularity in the core book. You can turn feats on it off, skills on or off. Mike: We can also take, say, out five most popular settings and make modular rules to support the flavor and mechanics of those. Q: Did the legendary creature template or a fighter/magic user class survive testing? Rodney: The Gish type class didn't pass muster during the alpha play testing, but we've developed that into the multiclass options. Mike: On Legendary, that's still in there but we're working on the math and all the details. Perkins: Right now all the older dragons are legendary, who warp their environment. Also beholders, vampire lords, titans. Q: Will it be called D&D Next?Answer: We never intended to call it #dndnext for the final product. Mike has said he'd like to just call it Dungeons & Dragons. Q: Mass combat, castle construction and things like that - you working on those for D&D Next? Mike: We are working on those, and we'd like to hang that all in what we're calling our downtime system. So when you're not out adventuring, you're using your downtime to do that. And we want to develop modular options for those things do you can build your keep or temple, raise your armies etc., if you want to plug those options into your campaign. Q: What about an OGL or licensing for #dndnext? Mike: We don't have any specifics we can talk about, but we know that giving people ways to create and sell/share their content is important and we are looking at the ways we can do that. Q: When are we seeing the bard?Mike & Jeremy: It's in the next packet.  We're having a pretty detailed conversation about the fighter's second wind ability. Basically we want to make it easy to adjust all healing options based on what healing module you apply to your game. Q: Do you have any plans do digital tools for D&D Next?Mike: We don't have specifics, but we know a lot of us have our digital handheld devices and we are looking at how Next can use and interact with those devices. Q: What kind of supplements can we expect for Next?Mike: I can't talk about specific product, but philosophically we'd like to tie those to a general theme. So for example, maybe you have the seafaring book with the swashbuckler fighter option, the sea shaman, etc. Things that evoke a story Q: Do you think primal spirits will make a return in Next?Jeremy: We're already seeing the primal spirit idea popping up in the Druid mechanics. Mike: We're really looking at Druid summoning as calling on primal spirits. Jeremy: We're looking at recasting primal spirits so they can fit into all our settings.Q: Will there be options for martial characters to have more fantastical, 4E style abilities? Jeremy: We just released the knight and gladiator which are in that vein, along with a bard build reminiscent of the warlord. Q: Are there any rules you're working on to help us create or modify creatures?  Mike: We want to give you easy base numbers when you want to create monsters. For templates, we haven't focused specifically on templates but we are looking at options so you can make monsters have unique abilities.Chris: We're looking at templates and all sorts of other options to give you rules, probably in the DMG, for modifying your monstersQ: Is there going to be an alternate spell system?Mike: We have the basic set spells that are those really direct, easy to deal with spells. Meteor Swarm vs. Wish. We are looking at alternate systems of magic, such as a spell point system. It's also important that we keep an eye on balancing spellsso they   can be useful and cool, but don't break things at the table. you'll see more options like alternate spellcasting in things like legends & lore after we're done with this playtest phase.   Q: What about converting characters from other editions?  Mike: We want to make that as easy as possible, and any conversion stuff we make for characters we want to provide for free.Q: Are there any other ideas for social conflict or RP to encourage people to RP more? Rodney: We have been working on things that help guide your role play that encourages people to play their character without getting in the way of the rest of the game. We're also looking at building more into the backgrounds to help people RP. the inspiration mechanic allows a player to play up their flaw to get a temporary boon they can use later to help in the scene Q: What kind of adventure support will we see?Mike: We think great adventure design is at the heart of d&d so that's really high on our list. Murder in Baldur's Gate is an experiment in that direction. But yes, quality adventurer are an important part of the plan.  Q: How are you handling evolving or changing backgrounds throught a campaign? Rodney: We actually are using part of our downtime system to allow you to pick up options from other backgrounds if the story permits. Q: 4E had encounter resources, but Next doesn't have much if that. What's your approach to those resources? Mike: We do want to have options and advice for DNs so they can do things such as adjusting the length and usefulness of short rests. Rodney: We also want to provide some options to allow certain characters to recharge abilities, such as the arcane recovery.  And that wraps it up for our D&D Next Q&A at Gen Con. Thanks everybody for following along! We'll get the video up as soon as we can.</blockquote>

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