D&D 5E [Merged] D&D Next/5E Release Schedule Threads

[GX.Sigma]

I see several challenges with the $50 price tag.

First, not everyone can or will buy the books online, and the LGS will have a very hard time matching the discounts that sites like Amazon can get away with. This means that the full price does still matter, and $50 is a lot to expect a random purchaser to put down on the spot as an impulse buy. The same is true for those that might only the play the game occasionally or are still on the fence about the game. For both groups, buying the books based on just the cover art might be a bit much even at a much lower price point.

I think those people are the target audience of the Starter Set (not the hardbacks).

 

[Ichneumon]

Well, that was nice to wake up to. Some first impressions.

1. Bree-Yark!
2. That PHB cover does look a teensy bit like Rules Cyclopedia, eh?
3. Any rumors of a huge PHB have ended here.
4. Art looks sweet, especially the Monster Manual. Love the beholder.
5. No setting-specific product yet (unless you count Tyranny of Dragons adventures). Guess that's a 2015 thing.
6. Did they make the MM 320 pages just to squeeze in the Flumph?
7. Apparently there'll be something to tide us over till the three main books are out. I'm expecting some online content that includes a small bestiary, some magic items, and grid-based combat rules.

 

[Blackbrrd]

... Heck I will make him the mousepad or mug with just the ampersand image and none of that snarky text if he wants

Without the snarky text? How magnanimous of you! That really made me laugh.

Btw, the monster manual looks just awesome! I love that they have ditched the stylistic 4e art. This reminds me more of my AD&D 2e books which I really loved. (I remember sneak-reading it in English classes, instead of reading the much easier to read book we were supposed to read. I was about 11-12 and I from Norway, so English is my second language. I figured my teacher would have been impressed by my English reading skills. )

 

[Patrick McGill]

That elf on the PHB looks like such a bad ass.

Also, she's a female in actual usable armor! Hurray!

Hey, that's kind of a neat thing to think about. The center image of the PHB of the Fifth edition of DnD features a female character in a non-sexualized way. I can understand if no one cares about that, but to me that's a huge step in a good direction. I'm very happy with it. That is all.

 

[sunshadow21]

I think those people are the target audience of the Starter Set (not the hardbacks).

Which puts even more pressure on the Starter Set, which WotC has not done very well with in the past. And focusing entirely on the Starter Set for those people may not be best idea either as the Starter Set only carries you so far before you have to commit to the hardbacks or find another game, and there will be people that find that the new edition is good, but not good enough to be their primary game. Those people are not going to want to be restricted to just level 5, and they may balk at what suddenly is a pretty significant price tag for a secondary game that only gets played occasionally. Even with online discounts, it's going to be a pretty hefty chunk of change, and the perceived value, already diminished by it not being the primary game always played, becomes that much more crucial. Like I said before, by itself, it's not going to hurt the game, but it's not going to help the game any either, and if any other cracks develop in the perceived value, the price tag will amplify them. It won't impact those who view it as their primary game, but for everyone else, it is a very notable aspect that must be considered as far as long term support is concerned.

 

[GX.Sigma]

Interesting that the art seemingly got shuffled around at the last minute. As of GAMA (2 months ago), the beholder picture was on the PHB, the fire giant picture was on the MM, and a drow/underdark battle scene was on the DMG. I wonder where that went. I think I'd have preferred it to the pretty generic "two guys posing" picture on the DMG now.

That elf on the PHB looks like such a bad ass.

Also, she's a female in actual usable armor! Hurray!

Hey, that's kind of a neat thing to think about. The center image of the PHB of the Fifth edition of DnD features a female character in a non-sexualized way. I can understand if no one cares about that, but to me that's a huge step in a good direction. I'm very happy with it. That is all.

Is that a female elf? I can't tell at that resolution. If so, hooray!

 

[Kaodi]

I thought fire giants were twelve to fourteen feet tall? My only concern with one on the cover is that it is more like twenty to thirty. More like a fire titan, or Surtur himself.

 

[Patrick McGill]

Interesting that the art seemingly got shuffled around at the last minute. As of GAMA (2 months ago), the beholder picture was on the PHB, the fire giant picture was on the MM, and a drow/underdark battle scene was on the DMG. I wonder where that went. I think I'd have preferred it to the pretty generic "two guys posing" picture on the DMG now.


Is that a female elf? I can't tell at that resolution. If so, hooray!

I would be very embarrassed for myself if it's not, hahaha. Looks like it to me, though. In some awesome fur and hide type of armor.

 

[I'm A Banana]

That elf on the PHB looks like such a bad ass.

Also, she's a female in actual usable armor! Hurray!

Hey, that's kind of a neat thing to think about. The center image of the PHB of the Fifth edition of DnD features a female character in a non-sexualized way. I can understand if no one cares about that, but to me that's a huge step in a good direction. I'm very happy with it. That is all.

I'm not sure that I'd go so far as to say "non-sexualized." She's still in kind of a weird pose with those ballerina-pointing feet and those akimbo arms, and the lighting on her waist, and the light she's holding is all "Hello, cleavage!" I'd be interested to see this picture Hawkeye'd. But it's no DRAGONBRO AND T&A MAGE, and that's cause to be happy. She's at least subtly sexualized. And she is leaping through the air to assault a giant, which is cool and heroic. And her wardrobe at least doesn't include enough makeup to make me wonder if she's actually just a really bad (good?) drag queen.

And focusing entirely on the Starter Set for those people may not be best idea either as the Starter Set only carries you so far before you have to commit to the hardbacks or find another game, and there will be people that find that the new edition is good, but not good enough to be their primary game

I mean, "only so far" is like 5 months of gaming at a reasonable pace. So if after 5 months of gaming with it you don't want it to be your primary game, you probably shouldn't be buying the PHB/DMG/MM combo and blowing $150 on the game anyway. Clearly, it wouldn't be a smart purchase!

 

[fjw70]

I thought fire giants were twelve to fourteen feet tall? My only concern with one on the cover is that it is more like twenty to thirty. More like a fire titan, or Surtur himself.

I believe in the playtest Fire and Frost Giants were huge. They seem to have lost the giant/Titan scheme.