New D&D In-Store Play Program
- Thread starter OnlineDM
- Start date
OnlineDM
Adventurer
Well, it sounds a bit like the D&D competitions that are held at GenCon and other cons. Super-tough delve, maybe a time limit, focusing on optimal combat play. Role playing doesn't sound like it's going to be much of a factor.
I also expect there to be a competitive angle to it because of the Fortune Cards. If this is a competition and there's some sort of reward for winning, that creates a market for the most powerful rare Fortune Cards.
I'm again drawing on my earlier days as a Magic: The Gathering player here, but the existence of competition that people cared about (big tournaments, prizes) helped to fuel the secondary market for powerful rare cards, which helped to fuel the primary market for packs of those cards.
I'll admit I'm jumping to a conclusion here - it's just a guess on my part. But the tone of the announcement sounded competitive to me. "Think you're the best D&D player around? Here's your chance to prove it!" That's how it felt, based on my own personal opinion.
I'm not making a judgment call on this, by the way - I hear that the D&D competitions at the cons are very popular. So, this might be a lot of fun for a lot of players if it ends up as I'm guessing it will. Probably not my cup of tea, but that's okay.
Ahwe Yahzhe
First Post
You win the right to drone on about how cool your character is, and people will have to pretend to listen because you actually won a tournament with your broken min-max awesomeness.
the Jester
Legend
Too bad my FLGS farted and stopped supporting D&D Encounters months ago, and doesn't really bother to stock new 4e stuff when it comes out (with the exception of tiles, which I don't ever buy or use).
M.L. Martin
Hero
On the other hand, there have been rumors of an Advanced Player's Handbook and Advanced Dungeon Master's Guide in the works over the past few months.
Calm down dude, D&D tournaments have existed since the beginning. Wizards is just renewing their commitment to sponsoring them. You don't have to go if you don't like it.
I don't think it's either-or. It's pretty clear from Gamma World, the board games, and especially the "D&D New Business team" that WotC is interested in taking the underlying 4e engine--which is very solid--in a lot of directions.
So I'd agree that they're testing the waters for a squad-level tactics game, but as another style of D&D play rather than a replacement.
Not my cup of tea, but I can see a lot of potential for it. I have a friend who would spend hours and hours on Final Fantasy Tactics. Another friend loves charop and "winning" D&D. They're both customers for this. It seems like a smart move on WotC's part.
Keefe the Thief
Hero
Nope, it's oldschool: tournament modules. The winning team is that one whose bloodied, shredded bodies fell farthest away from the entrance.
But thanks for contributing to the fact that my cup runneth over with doom, fellow Kraut.
I think the are searching for an replacement. They want a profitable way to milk the D&D brand and the classic RPG isn't (compared to the profit margin of their other venues).
They need to turn it easier, faster and much more beer and pretzels.
If I were a Hasbro bean counter I would name the need for an DM as one of the largest barriers to entry for new players and pressure them for ways to eliminate the DM role.
I won't be surprised if these "tougher encounters" will eventually be played by the players alone, directing the monsters through special "take a monster turn" rules without needing a DM at all.
