D&D (2024) New Jeremy Crawford Interviews

[Vael]

No. There wouldn't be spell slots.

So are you advocating removing all spellcasting from the Paladin to tack on some smite point system?

I've gone from "juice probably not worth the squeeze" to "hard pass".

 

[Chaosmancer]

Ok. What do you mean with diversication?
Could also be a way to generate more money. Except if they try to do things that are non-profit. Like developing OSR things or try to compete with Pathfinder in their own niche.

They also sent a bunch of free products to schools, to encourage DnD clubs

 

[Chaosmancer]

There are several ways, but both the OGL debacle and the ongoing VTT development, as well as Hasbro's purchase of DDB, were to my mind clearly intended to direct enhance the monetization of the D&D brand.

To answer @UngeheuerLich , the comment was made in a board room meeting in December 2022, only about six months after they had acquired DnD Beyond.

Listening to the recording briefly, they sound like they are justifying buying DnD Beyond as investors were wondering "how do you monetize a 50 year old game" and how it compared to MtG.

This was before the Movie in 2023, this was before Baldur's Gate 3 in 2023, and before many of their new comicbook lines, as we are just getting reports today of a new deal between WoTC and Dark Horse comics to launch a series of comic book lines for MtG and DnD.

 

[UngeheuerLich]

They also sent a bunch of free products to schools, to encourage DnD clubs

Yes. Sadly only to US. But last year they extended this program to dndbeyond. And I reapplied. And now our Club has a 5 year free Master tier subscription and free core books. I hope it extends to the 2024 rules once they are available.

Edit: this is not for charity either. They aquire new players that way. And DMs.

They however were very nice and helpful. They reminded me to cancel my own subscription so I would not pay anymore. So. Advertising and growing the hobby well done.

 

[Hatmatter]

TSR used to do it, we know how well that worked for them. For better or worse, people associate WotC with D&D. That, and from a return on investment point of view, there's little motivation to do so considering all the competition. Splitting focus among multiple products can work sometimes, not others.

Last, but not least, why do you think they would produce anything else you would be interested in? If you don't want to play D&D, there are plenty of other options out there.

I would like to see Wizards of the Coast publish different role-playing games. For now, their attention is rightly directed to D&D, but I agree with Micah that it would be nice to see some diversification in their catalogue and, given their influence, it would be great for new role-players to thereby be exposed to different genres or styles of play. I liked it when Wizards of the Coast published the Star Wars Roleplaying Game and Star Wars has a similar feel to D&D. It would be fun to see some of the Wizards designers stretch their legs and try to develop other games in genres and styles more dissimilar to D&D.

 

[mamba]

It would bring in gamers who don't like WotC 5e, at least potentially. Again, they used to do this, and many other game companies do it now.

if you have 50% market share then that second game is as likely to take share from your first as from the rest of the market. If you have 2% market share it is much more likely to expand your market share.

And this does not even go into whether it increases your profits and not just your revenue, let alone ROI (and it really is about ROI...)

 

[Argyle King]

So are you advocating removing all spellcasting from the Paladin to tack on some smite point system?

I've gone from "juice probably not worth the squeeze" to "hard pass".

As said, worked examples of possible alternatives include the 5e monk (ki points,) 5e sorcerer (metamagic,) 5e warlock (varying able to modify Eldritch Blast,) and 4e Psionic Classes.

Reading some of the 5e24 previews, similar ideas have been used for other classes (such as the rogue being able to spend sneak attack dice for other effects).

The Paladin could have "Piety Points" (or whatever name you prefer). Those points would be used to power and modify Divine Smite. As such, none of the Smite spells would need to exist. (As I understand it, the 5e24 rules already treat Smite Spells differently, as they do not interact with Initiate Feats; the Bard's ability to pick up spells from other classes; and etc.)

Where the monk uses points to be a mobile attacker and spread damage around, the paladin would use them to pile damage onto a single target, heal, and protect allies.

Auras, Lay on Hands, Channel. Divinity, save bonuses, and Divine Sense all already worked without using spell slots. It doesn't seem like a giant leap in design to also have Divine Smite (which was not a spell) function in a way that doesn't use spell slots and is instead more like the rest of the class. If you really wanted a small handful of Paladin spells, they could just as easily be powered by spending points.

That may not be your personal cup of tea, and that's valid.

Do you feel that your personal preferences included a desire for the Paladin to become more of a vancian caster?

 

[mamba]

I would like to see Wizards of the Coast publish different role-playing games. For now, their attention is rightly directed to D&D, but I agree with Micah that it would be nice to see some diversification in their catalogue and, given their influence, it would be great for new role-players to thereby be exposed to different genres or styles of play.

there are other TTRPGs than just the ones WotC creates. I understand their influence, but that in itself is no reason why it has to come from WotC

I liked it when Wizards of the Coast published the Star Wars Roleplaying Game and Star Wars has a similar feel to D&D.

You could create a SciFi TTRPG based on 5e, that is what the SRD is for, in fact some have done so

 

[Hatmatter]

If you really wanted a small handful of Paladin spells, they could just as easily be powered by spending points.

That may not be your personal cup of tea, and that's valid.

Do you feel that your personal preferences included a desire for the Paladin to become more of a vancian caster?

From my perspective, the paladin has been a spellcaster since its appearance in the 1978 Player's Handbook. I do not have familiarity with how it appeared in the 1975 Greyhawk D&D supplement.

Therefore, I would prefer that the paladin be kept a caster. I am (increasingly more reluctantly) able to accept revisions that improve the speed of play and that also make it easier to introduce new players to the game. I am, however, not thrilled about changes that do away with elements of the game that have been around for decades. This was one of the shortcomings of 4e and the return to embracing the history of the game is one of the strengths of 5e.

 

[Hatmatter]

there are other TTRPGs than just the ones WotC creates.

Wait...there are?!? Thank you for letting me know!

Just kidding, Mamba, that posting just struck me as funny. Take care!