D&D 5E On 5e Splatbooks

[Savage Wombat]

We all know that the new edition will have splatbooks, because WotC wants to make money. Suggestions for improvements on the splatbook system, please.

Mine: Splatbooks suffer because the people who do the errata will seemingly only address typos and math errors, instead of actually addressing balance issues that missed playtesting.

Solution: When the player base at large becomes aware that a particular magic item/spell/feat is unbalancing the game, don't be afraid to nerf it in the errata. At least consider the possibility. We know that you don't have the time to playtest everything thoroughly, so you need to notice when we gamers find the problems for you.

 

[TarionzCousin]

Avoid a 5E Book of Erotic Fantasy altogether.

 

[Number48]

Avoid a 5E Book of Erotic Fantasy altogether.

Well, that wasn't put out by WotC, so what can they do?

My preference for continuing books has a lot to do with the baseline mechanics. If character creation choices allow me to choose race A, apply racial feat B, choose class C, use some form of multiclassing so I also have features of class D, then choose theme E, I can hardly see the need for new races, classes or themes.

If I can have that, I would like the books to focus more on setting and guidelines for building your game world. These kind of books are generally only picked up by DMs, though. So what player-oriented books could they offer? In my perfect D&D Next, I have no idea.

 

[Greg K]

For myself, class and race books should be done like Green Ronin's Master Class series and 2e Complete Handbooks (the only reason many 2e kits sucked was the patchwork nature of 2e and the lack of feats. The Greenwood Ranger was an exception, because the concept sucked).

I dislike the format of the 3e Complete books, 3e Races of [w],4e [ x]Power[y], and PHB[z].

Even if I like 5e, I am going to hold off purchasing anything to see how they handle class and race supplements.

 

[Spinachcat]

I liked the 4e PHB 2 and 4e PHB 3. I am happy to buy a few hardbacks. Less interested in a stack of softcovers.

I think Tier books would be good. AKA, separate Paragon and Epic books. Kinda like how Red Box was levels 1-3 and Blue Box was 4-8th, etc.

 

[trancejeremy]

I'd really like to see bigger books (like the PHB2, DMG2, MM2) less frequently rather than a constant stream of race/class.

Sort of copy the Paizo model, I guess, they seem to have only a limited number of splatbooks...

 

[delericho]

Splatbook material should be released to DDI first and go through an open playtest. After a suitable period it should be frozen (no more revisions, ever), and then compiled into the print books.

For the books generally, the Paizo model isn't bad - the Core Rulebook provides a fairly large set of classes, there is one additional PHB (or "Advanced Player's Guide") and then a small set of splatbooks covering fairly wide topics.

But by the time you get to PHB3 or "Martial Power 2" that's a pretty clear sign that you've mined out the line. They should avoid getting to that position too soon.

 

[Yora]

Books should be 80% fluff, and 20% crunch. Or less crunch. But additional abilities is the least thing I want from a book.

 

[Tallifer]

Books should be 80% fluff, and 20% crunch. Or less crunch. But additional abilities is the least thing I want from a book.

I think each supplemental book should stick to its main purpose. There will need to be some very rule-heavy books published in the Fifth Edition, because the Wizards want to cater to so many different kinds of gamers. There will need to be books full of powers, rituals, paragon paths and specific classes to satisfy the Fourthers; books full of skills, crafting, high-powered spells and meta-magic, prestige classes and wands of cure light wounds to satisfy the Thirders; and books full of random dungeons, random monster generators and flaming lamentations to satisfy the Old Schoolers.

In addition there will have to be books (or at the very least articles) dedicated to Greyhawk, Ebberon, Planescape and Dragonlance to satisfy the different generations of gamers.

Then there will be the adventures: a megadungeon for grognards, an epic path for admirers oft he Lance, and a module with discreet encounters/delves.

<phew> I seem to have gotten carried away from my main point into a weird sort of satire.

Too long, did not read: I hope that some books have many rules, and that other books have more background than anything.

 

[Yora]

Fair enough. I just don't want half of my fluff books to be useless crunch I never even look at.

 

[Lord Mhoram]

Fair enough. I just don't want half of my fluff books to be useless crunch I never even look at.

Where I am just the opposite, I like rules and rulebooks, but high fluff books I almost never use. I tend to create my own worlds and such, so the fluff never matches what I do in my games, so the real benefit to my playstyle is more rules that the players and I can use to create cool fluff at the table.

 

[Kaodi]

For the books generally, the Paizo model isn't bad - the Core Rulebook provides a fairly large set of classes, there is one additional PHB (or "Advanced Player's Guide") and then a small set of splatbooks covering fairly wide topics.

Ehhh... I am not really sure I would call Ultimate Magic and Ultimate Combat "splatbooks" . I think they are sort of half-way between that and full PHBs. I mean, the "splat" in "splatbook" comes from an assumed proliferation of books, which is not really how Paizo does their rulebooks. (Their settings books are something else entirely, however.)

 

[Flatus Maximus]

Make PDF versions available and sell them for $10. I don't have room for another crapload of hardbacks.

 

[DonAdam]

I'm fine with rules heavy splat books as long as they are big discrete packages that are easily browsed. I'd rather not have tiny fiddly bits (I'm looking at you, feats) spread across multiple books for the same character concept. So I dont want to consult 5 different books and 12 Dragon articles to see the options for making a wizard.

Now DDI gives me access to this stuff, but not in easily browsed format. It's searchable but you have to know what you're looking for. So eg if you don't meet the prerequisite's for a feat you won't see it.

I think the optimal number might be 3: a PHB, a mechanical module book, and a setting book. In fact, that doesn't sound like a bad house rule.

Alternatively, they could utilize the concept of modules + POD to let me generate my own Splatbook. That way you get the material but in usable book format.

 

[BluSponge]

Splatbook material should be released to DDI first and go through an open playtest. After a suitable period it should be frozen (no more revisions, ever), and then compiled into the print books.

That's actually a pretty fantastic idea!

Tom

 

[grimslade]

Splat books should be campaign focused. Not just new spells and rituals, but rules modules to bring out a style of play. Think of a necromancy themed splat that had undead themes, organizations, gear and magic items. Maybe a ruleset for controlling a horde of reanimated minions.
There could be a second splat for DMs or split the splat in half, but I prefer to keep it separate. DMs get the monsters, magic items and rules for negative energy use.
I agree that DDI should debut some of the crunch early to get some playtest before release.

 

[blalien]

Books should be 80% fluff, and 20% crunch. Or less crunch. But additional abilities is the least thing I want from a book.

This is probably close to what actually will happen. Wizards is not going to release any 90% crunch books because all that information will be available for free on DDI anyway. On the other hands, lots of players like crunch. I wouldn't be surprised if it's closer to a 50/50 ratio, like Heroes of the Feywild.

 

[Yora]

That way everyone will end up with about 50% stuff they don't want in their books. Which is good from a business persepective, as get people to pay for stuff they neither want nor use, but could also make people more likely to just not buy the books at all.

 

[Hassassin]

Books should be 80% fluff, and 20% crunch. Or less crunch. But additional abilities is the least thing I want from a book.

Something like Complete Warrior can be closer to 80% crunch, but I'd like setting and theme based books to be 80% fluff. Same for the monster manual - short stat block, lots of useful fluff, please.

 

[blalien]

That way everyone will end up with about 50% stuff they don't want in their books. Which is good from a business persepective, as get people to pay for stuff they neither want nor use, but could also make people more likely to just not buy the books at all.

There are plenty of people who enjoy fluff and crunch. And even if Wizards has to settle for some sort of compromise, there's just no way they can get away with selling a book that's 90-100% crunch if all that crunch is going to be on DDI anyway.