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.