Presentation is Key

[jmucchiello]

Combining all editions of D&D into a meaningful whole is a Herculean task by itself. But that is only half of when the designers of "Project I" have to do. Even Hercules must tremble at the second part of their task: getting acceptance from as many existing player of any edition as possible.

The first task is almost simple. They've already said that it will be "modular". So you create bare bones classes with fixed power jumps at fixed rates and call those the basic classes. They look just like a 3e Rogue or 1e Monk or any 4e "standard build". Then you allow customization, probably in a 4e manner, with tiers of powers that can be swapped out. This is no different from how 4e works now with powers chosen at fixed rates. Likewise, it is very similar to the menu of class abilities found often in Monte Cook 3e/Arcana Evolved classes. And finally you can return Vancian magic to the system with a few classes designed for Vancian magic in their own book.

And that last sentence returns me to my premise. Presentation is key. They only get one shot at make D&D (no edition number) the one true D&D for all time. One of the biggest hurdles 4e had at launch was the lack of options compared to the plethora of options the abandoned 3.5 had. Some people want 12-15 classes and 7-10 races in the CORE of the game. Other people want fewer classes with lots of customization. Other people want limited customization within a class for simplicity sake. (What can a fighter do? In pre-3e, you know the answer 99% of the time. 3e and after the answer is "it depends on what feats/powers he took.")

So how in the world can a modular game be presented at launch time in a way that will make the most people happy and that won't put people off because it takes 5-6 $30 books to get it "all"? Designers, you have my sympathies.

 

[UngeheuerLich]

Maybe Fans also have to accept some things.
The problem of 4e was not the missing classes per se, but the wasted space for magic items and repititive powers, and adding races and classes, that ae simply not core.

In my opinion and to many others, the 3.0 baseline for races and classes (which more or less comprises the base classes of 1st and 2nd edition) would be a good base for D&D.
Now I would believe, that the warlord should not be missing (although I did never play one...)
Classes also have to be designed in a way, that you don´t have to repeat powers: inspiring and healing wrd were identical!
And last but not least: Iconic spells need to be iconic. Iconic martial tactics need to be iconic. If you have a common list, you also don´t have to invent stupid names.

Come and get it could easily be divided into 2 exploits:

free action:

- feign weakness: free action, bluff vs insight. Pull to you (up to their speed)
- whirlwind attack!

(So it is a skillbased martial trick and a normal martial combat maneuver. And both may be iconic.)

 

[delericho]

Unless it's possible to use old-edition books natively in 5e, I don't think it's possible to provide "everything" all at once. At best, they can do one of two things:

- Provide a toolkit solution, allowing people to build whatever they need as they need it. Or...

- Provide detailed conversion notes for old edition materials.

Beyond that, they simply need to try to provide people with what they need as they need it.

One thing that WotC could do that would be extremely useful, would be to host a conversion library on the DDI - people upload stats for old edition things as they need them. Over time, the designers gradually replace these with the 'official' versions as they go. (Or, perhaps better, they gradually select a fan-made version, and promote that to 'official' status.) That's probably the optimal way to get people what they need as quickly as possible and at the lowest possible cost.

(Indeed, for people without DDI subscriptions, they could perhaps allow Print-on-Demand access to the conversion library - you select the 500 monsters you're interested in, make the payment, and they'll ship you your own custom Monster Manual. The big problem there is that you wouldn't be able to vet the individual stat-blocks before you buy... but that's not much different from many other POD offerings.)

(There are, of course, significant wrinkles in what I've just suggested. It's almost as if I've just plucked an idea out of the ether or something. )

 

[howandwhy99]

Remember the thread where pictures were given for each edition of D&D?

Yeah, that's how I see the presentation occurring in 5E. The core will be brand identity. The supplements will be as varied and uniquely artistic in presentation as any campaign setting or fiction novel.

But some of the core will be there too, if only to retain brand product identity. It's not really that hard. And it's actually more freeing to the art and story staff of the D&D line.

 

[jmucchiello]

But some of the core will be there too, if only to retain brand product identity. It's not really that hard. And it's actually more freeing to the art and story staff of the D&D line.

I'm not talking about the layout. I'm talking about what content exists out of the gate. 4e suffered from "how can I play a bard?" when there was only one players handbook. I don't think anyone is going to cut them any slack on that unless the present the system well.