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<blockquote data-quote="Dausuul" data-source="post: 8190137" data-attributes="member: 58197">I agree with your post, but I would describe it slightly differently. D&amp;D has had several &quot;origin events,&quot; where major new ideas were introduced. Each of them eventually merged into the trunk of D&amp;D, contributing their distinctive elements to the whole. The origin events as I see them were:<ul>
<li data-xf-list-type="ul">OD&amp;D: The original &quot;white box&quot; that started the whole thing.</li>
<li data-xf-list-type="ul">AD&amp;D 1st Edition: Introduced most of the classes, races, and monsters we use today, nine-point alignment, and most of the spells.</li>
<li data-xf-list-type="ul">BD&amp;D: Introduced unified stat bonuses and mechanically distinct tiers of play. (Debatable whether this is enough to qualify as an &quot;origin event,&quot; but I'm fond of BD&amp;D so I'll put it in.)</li>
<li data-xf-list-type="ul">3E: Introduced the unified d20 mechanic, spontaneous spellcasting, feats, level-based stat increases, and a ton of standardization.</li>
<li data-xf-list-type="ul">4E: Introduced short rests, rapid nonmagical healing, at-will spellcasting, extensive tactical options for martial classes*, and a systematic approach to game balance.</li>
</ul>Origin events tend to be driven by crises. AD&amp;D and BD&amp;D came about because the white box was woefully inadequate once the audience expanded beyond wargamers. 3E rose from the ashes of TSR's collapse. 4E was a desperate effort to get D&amp;D up to Hasbro's &quot;core brand&quot; standard of $100 million/year, which was the only way Wizards could justify its large staff.Conversely, when things are going smoothly, you get evolutionary change rather than revolution. Thus AD&amp;D gave rise to 2E, which was a cleaned-up version of 1E but basically the same system. BD&amp;D went through several iterations with Moldvay, Mentzer, and the Rules Cyclopedia. 3E had 3.5 (and later Pathfinder) and 4E had Essentials.5E is an odd case: There was a crisis, but it arose from the split between 4E fans and 3E/Pathfinder fans. So instead of another &quot;origin event,&quot; the designers responded with a synthesis, melding elements of 3E and 4E, with a sprinkling of AD&amp;D thrown in. There were new ideas, but they were minor improvements, not big fundamental changes.As you say, things are going smoothly now with 5E, so it makes sense that 6E would be evolutionary change along the lines of 2E.*Strictly speaking, this appeared in late 3E, most notably in the Book of Nine Swords. But that book was a trial run for 4E, which was under active development at the time.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="Dausuul, post: 8190137, member: 58197"] I agree with your post, but I would describe it slightly differently. D&D has had several "origin events," where major new ideas were introduced. Each of them eventually merged into the trunk of D&D, contributing their distinctive elements to the whole. The origin events as I see them were: [LIST] [*][B]OD&D: [/B]The original "white box" that started the whole thing. [*][B]AD&D 1st Edition:[/B] Introduced most of the classes, races, and monsters we use today, nine-point alignment, and most of the spells. [*][B]BD&D: [/B]Introduced unified stat bonuses and mechanically distinct tiers of play. [I](Debatable whether this is enough to qualify as an "origin event," but I'm fond of BD&D so I'll put it in.)[/I] [*][B]3E: [/B]Introduced the unified d20 mechanic, spontaneous spellcasting, feats, level-based stat increases, and a ton of standardization. [*][B]4E: [/B]Introduced short rests, rapid nonmagical healing, at-will spellcasting, extensive tactical options for martial classes*, and a systematic approach to game balance. [/LIST] Origin events tend to be driven by crises. AD&D and BD&D came about because the white box was woefully inadequate once the audience expanded beyond wargamers. 3E rose from the ashes of TSR's collapse. 4E was a desperate effort to get D&D up to Hasbro's "core brand" standard of $100 million/year, which was the only way Wizards could justify its large staff. Conversely, when things are going smoothly, you get evolutionary change rather than revolution. Thus AD&D gave rise to 2E, which was a cleaned-up version of 1E but basically the same system. BD&D went through several iterations with Moldvay, Mentzer, and the Rules Cyclopedia. 3E had 3.5 (and later Pathfinder) and 4E had Essentials. 5E is an odd case: There was a crisis, but it arose from the split between 4E fans and 3E/Pathfinder fans. So instead of another "origin event," the designers responded with a synthesis, melding elements of 3E and 4E, with a sprinkling of AD&D thrown in. There were new ideas, but they were minor improvements, not big fundamental changes. As you say, things are going smoothly now with 5E, so it makes sense that 6E would be evolutionary change along the lines of 2E. [SIZE=3]*Strictly speaking, this appeared in late 3E, most notably in the Book of Nine Swords. But that book was a trial run for 4E, which was under active development at the time.[/SIZE] [/QUOTE]

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