D&D 5E So How Long Will 5E Last For?

[Corwin]

I am thinking of the light armor fighter archetype of film and literature which does have overlap with the Battlemaster. However, they are not trained in heavy armor and they differ somewhat from the heavy armor fighter.

If you never put on any heavy armor, does it matter if a piece of paper told you technically you could have? Its kinda like a case of Schrodinger's Armor. If your character never wore it, nor ever even mentioned he could, did he really have that training? Heck, just don't write that proficiency down on your sheet. Problem solved.

 

[robus]

Prediction: The next edition will be extremely mechanically compatible with 5E, so much so that we might call it 5.5 instead of 6E. "Dungeons & Dragons, Revised Edition" also works. "Advanced Dungeons & Dragons" is something they could try; or conversely, "Basic Dungeons & Dragons." (That's a free PDF, but they could expand it into a boxed-set for the next edition, and that would be totally sweet.) I love the idea of a 50th Anniversary Edition in 2024.

I'm frankly a little surprised that they don't release a starter set with fresh adventure each year based on the major adventure theme. They're releasing boardgames based on the adventures - why not starter sets? LMoP is getting a bit long in the tooth after all...

 

[77IM]

I'm frankly a little surprised that they don't release a starter set with fresh adventure each year based on the major adventure theme. They're releasing boardgames based on the adventures - why not starter sets? LMoP is getting a bit long in the tooth after all...

This is a great idea too. Especially when they start making serious inroads into other settings -- an Eberron starter set, a Dark Sun starter set, a Planescape starter set...

(I know that setting fragmentation is one of the things that hurt 2E, but I'd argue that ongoing bad management hurt 2E more. As a game system gets older, many people start looking for variety, and it's better for them to stay within the house than look outside of it.)

 

[robus]

This is a great idea too. Especially when they start making serious inroads into other settings -- an Eberron starter set, a Dark Sun starter set, a Planescape starter set...

(I know that setting fragmentation is one of the things that hurt 2E, but I'd argue that ongoing bad management hurt 2E more. As a game system gets older, many people start looking for variety, and it's better for them to stay within the house than look outside of it.)

Absolutely agreed. I don't want to eat at TGIF (the dining equivalent of FR IMHO ) every night!

 

[Soul Stigma]

For-eh-vuuuuuurrr


Sent from my iPhone using EN World

 

[Greg K]

If you never put on any heavy armor, does it matter if a piece of paper told you technically you could have? Its kinda like a case of Schrodinger's Armor. If your character never wore it, nor ever even mentioned he could, did he really have that training? Heck, just don't write that proficiency down on your sheet. Problem solved.

No. it is not solved. It's not just heavy armor. The archetypes does not wear Medium armor either. It would be using something along the DMG variant for classes that give up armor. The archetype also has different save proficiencies , and there are differences in its skill list. The default Fighter, actually, works well after 1st level, but fails at first level to cover the archetype. Ideally, a new class would not be needed, but an additional choice for fighters at first level that determines (or modifies) save proficiencies, skill list and armor proficiency/ Canny defense.

 

[Corwin]

No. it is not solved. It's not just heavy armor. The archetypes does not wear Medium armor either.

Somehow the solution I proposed for heavy armor doesn't also work for medium?

It would be using something along the DMG variant for classes that give up armor.

You do not lose effectiveness as a fighter by choosing high Dex with light armor. Many people have convincingly argued the opposite is true. It is actually a superior choice, over Str-based with heavy armor, in many regards. The benefits inherent in that choice can be seen to outweigh the fact that you have a couple superfluous armor proficiencies you may never see in play.

The archetype also has different save proficiencies , and there are differences in its skill list.

I can't imagine how one would go about "proving" what saves an archetype is "supposed" to have. But IMO, a Dex-based fighter (often meaning foregoing, or even tanking Strength) will benefit from having Strength as a proficient save. Meaning they at least get a fair-to-decent save in both Strength and Dexterity (since a high Dex gives its bonus inherently). Unlike a Str-based fighter, which often ends up with an excessively good Strength save, and terrible Dexterity save. Those fools practically leap into fireballs.

As for skills, that's an easy fix. Almost not worth arguing about. If your background isn't giving it to you, most DMs would be lenient enough to work with you, IMX.

The default Fighter, actually, works well after 1st level, but fails at first level to cover the archetype. Ideally, a new class would not be needed, but an additional choice for fighters at first level that determines (or modifies) save proficiencies, skill list and armor proficiency/ Canny defense.

This is a generic argument for starting campaigns at 3rd-level, and bypassing the first couple "novice" levels. Its not really specific to this issue. Plenty of archetypal character concepts need to wait until 3rd-level to kick in. Heck, some take even longer. Be thankful you need only wait for a very quick 3rd-level before getting your desired shtick.

 

[Sotik]

You probably weren't around for 4e. With that system they were very close to the approach you are referring to. The rules were very close to ever evolving because the approach to errata was to constantly tweak powers, DCs, rules, etc. They also had means of distributing these things digitally, which became very widespread, the system was also built in a way that made these tools much easier (keywords, etc). They offered a subscription based service to keep up with the releases and rules changes digitally. With 5e they STRONGLY moved away from that model, to go backwards when the current model is much more successful is unlikely. Wotc and Hasbro want D&D (the TTRPG) to be profitable, but the last thing in the world they want is to sacrifice the "brand" (which means popularity, number of people interacting with it, positive experiences with it, etc.) to achieve that profitability. The current strategy is building the brand and achieving profitability, whereas many of the potential shifts away from that (making an app central to the game) could cause people to disengage.

I can see where you are coming from, and you are right I wasn't here for 4E. If this is the case, which I believe you, it would seem to me that they are taking a step backwards since we are not only seeing D&D beyond, but a heavy use of unearthed arcana to introduce new rules, classes builds and so on.

While yes we do still see a lot of books being released over time, as a user of roll20 I have also noticed those books being given to use in digital format. Something that most all companies are trying to do as time goes on and technology takes a bigger grasp on our world is to jump onto this paperless trend. In fact many companies try to use it as a selling point. I don't see this happening over the next year or two, but I do believe WoTC will also tend to take this approach as they see money coming in from online sales. It also gives them an easy way to save money by not printing books, but also charging full price, or close to it, for a digital version.

I don't see them relying fully on an APP per say, but I think we will see a heavy shift towards online media and since that medium is so easy to use and change things at a whim, as well as release test material via Unearth Arcana, I just feel this edition will last longer then most think. However, I could be wrong, this is just an opinion of mine base on what I have seen so far

 

[Ragmon]

5e is a demo and experiment, its 3e all over again.
The core idea is good, but the details and balance is all over the place. 5.5 will be coming soon to patch all the errors and balance issues, not sure if they have the creativity to also correct they horrible PHB layout. Maybe we will get full App and online support for the next edition.

5e, good ideas, extremely bad execution. How long? As long as people buy their products, and people are sheep so they will buy 'em.

 

[Shardstone]

There aren't any extreme balance issues in 5e. I don't know why people have this weird idea that balance is all over the place.