D&D 5E So why are you buying 5th edition?

[malkav666]

I hate to say it,

But 5e will be the first D&D that I do not buy at release not caring what its all about. I will borrow a copy (or just plant down at my FLGS and read it) and make sure I am not getting another 4e before I spend money. Thats not meant as a snipe at folks who like 4e. It just means that despite a few new ideas and strengths within 4e, it was very disappointing to me as a continuation of the game Dungeons and Dragons. When 4e was released I bought it out of brand loyalty and I tried very hard to like it. I just assumed it would grow on me. It did not. Now I think 5e has the potential to be good. And I am willing to judge it on its own merits and flaws. But there are too many great versions/variants of D&D out there to support ones that are sub par. I won't be supporting 5e at all unless it is something I really like.

WOTC burned my wallet for like 200 bucks around the release of 4e just on loyalty alone. The burn has healed over the last few years, but the scar remains. I am willing to look at 5e and try not to judge it based on my feelings of 4e, but the rose colored glasses are off and in a stomped little mess on the floor where WOTC and D&D are concerned. There is no more "this is D&D and I should support it!" goodwill left in my poor burnt wallet. If I buy 5e it will be because it is AWESOME, goodwill purchases are finished.

Awesome is the bar. If 5e can't leap over it, then it will remain on the shelf, and my dollars will remain soft and snug in my wallet.

love,

Malkav's Wallet

 

[Rechan]

It's easier to find games of the current edition than previous ones. So I'm updating because I want to actually play.

 

[delericho]

Yep, as with others, I'm not buying this one sight-unseen. I really hope I like 5e, but they'll need to convince me.

 

[Rhenny]

I will buy the core because, like others, I like experimenting with new systems even if I never play them.

In addition, since I grew up gaming in the 70s and 80s, the D&D brand means something to me. I've read and played many other systems, including RuneQuest, I.C.E., Stormbringer, GURPS, WEG Star Wars, Pathfinder, Warhammer Fantasy RPG, and others - but when it comes down to it, I only get that "special " fuzzy feeling when I play a D&D game. It may be psychological, nostalgia, but it is the truth.

I also like online support of Character Builder, Monster Creator, Compendium, and VTT. If 5e is supported by all of this, I'll be very happy.

 

[ShinHakkaider]

Honestly, I'm pretty tired of buying new editions waiting for classes and other things to come out that already exist in other games. It's not dissimilar to buying a new console, the lack of backwards compatibility has now become a major issue with me. I will buy 5th edition, but for collection purposes only. Starting over is extremely annoying. 3rd edition had prestige classes to make pretty much whatever you could think of. 4th edition has multi classing and hybrid classing, pathfinder has archetypes. I can't understand the logic of wanting to begin again, unless 5th edition had full compatibility with all these systems allowing a full range of options from the beginning instead of the what.. 10 or 11 classes that are standard?

Unless it's made of pure AWESOME I wont even be purchasing 5E sight unseen.

I will play in someone's game and if the experience is slightly more than MEH then no sale. If I come away with the feeling that I'll be abe to use all of my 3.5 material, my 1E modules and my Pathfinder stuff with minimal hassle and its a good fun game, I'll pick up the core rulebooks.

Otherwise I'm not going to give it the chance that I gave 4E at all. I'll just stick with the date that brought me, Pathfinder.

 

[quindia]

I'll buy the core books regardless. but I like the sound of all of the vague stuff we've heard so far. I DON'T like 4E, so I'm ready to move on. I will be more selective in buying the expansion books - I have two feet of 4E books taking up space on a shelf that I will never use again.

 

[Lord Mhoram]

I've bought the core books of every edition (aside from 2nd and OD&D) and most a lot more.

I like D&D.

Each version of D&D had things I really liked about.
Each version had things I didn't care for.

I love options. That is one of my main reasons for loving 3rd. I loved the Feat Train, the 1000 Prestige classes etc. I also love flexibility in a game.

D&D was the first RPG I played, and I played it almost exclusively (because of no other choices in my area to be true) and enjoyed it for nearly 8 years. It is a sentimental thing.

I like reading game books - even the textbook like dry ones (I enjoy reading Hero rules for example).

I figure I'll enjoy D&D Next. All of the info that has come out is showing me design decision that I would like. If the game looks anything like what they are saying they are doing, I'm sure I'll like it.

I don't currently play D&D right now.

No reason not to try the new version when it come out.

 

[Mircoles]

I'll either buy it to play or simply to collect, cuz they messed it up.

 

[PeacemakerSG]

I'll perform due diligence on what the new edition contains before buying the book(s). I currently have no group to play in therefore spending money on a potentially to-go-unused book makes little sense.

I'm always interested in innovation, and like so many of us, we often buy things for the sake of spending time with our hobby. However as a 1st Ed initiate, I have found D&D to become convoluted to the point of becoming unenjoyable. But people (younger generations) tend not to play the way we used to. They have less creativity, world conceptualization, and limited patience to enjoy a world. In short, they try to "win" D&D and do so quickly, which as you know, is not how the game works.

So I have low expectations of a new system which will likely cater to that manner of play, much as 4e does. But I'll be pleased as punch if it works out for us all.

 

[SeRiAlExPeRiMeNtS]

So new generation D&D is worst than your generation D&D? Very good to hear...

I'll perform due diligence on what the new edition contains before buying the book(s). I currently have no group to play in therefore spending money on a potentially to-go-unused book makes little sense.

I'm always interested in innovation, and like so many of us, we often buy things for the sake of spending time with our hobby. However as a 1st Ed initiate, I have found D&D to become convoluted to the point of becoming unenjoyable. But people (younger generations) tend not to play the way we used to. They have less creativity, world conceptualization, and limited patience to enjoy a world. In short, they try to "win" D&D and do so quickly, which as you know, is not how the game works.

So I have low expectations of a new system which will likely cater to that manner of play, much as 4e does. But I'll be pleased as punch if it works out for us all.

 

[Aegeri]

After the nonsense with essentials, declining quality in Emagazines/books and lack of support for the elements of the game I loved in 4E, there is no way I am going to be foolish enough to invest in 5E until I give it a fair amount of time. They have to really impress me and frankly, everything I've read about 5E has basically made me think very little of it. So it looks very much like the end of me playing DnD anymore, except for the odd one shot 1E, 2E or Gamma World Campaign when the mood arises for a break from Call of Cthulhu.

Which is a shame, because I put a lot of time, love and effort into 4E but in the end, Wizards just stopped making what I wanted. So I stopped giving wizards my support and money. Simple exchange really.

 

[Invisible Stalker]

As long as it's a real printed and bound dead tree book, I'll get it.

 

[PeacemakerSG]

So new generation D&D is worst than your generation D&D? Very good to hear...

No, later editions of D&D have added so much complexity that even creating the basic of characters is an immense labor. The systems have become convoluted. They were not well thought out in terms of organization. While each new edition, and bevy of supplements, have added to play options to cater to the it-needs-to-be-about-my-obscure-interest generation, it has done so in a convoluted manner that has become a barrier to play. At the same time, the new generations, while loving the attention, do not enjoy the effort role playing takes. This is what led to 4e, a option-heavy game for the impatient.

More recent generations of players tend to not have the same patience and thoughtfulness as their elders, and thus less creative input and investment in the game. Products of their times where so much is done for them (or little expected of them) that they need not, nor have they learned to problem solve (you can see this if you are outside of their generation). This is why 4e is more to their liking, more procedural than creative. There are exceptions, so please do not go crazy defending your youthful creativity.

One 20-something said one evening during our 3e session in a Planescape themed campaign, "I would pay more attention if this were real role playing". This from a girl stuck in her telephone device all night between naps. She is too impatient and self oriented to invest in the group story.

Role playing is not a video game, it's a story, the more drawn out, the more immersive, the better. But immersive, while maintaining flexible play options, does not necessitate chaotic rules as has been the pattern in later system engineering. I know a proper system can be built because not only do I design business processes for a living, I've created the framework for a RP system that I believe handles all of the many interest that our community has been asking for for decades. So when I read the early releases from WotC regarding 5e, I see that they are on the wrong path, again, to achieve the maximum buy in. I hope they can get it right because then I can stop my work on my own system and move on to any one of my dozens of other personal projects. I'd feel relieved and probably very happy and have no problem plunking down for the books needed to play the game.

 

[FitzTheRuke]

No, later editions of D&D have added so much complexity that even creating the basic of characters is an immense labor. The systems have become convoluted. They were not well thought out in terms of organization. While each new edition, and bevy of supplements, have added to play options to cater to the it-needs-to-be-about-my-obscure-interest generation, it has done so in a convoluted manner that has become a barrier to play. At the same time, the new generations, while loving the attention, do not enjoy the effort role playing takes. This is what led to 4e, a option-heavy game for the impatient.

More recent generations of players tend to not have the same patience and thoughtfulness as their elders, and thus less creative input and investment in the game. Products of their times where so much is done for them (or little expected of them) that they need not, nor have they learned to problem solve (you can see this if you are outside of their generation). This is why 4e is more to their liking, more procedural than creative. There are exceptions, so please do not go crazy defending your youthful creativity.

One 20-something said one evening during our 3e session in a Planescape themed campaign, "I would pay more attention if this were real role playing". This from a girl stuck in her telephone device all night between naps. She is too impatient and self oriented to invest in the group story.

Role playing is not a video game, it's a story, the more drawn out, the more immersive, the better. But immersive, while maintaining flexible play options, does not necessitate chaotic rules as has been the pattern in later system engineering. I know a proper system can be built because not only do I design business processes for a living, I've created the framework for a RP system that I believe handles all of the many interest that our community has been asking for for decades. So when I read the early releases from WotC regarding 5e, I see that they are on the wrong path, again, to achieve the maximum buy in. I hope they can get it right because then I can stop my work on my own system and move on to any one of my dozens of other personal projects. I'd feel relieved and probably very happy and have no problem plunking down for the books needed to play the game.

On the other hand, just because you've had trouble finding a group that plays newer editions of the game well, doesn't mean we all have.

I've played D&D an average of twice a week for 27 years with a few hundred different players, and I've seen good ones and bad ones in all editions, of all ages, all that time.

While my current group is almost all 30-40ish, I've played recently with 10 year olds who role-play better than some of the adults I've played with.

 

[darkwing]

Even if I think I'll hate it, I'll probably buy the PHB anyway just to check it out and see if there are any ideas worth using.

 

[Raith5]

I will buy if it is better than 4th ed. I can live with the problems of 4th ed. If DDN avoids the problems of pre 4th I think I will give it a try.

 

[Stormonu]

After my debacle with 4E, I don't buy any WotC products anymore sight unseen (except maybe Dungeon Tiles). I'll be taking a long, hard look at this at the book store (if they're still around and carrying RPGs, that is - and that seems to be a pretty decent IF).

I want to like 5E, but I cannot ignore how much I disliked late 3E and 4E. It will really have to be a "wait and see" proposition.

 

[Sirot]

I don't hold any particular allegiance to any system and I'm always willing to risk a bad experience on the off-chance that it is something new and fun.

 

[BASHMAN]

It seems to combine a lot of the things I like from BECMI, 2e, 3.x, and my own homebrew add-ons that I really liked, and makes the things about 4e that I didn't like, like skill challenges "die in a fire".

So from BECMI, it is going back to a more basic style of game. I like that. Also weapon types getting special abilities as you improve, that seems to be a bit of a throwback to BECMI Weapons Mastery (which as I've said before, was the best thing any edition of D&D ever did at any time in the history of all roleplaying games). Also we go back to the "jolly hobbit" halflings and not the tiny lithe cone-heads of 3.x or the boot-wearing river nomads of 4e.

I like that (at least from what I can tell so far) they are going with "what makes sense" and "what sounds cool" than by "what's balanced?" and "what's the math formula again for figuring out saves/to hit/etc per level." That's old school, in a good way.

From 2e, we have "Themes" which seem to be akin to "Kits" which I envision as a very good way to make subclasses, etc, without having to make entirely new classes.

From 3.x we have true multi-classing, but hopefully without the "saving throw suicide by design" wonkiness that happened in 3e with some multi-class combos.

From my own homebrew, we have ALL THE STATS mattering for saves. In BECMI my house rules were STR bonus adds to save vs. Paralysis, Con adds to poison/death, Dex to Breath/Traps, Int to Spells, Wis to wands & other magic items and Fear, and Cha affected to all saves (so don't use it as your dump stat). What they seem to be saying is very similar; that you may need to make a STR save vs. Paralysis, or being grappled, or to burst free of some ropes; but you may also be able to argue with the GM that you could slip free of the ropes using Dex. I like that.

I also have to say I like the descriptive skill system. Get +X to whatever I make up that I do with STR. Cool. So I could get +3 to STR checks to bend bars/lift gates, or +3 to STR checks vs. poison, or +3 to Str Checks for doing athletics, or wrestling, or whatever else I want to describe. That's nice because it doesn't confine me to a finite list of "what you can do (and the unsaid "and what you can't do" part that I hate about such lists). It really allows me to do anything. If I realize at the end of a session that I wish I were better at escapology, maybe later on when I have some points, I'll put some towards that.

On top of all this, it seems like "we may be getting the band back together". As in the adventuring band... my group that FRACTURED over 4e (the GM and 1/3 of the group really liked 4e; the remaining 2/3s (among whom was the homeowners where the weekly game was held) hated it with unabashed fury. I was ambivalent to it. Since I drove over an hour to get to game sessions and my wife limited me to 1 game a week, this meant throwing my lot in with the players who didn't like it. I just wasn't going to drive an hour to play 4e D&D, but I'd drive an hour to GM BASH! for the group.*


*The one major upside regarding 4e for me is I (who normally never got to GM this group) got to run a couple really long BASH! and Honor + Intrigue campaigns because the regular DM was no longer DMing the group due to the 4e Schism.

 

[Spinachcat]

- but when it comes down to it, I only get that "special " fuzzy feeling when I play a D&D game. It may be psychological, nostalgia, but it is the truth.

Kudos!

It's important to be honest about nostalgia. I know that plays a part in some of my gaming choices.

BTW, I did find a RPG that hit all those "nostalgia buttons" for me that is D&Dish, but has some fresh ideas. It's a free PDF. Worth a look.

Mazes & Minotaurs
M&M