D&D (2024) So Will 'OneD&D' (6E) Actually Be Backwards Compatible?

[mamba]

But that's going to be what many, even most, people are expecting and want out of something that bills itself as "backwards compatible."

no idea, I did not see any complaints when MPMM came out about how those monsters are not compatible with 5e, or Tasha subclasses, so I guess I have more faith in humanity than that, but it would not be the first time humanity proves me wrong

 

[Parmandur]

As someone who was there for the 5E playtest, it definitely was designed to be inoffensive. We were supposed to have this fairly bland and generic game that we could spice up with modules to taste. Unfortunately, the most those module ideas amounted to were short optional rules in the DMG.

The 5E design goals were to be everyone's second or third favorite edition, and we see that today: if your group has some people who like 4E, some Pathfinder, some OSR ... you play 5E because it's okay for everyone.

I definitely know there are people who have 5E as their favorite game ever, and I'm not trying to say or imply "badwrongfun" in any way (I'm playing and having fun in a 5E game at the moment), but there is a reason why we don't have things like a Warlord class or full-on psionic rules or a lot of other things.

Yeah, and like that or not, that's just going to be D&D, basically forever.

 

[Faolyn]

no idea, I did not see any complaints when MPMM came out about how those monsters are not compatible with 5e, or Tasha subclasses, so I guess I have more faith in humanity than that, but it would not be the first time humanity proves me wrong

That's because those are both 5e, or at least billed as 5e.

I doubt that One will actually be billed as 5e.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

no idea, I did not see any complaints when MPMM came out about how those monsters are not compatible with 5e, or Tasha subclasses, so I guess I have more faith in humanity than that, but it would not be the first time humanity proves me wrong

Oh, there was a lot of gnashing of teeth at the time. I haven't heard any for months, though.

 

[mamba]

Oh, there was a lot of gnashing of teeth at the time. I haven't heard any for months, though.

Tasha, that some subclasses were too strong, yes. Monsters that some did not like the changes, sure, but I heard nothing about them not being compatible

 

[dave2008]

Feats were never publicly playtested as finally written, if my old packets are complete. GWM let you auto-crit for -5 to hit. Sharpshooter (under a different name) gave you an extra attack but all attacks that round were at -5. Yes, both of those are awful designs, but that's kind of the point. They didn't even have sound math. The final designs really bounced around. I also recall that between the last playtest and the final version, Ogre got +30 hit points and -2 CR.

The vast majority of spells were either not in the playtest, or never changed, or only changed after the playtested concluded. Especially spell levels 7+, which is basically what has made the last two tiers of play so commonly frustrating and difficult to run that WotC barely acknowledges it's existence anymore. I only recall Mud Sorcerer's Tomb as the high level adventure, and I remember my friends playing it fairly early in the playtest before most high level spells were available. I really don't see how they could get playtest feedback on high level spells with that.

I could be remembering wrongly, but I sure don't remember them ever promising that everything possible thing: every rule, item, spell, monster, etc. will be playtested. It was a playtest, they were honest about it. A lot changed during the playest, and they were honest about that as well. I don't see the issue.

 

[SteveC]

Yeah, and like that or not, that's just going to be D&D, basically forever.

Oh that's definitely not the case. They game has grown and changed over time, and it will continue to over time. The only thing that will stop it from changing with time will be if it actually ends, which I don't see happening.

I'm reminded of Watchman where Ozymandias asks if it all worked out in the end and Doctor Manhattan tells him "nothing ever ends."

We'll see new and different D&D over time, that's the certain thing: I can think of a situation where something like Critical Role becomes so popular that WotC gives over an entire edition to the people behind it and they make it their own thing, for instance.

It has been my experience that there are certain times where possibilities open up and things just change. I think the current OGL/ORC/fill in the other game license names is such a time. Perhaps someone will take this opportunity to make changes to the game, and people will like it, and perhaps WotC will respond to that by shaking things up. Maybe their VTT will fail as hard or worse than Gleemax. I don't know.

What I do know is that it's an exciting time to be a gamer because of all of the possibilities at the moment. It's really up in the air and who knows what's going to happen.

 

[Clint_L]

The 5E design goals were to be everyone's second or third favorite edition...

Citation needed. Because no designer ever set this out as their design goals. This sounds more like you weren't getting the things you wanted, like a Warlord class or psionics.

 

[Parmandur]

Oh that's definitely not the case. They game has grown and changed over time, and it will continue to over time. The only thing that will stop it from changing with time will be if it actually ends, which I don't see happening.

I'm reminded of Watchman where Ozymandias asks if it all worked out in the end and Doctor Manhattan tells him "nothing ever ends."

We'll see new and different D&D over time, that's the certain thing: I can think of a situation where something like Critical Role becomes so popular that WotC gives over an entire edition to the people behind it and they make it their own thing, for instance.

It has been my experience that there are certain times where possibilities open up and things just change. I think the current OGL/ORC/fill in the other game license names is such a time. Perhaps someone will take this opportunity to make changes to the game, and people will like it, and perhaps WotC will respond to that by shaking things up. Maybe their VTT will fail as hard or worse than Gleemax. I don't know.

What I do know is that it's an exciting time to be a gamer because of all of the possibilities at the moment. It's really up in the air and who knows what's going to happen.

Will the game continue to evolve? Sure, even Monopoly gets new rule editions from time to time (9th Edition, last I checked). But any future rule revisions will be aimed at making it more refined, not in rocking the boat.

 

[SteveC]

Will the game continue to evolve? Sure, even Monopoly gets new rule editions from time to time (9th Edition, last I checked). But any future rule revisions will be aimed at making it more refined, not in rocking the boat.

So you say, but let's be honest: every edition has made major changes in the game, and times and what's cool or popular changes with time. We are so far from the Sword and Sorcery low budget days of the early game it's not even funny.

The only constant in life is change, and that's even more so if you make a product that people might not like or might not stay the hotness, especially when the expectation is a billion dollars. We'll see.