D&D 5E The free online crunch: I don't think it's going to be as much as we think it is.

[Sailor Moon]

During the discussion of the release schedule, people keep mentioning this free online material we are supposed to be getting. Now I could be wrong, but I think people are assuming we are going to get more than we actually are.

Wizards would not gain anything by adding too much crunch for free unless they plan on making "the" money in other areas. I think we are going to get bits here and there, but I don't think we are going to get enough to fill a book. I would say maybe a few pages max.

I agree that free is good, but I wouldn't expect too much from the sheer fact that it is free.

 

[CapnZapp]

Yeah, I think the main problem is that we don't seem to get much crunch at all, free or paid.

 

[Jester David]

I'm expecting a page here and there. Page for warforged, page for kender, 3-4 for Battlesystem.

Not that different from the web enhancements it small content released for 3e. They used to have a lot of free and neat stuff on the website, before that content got absorbed by the magazines.

 

[Sailor Moon]

I would actually prefer we got "Dungeon" online instead of these hardcover AP's.

 

[DEFCON 1]

I think the reason why we won't get enough material to fill a whole book is probably because they realized they didn't *have enough* material to fill a whole book. That's why they're putting it all into a single book in the first place.

They probably went through the material they had... found that the level 1-15 adventure was fine in terms of content... but they didn't have enough material to fill their Adventurer's Handbook without just creating a bunch of less-than-useful filler material to pad the book out. So instead... they kept the really good and important player content, moved it over to the Princes of the Apocalypse book and made that book bigger... then did every player the favor by not *requiring* them to buy the combined book by offering the AH player's material for free online. But for those that wanted it in bound book form, they could pick up the PotA book that included it.

So how much material they offer for free really is dependent on how many compelling character bits they actually had designed and were worth offering to people. Whether or not that's "more" or "less" than what people were expecting is entirely based just upon how much stuff you thought you were going to get in the AH in the first place.

 

[Halivar]

I think the reason why we won't get enough material to fill a whole book is probably because they realized they didn't *have enough* material to fill a whole book.

In any previous edition, this would mean pulling in extra writers to pad the book with worthless crap (Book of Exalted Deeds, I'm looking at you). So I think we pretty neatly dodged a bullet here.

 

[Wolfskin]

In any previous edition, this would mean pulling in extra writers to pad the book with worthless crap (Book of Exalted Deeds, I'm looking at you). So I think we pretty neatly dodged a bullet here.

Ditto, my first concern over the cancelled AH was "oh, my, I hope they do come up with cool and relevant stuff", because a succession "Elemental (Class)" was going to be dead boring ("Fire Ranger Archetype: your arrows catch fire mid-air and deal +1d6 fire damage"; "Lightning Rogue: your sneak attacks deal lightning +1d6 lightning damage"; "Deep Ocean Paladin: your Smite attacks deal +1d6 cold damage").

I'm actually happy we're getting less stuff, as long as the new stuff is relevant. For instance, I don't need another race outside the PHB except for Genasi, maybe Avariel. I'm not really keen on the "every single monster of the MM as a playable race" approach for my games.

 

[SilverfireSage]

I don't know, they gave us 4 classes, some 50 spells and a handful of backgrounds for free. I can expect them giving another race and another dozen spells for free. On the question of making money, this would actually be a great way to sell their adventure path using the race and spells as sort of bait to check it out.

"Woah, look at this new 'Genasi' race! How does that fit into the world? Oh they've got a new adventure out that uses them? Why not check it out and see?"

 

[Henry]

Now I could be wrong, but I think people are assuming we are going to get more than we actually are.

I believe you're wrong, because I don't think most people are expecting reams of free material, based on the responses so far. Besides, the amount you figure sounds like the status quo for most companies anyway, if not a little generous.


Me, I just want a chance to play some with the material we have now.

 

[Bayonet]

I would actually prefer we got "Dungeon" online instead of these hardcover AP's.

I agree. I'm reading through some issues of Dungeon on pdf, that I got from a friend. I think it's a good model; adventure paths, one-shots, ideas on campaign building, etc. I'd gladly pay for a subscription if they started it back up.