D&D (2024) The impending mess that will be backwards compatibility

[Sorcerers Apprentice]

Essentials changed more than that. There was a wave of errata, the skill challenge mechanics were changed (I stuck with the old ones), the Monster Manual was made obsolete and replaced by better ones, the feats in the PHB were generally made obsolete and replaced by better ones (such as the expertise feats), and more.

You could still use a pre-existing character in the new version of the game without having to ask "where's the Use Rope skill gone" and "which version of Haste" are we using and "does Spell Resistance apply to Stinking Cloud?" (or just about any other conjuration spell) the way you did if you tried to mix 3.0 with 3.5.

D&Done looks to me as if it will be more like Essentials than 3.5.

Really? From what I see "which version of barkskin are we using?" is exactly the kind of question we'll have to answer if we try to mix 5e and 1D&D content. Your arguments don't support your conclusion.

 

[Remathilis]

Really? From what I see "which version of barkskin are we using?" is exactly the kind of question we'll have to answer if we try to mix 5e and 1D&D content. Your arguments don't support your conclusion.

3e/3.5: which version of haste are you using?
4e/essentials: which version of magic missile are you using?
5e/One D&D: which version of barkskin are you using?

Seems to line up.

 

[mamba]

Really? From what I see "which version of barkskin are we using?" is exactly the kind of question we'll have to answer if we try to mix 5e and 1D&D content. Your arguments don't support your conclusion.

the new one as it is either identical or supposedly better balanced

 

[Sorcerers Apprentice]

3e/3.5: which version of haste are you using?
4e/essentials: which version of magic missile are you using?
5e/One D&D: which version of barkskin are you using?

Seems to line up.

4e/essentials: The new magic missile explicitly replaced the old one, including for existing characters.
It's not the same

 

[Sorcerers Apprentice]

the new one as it is either identical or supposedly better balanced

Agreed. If we take this approach across the line, 99% of the 2014 PHB content will be superseeded, so we can ditch the book and just use the 1D&D PHB.

 

[mamba]

Agreed. If we take this approach across the line, 99% of the 2014 PHB content will be superseeded, so we can ditch the book and just use the 1D&D PHB.

no disagreement from me, those who want to continue playing with their 2014 chars can, but apart from that I would ditch the 2014 books

 

[Neonchameleon]

Really? From what I see "which version of barkskin are we using?" is exactly the kind of question we'll have to answer if we try to mix 5e and 1D&D content. Your arguments don't support your conclusion.

The two versions of Barkskin are fundamentally different and they are an active choice by the player. You can get that one sorted in character creation and someone only has to track their Barkskin. You essentially have two spells by the same name and you literally can use them side by side with nothing significant breaking. The caster declares the spell name and what it does. And as long as they are using their own it's fine. Nothing breaks.

The big difference here is that there's nothing outside the character sheet that calls on Barkskin directly or even indirectly other than the stats it buffs. Meanwhile if a 3.0 DM were to call on the Wilderness Lore or Animal Empathy skills the 3.5 character just wouldn't have them and the 3.0 character wouldn't have Survival if a 3.5 DM were to call on that.

And big things about the mechanics of the settings changed from an in character perspective so how you plan is different - damage resistance being an obvious one. A 3.0 character with a +1 sword can look at a werewolf and laugh because +1 is more powerful than silver. But in 3.5 a +1 sword isn't silver so the DR 10/silver still works. And a 3.0 Clay (or other) Golem is immune to magic - which means it is immune to all but a limited number of spells (disintegrate, move earth, and earth quake for the 3.0 Clay Golem) so a wizard should be utterly terrified while a 3.5 golem is immune only to magic that allows spell resistance, which conjuration magic pretty much doesn't so a 3.5 wizard should just roll their eyes.

"You each have a different spell called Barkskin" is a minor nuisance. "You don't even have the right skills" is much more of a dealbreaker as is working on a game world with fundamentally different in character assumptions.

 

[OldSchoolGamerGirl]

3e/3.5: which version of haste are you using?
4e/essentials: which version of magic missile are you using?
5e/One D&D: which version of barkskin are you using?

Seems to line up.

I wonder what the number of those spells will be? I also wonder how many tables will take just 1 set or the other and how many will mix and match?

 

[OldSchoolGamerGirl]

Agreed. If we take this approach across the line, 99% of the 2014 PHB content will be superseeded, so we can ditch the book and just use the 1D&D PHB.

if this is true how is it at all not just a new edition?

 

[Krachek]

Compatibility pretty much aim adventures and monsters.


For players material I hope that they just make a Variant in the new PHB,

Variant
Your DM can allow to use material release prior 2024 to create and be used by your character. Check with your DM for details.