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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Azgulor" data-source="post: 2641333" data-attributes="member: 14291">All I know is that if it weren't for the d20 variants & OGL games I wouldn't be buying, or more importantly, playing d20 games.Core D&D obviously is appealing to many people.  However, various "D&Disms" caused me to leave the game years ago.  If it weren't for OGL, WotC wouldn't have seen a penny from me as far as 3e/3.5 goes.Since the release of 3rd edition, I've purchased the 3 core rulebooks (3.5 version), Unearthed Arcana, d20 Modern, and d20 Future -- that's it .  The lion's share of my d20 dollar goes to Mongoose (Conan - rulebook + numerous supplements), Kenzer (Kalamar - setting, supplements,& adventures), Green Ronin (BotR and Thieves' World), Necromancer (adventures), Alderac (Spycraft 2.0), Bad Axe (Grim Tales), and Privateer Press (Iron Kingdoms).  And I'm currently eyeing up Arcana Evolved.Variants aren't causing a decline in the d20 market - a disproportionate amount of crap did.  The 3.5 rollout so soon after the initial 3.0 launch apparently burned a lot of publishers, retailers, and players.  With only my buying habits as a measure, my opinion would be that if WotC is seeing a decline in D&D/d20, it's because 3rd-party publishers (such as those I've listed above), are producing material that is often far superior to the "Complete Race/Class/Monster Supplement of the month/quarter/year".  D&D has so many sacred cows built into it that make it into it's own brand of fantasy that their "be all things to all gamers" approach usually falls short.  Gamers learned years ago that D&D does a poor job of emulating fantasy as seen in fiction and film.  OGL just opened the door for publishers to "do fantasy right" for many people without the crap that caused players to look at other game systems to achieve the same ends.I think WotC has plenty of talented people that could do great with a focused goal or licensed property.  However, the curse of being the 800lb gorilla is that what they consider a successful print run and what a 3rd-party considers successful are miles apart.  Consequently, WotC takes few, if any risks -- and their products are usually weaker for it. (IMO).Azgulor</blockquote>

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