Level Up (A5E) Updated LU edition following D&D 5.5

[CapnZapp]

I might have missed earlier discussion so if this question has already been answered, feel free to just link to any thread that discusses this. Thanks

Next year a new edition of D&D comes out. It appears this edition will not merit a 6E moniker (or D&D One or whatever) but be to 5E what 3.5 was to d20. Basically the same but different.

This makes me wonder: are you planning on releasing a new edition of Level Up, once 5.5 has been released and you can study its changes?

An "A5.5E" as it were. People might otherwise go "oh, that Level Up game, it's based on an old edition that everybody is leaving behind, I don't want that", even if that's not relevant.

Regards

 

[Timespike]

I can't speak for EN Publishing, but I hope not.

I would prefer Level Up stay as separate from D&D as possible going forward, given the stunts that WotC has pulled in just the last year. I think relying on that company for anything is an extremely unwise thing to do at this point. Also keep in mind that Level Up is a massive revision over the 2014 5e rules and is itself a very new system (and was quite expensive to make; 1600 pages of professional design, art, editing, and layout do NOT come cheap). I can't see them releasing a new version any more than I can see Kobold Press doing a new version of Tales of the Valiant right after the new D&D drops.

Again, speaking only for myself, but I personally think at this point it's best to think of Level Up, Tales of the Valiant, and whatever C7D20 winds up being called as different branches off the common trunk of the basic 2014 5e tree that will not reconnect to that trunk.

 

[Corinnguard]

It's been nearly two years since the Kickstarter for A5e ended, I doubt that EN Publishing is going to create a new version anytime soon. A5e has made a number of improvements in O5e to earn the 5.5 title.

"oh, that Level Up game, it's based on an old edition that everybody is leaving behind, I don't want that", even if that's not relevant.

Every edition has it's own coterie of fans. Even after WoTC releases it's newest edition, there will still be players who want to play 5e and not move on to their latest creation. Ditto for those who have taken a liking to A5e.

 

[Ondath]

Well, WotC claims OneD&D will be cross-compatible with O5E in terms of the fundamental math, so I don't see why A5E would need to be updated. Also, a lot of people who like A5E (myself included) like the ways in which it diverges from OneD&D (not abandoning simulationism in favour of things like equal costs for all tools, giving space for culture in character features etc.), so I'd actually dislike it if EN Publishing brought some of the OneD&D-isms to A5E.

What I'm truly hoping is that A5E thrives as its own ecosystem, much like Pathfinder did after WotC abandoned 3.5.

 

[Timespike]

Also, this is my own anti-WotC sentiment talking, but WotC will continue to enjoy undeserved relevance if the TTRPG community keeps checking to see what they do and adjusting to match. It's fine to monitor the general state of design, IMHO, but let them go their way as they will and don't worry about copying them!

 

[Micah Sweet]

I might have missed earlier discussion so if this question has already been answered, feel free to just link to any thread that discusses this. Thanks

Next year a new edition of D&D comes out. It appears this edition will not merit a 6E moniker (or D&D One or whatever) but be to 5E what 3.5 was to d20. Basically the same but different.

This makes me wonder: are you planning on releasing a new edition of Level Up, once 5.5 has been released and you can study its changes?

An "A5.5E" as it were. People might otherwise go "oh, that Level Up game, it's based on an old edition that everybody is leaving behind, I don't want that", even if that's not relevant.

Regards

I sincerely hope that never, ever happens.

 

[Micah Sweet]

Also, this is my own anti-WotC sentiment talking, but WotC will continue to enjoy undeserved relevance if the TTRPG community keeps checking to see what they do and adjusting to match. It's fine to monitor the general state of design, IMHO, but let them go their way as they will and don't worry about copying them!

Please, this! Its literally my fondest hope for the community and the industry. Let WotC do what it wants and move on.

 

[noodohs]

Honestly, I wish they'd use this opportunity to completely sever the ties and stop caring about being backward compatible, but I know that was one of the selling points, so they probably won't.

 

[VanguardHero]

Mostly I've just been laughing about how they fostered a community that is downright antagonistic to good game design and anything in the playtests that is actually moving in the right direction is getting hated for not being 5e and it's delicious to watch. At this point I wouldn't be surprised if it ends up being on par or even less of an update than the Pathfinder 2e Remaster. So I don't think LU should care, but I'm not expecting much to actually break when all is said and done either.

 

[lichmaster]

Personally I think LU is not a 3PP for 5e (an "add on"), but it's a fork from it that has its own identity which keeps on developing.

Just look at the amazing variety and quality of products that are released for LU, and how much different ground they cover. We have full support for strongholds and vehicles (with combat rules and features, upgrades etc), material properties for armors and weapons, way more weapons, combat maneuvers, rare spells, monster signs and revised math, magic items costing and actual construction rules, fully flashed out exploration, multiclass/synergy feats, destinies, mixed heritages, etc etc etc

There's simply no reason for me to consider "upgrading" to 5.5e, at least for what I've seen from the playtest material, and this is not because I have an anti WOTC sentiment, but because I don't see how they can make a meaningful change to 5e without breaking compatibility. I'd rather welcome a new edition that is meaningfully different.

Besides, I do hope LU has the same kind of success Pathfinder had when it took off from 3.5.
One thing Paizo did right, and I hope ENP or it's 3PP are able to do, is to produce quality adventure paths. I understand many parties will prefer to have their homebrew setting and make their own adventures, but people without the same amount of time or experience need a "batteries included" approach. The adventures published by WOTC are quite disappointing to me (even the highly regarded Curse of Stradh is quite mediocre IMO). In comparison, War of the Burning Sky was incredible, and I haven't played or read about Zeitgeist but I guess it's probably even better.

So no, LU doesn't need to "update" to 5.5. That would be the wrong decision for the wrong reason, IMO

Edit: I totally forgot about TSAK, the first LU adventure path. I still have to try it, but just the fact we have a full blown LU adventure path is awesome for me. Just hope more will come soon