[UPDATED] Sean K Reynolds just rehired by WotC

He's an opinionated bald man, why can't we slam him?

Probably good news. They certainly need the help.

 

[Trickster Spirit]

That's the question then, isn't it - will this have any impact on the tabletop release schedule? It doesn't sound like it, if this gig is purely lore-keeping for licensing, without any game design. Personally my views on game design are orthagonal to SKR's so I'm rather relieved to know he won't really be influencing future 5E mechanics. Sounds like he's landed a real dream job, though, so I'm pleased as punch for the guy.

It's possible this is an indicator we'll be seeing a FRCS, but I'm skeptical. My money's on the APs being the setting support, in that they'll each focus on a different area of the Sword Coast and that after maybe 6 of them they'll put out a "Sword Coast" setting book.

I do remember someone's suggestion that they might put together a wiki or other online portal with the complete Realmslore - given how suddenly they've announced the Fantasy Grounds and Dragon+ news, it'd be cool to see that dropped on us with no warning in a couple of months. I mean, SKR is developing and compiling all of that material anyway, so it's be an easy way to kill two birds with one stone and score some major points with the fans.

 

[spinozajack]

People often start in one job then float up (or settle into) the job they are best suited for. I wouldn't be surprised if after a while his name starts showing up in game design stuff as well. At least that's what I hope.

Interfacing with third parties will also likely highlight any kinks in the system that need ironing out, and his decades-long experience across multiple editions and companies will surely benefit the kind of high level reasoning it needs. Even if he doesn't do game design himself per se, I can't imagine that he won't have any influence at all in future splats. Or hopefully in correcting current issues. I don't think Basic D&D is going to remain static and unchanging. And from there the core books follow. Mostly the minor issues could be corrected in certain spells, feats, abilities, without making systemic alterations but still allowing 5th edition to get honed and improve over time.

And by improve, I don't mean power bloat.

 

[houser2112]

People often start in one job then float up (or settle into) the job they are best suited for. I wouldn't be surprised if after a while his name starts showing up in game design stuff as well. At least that's what I hope.

Judging by the many hate threads across the internet of which he is the subject, and the rejoicing that occurred when he left Paizo, I think you're probably in the minority.

 

[Blue]

I've never before seen a contract where the duration was "until jury duty ends"...

 

[Wicht]

Judging by the many hate threads across the internet of which he is the subject, and the rejoicing that occurred when he left Paizo, I think you're probably in the minority.

There's this phenomena known as an echo chamber effect.

 

[Greg K]

That's the question then, isn't it - will this have any impact on the tabletop release schedule? It doesn't sound like it, if this gig is purely lore-keeping for licensing, without any game design. Personally my views on game design are orthagonal to SKR's so I'm rather relieved to know he won't really be influencing future 5E mechanics. Sounds like he's landed a real dream job, though, so I'm pleased as punch for the guy.

It's possible this is an indicator we'll be seeing a FRCS, but I'm skeptical. My money's on the APs being the setting support, in that they'll each focus on a different area of the Sword Coast and that after maybe 6 of them they'll put out a "Sword Coast" setting book.

I do remember someone's suggestion that they might put together a wiki or other online portal with the complete Realmslore - given how suddenly they've announced the Fantasy Grounds and Dragon+ news, it'd be cool to see that dropped on us with no warning in a couple of months. I mean, SKR is developing and compiling all of that material anyway, so it's be an easy way to kill two birds with one stone and score some major points with the fans.

I didn't particularly care for Savage Species (I disliked the Monster Classes in it) and did not agree with him about Drow magic items and sunlight. However, I met Sean at Gen Con So Cal and he was a really nice guy. I liked several of his postings on his website- especially, "Fewer Absolutes" (despite disagreeing with him on one or two points). I liked his Greyhawk deity articles in Dragon. If I were to see more things like those that I agreed with from his website, I would be happy to see more design work from him.
As for his postings at Paizo's forums, I disagreed with a few things he wrote, but he is also on record as stating that it was his job to publicly defend design decisions with which he disagreed on the forums and having to do so is one reason why he left Paizo.

 

[Staffan]

Interesting, I'd always thought of SKR as a crunch guy (in fact didn't he coin the terms fluff and crunch?). In any case, good luck Sean!

He did, in the context of a post essentially saying "We kind of went out on a limb with Silver Marches, with a much higher ratio of fluff to crunch than in other FR books. If that's the kind of thing you like, you'd do well to buy the book so my bosses will know that's what you want."

 

[Jeremy E Grenemyer]

Actually he was calling on people to buy Silver Marches to show the bean counters at WotC that people really did buy books for lore, so as to combat the bean counter's position that Realms sourcebooks needed more crunchy rules at the expense of fluff, because the bean counters believed people bought books for crunch alone.

They did not go overboard with the fluff/lore content in Silver Marches.

 

[Zaran]

I'm all for WotC hiring people. But dealing with licenses sounds like "non-TRPG stuff". Hopefully the Adventure Time guy will bring us more than just another adventure path.

 

[Trickster Spirit]

I'm all for WotC hiring people. But dealing with licenses sounds like "non-TRPG stuff". Hopefully the Adventure Time guy will bring us more than just another adventure path.

Heh, given the choice between working on "TRPG-stuff" or "non-TRPG stuff", I'd rather the Adventure Time guy play to his strengths and give us a D&D cartoon.

 

[Greatwyrm]

I've never before seen a contract where the duration was "until jury duty ends"...

Sure, they just usually use the phrase, "...on an as-needed basis."

 

[Selvarin]

He'll do well as a lore master. Because having someone do the research for you--or actually just knowing the answer straight up--saves time.

 

[The Crimson Binome]

As well as the disavowal of absolutes. Like the absolute ability to completely negate any chance of an AoO when a swashbuckler runs around attacking 3 things a round. They could have done so much better, like say such attacks are at disadvantage, or he has resistance against such attacks. Literally pertinent in so many ways to the latest AU article they just published yesterday.

Those articles are very old, and I hope that he's seen the error of his ways, before trying to bring such out-dated philosophy to 5E.

Gone are the days of Pathfinder or 4E, with their worthless Knock spells that can't even do the one thing the spells are specifically designed to do. Long live 5E, with its spells that just work, within the bounds that adventurers actually operate, with the adjudication of deities and solar phenomena being left to DM discretion.

 

[Paraxis]

Those articles are very old, and I hope that he's seen the error of his ways, before trying to bring such out-dated philosophy to 5E.

Gone are the days of Pathfinder or 4E, with their worthless Knock spells that can't even do the one thing the spells are specifically designed to do. Long live 5E, with its spells that just work, within the bounds that adventurers actually operate, with the adjudication of deities and solar phenomena being left to DM discretion.

Fire immunity in 3e works just the same as fire immunity in 5e, the creature is immune to all fire damage.

If you play very closely to rules as written, it doesn't matter what edition you are playing.

Every edition of D&D, yes even 4th, had Rule Zero and gave explicit authority to the DM to overrule any of the published rules in order to make the game enjoyable at their table.

Some of us find playing as close to RAW very enjoyable, and like the oddities that pop up in the game mechanics it is what makes D&D feel like D&D, a silly dungeon romp having fun drinking beer and eating twizzlers.

5e didn't give back DM discretion because it never left in the first place.

 

[Uchawi]

Exactly. The DM will always do what they want, so it is better to have clear rules so the entire table benefits. I see no value for rules through obscurity or system mastery. I prefer more interesting choices for all players at the table. and rules that allow flexibility of choice.

 

[The Crimson Binome]

5e didn't give back DM discretion because it never left in the first place.

Of course. It's just that more codified rulesets rely more heavily on their codified rules, so there's no need for the DM to adjudicate.

From the article, he was advocating for rules that should never matter - instead of immunity, give a fire elemental 100 points of fire resistance - knowing full well that it's a situation which should never actually arise during gameplay. And then he undershoots some of them - give an elf +10 to saves against sleep effects instead of immunity, where the base spread of saves in 3E was wide enough that it wouldn't even provide 75% protection in standard-use cases.

By trying to enumerate the specifics of these situations, it adds unnecessary complexity while making the game less functional. With 5E, by leveraging the strength of DM discretion for unusual cases, it allows the base rules to use absolutes, without fear of breaking anything in the off chance that a fire giant is hurled into the sun.

 

[Agamon]

Actually he was calling on people to buy Silver Marches to show the bean counters at WotC that people really did buy books for lore, so as to combat the bean counter's position that Realms sourcebooks needed more crunchy rules at the expense of fluff, because the bean counters believed people bought books for crunch alone.

They did not go overboard with the fluff/lore content in Silver Marches.

Silver Marches is probably my favourite 3e era book. I'm using it in my current campaign, in fact. I'd love to see more books like it.

 

[Henry]

As others have pointed out, Sean was author of the "Forgotten Rums" Post from about 13 years ago:

http://www.candlekeep.com/library/rumors/rumor7.htm

He's always been a fan of FR lore. I'm not sure who wanted him gone from Paizo, I've always thought him to be a good designer & developer, even on things I didn't agree with (like the Drow weaponry thing). Anyway, I hope he enjoys his position there and it works well.

 

[Zarithar]

Great news. To me it is further confirmation that 5e is doing well.

 

[Fildrigar]

I'm not sure who wanted him gone from Paizo

He is a very opinionated man. He sometimes rubs Internet Forum Warriors(tm) the wrong way. I've met him in person, and spent some time with him, and he really is a good guy. Plus, he good at telling stories. ( Read his blog. ) I hope to someday play in a game he runs.

Also, thanks for linking the Forgotten Rums story. I haven't read that one in ages.