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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Golroc" data-source="post: 9105696" data-attributes="member: 7042497">For me, the books they release are all over the place. It feels like articles in Dragon Magazine in how all over the place the subject matter is. <ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Here's a campaign setting! (maybe there'll be more material at some point in the future)</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Here's a book about magical items and a few random odds and ends!</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Here's a book about giants - but it's really generic and kind of a grab bag of stuff related to giants. It's certainly not part of a series with a common theme for what is included for specific archetypical monsters.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Here's a book about dragons - but it's mostly recycled content and somewhat whimsical.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Here's an adventure book set in Forgotten Realms! It's also got a little bit of sourcebook-style content.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Here's a cross over with some media thing which was popular when we planned the release!</li> </ul>It feels like a company selling books and keeping the franchise / system afloat so they can cash in on licensing while they prepare for AI-driven virtual tabletops. It's sort of related to when Games Workshop started doing really bad on the game design side because they went with a "we sell miniatures, not games". I can't put my finger on it, but I really don't want to buy any of the D&D material despite being super nostalgic about D&D, being super hyped about BG3, loving so many of their settings, having had a great time watching Critical Role. I am exactly the kind of veteran they should be able to rope in - I had nostalgia overload from Stranger Things.But what happened? I looked at 5E and was immediately put off. I like the enthusiasm they radiate in streams and at live events. I can understand their focus on OneD&D and the future VTT. But I went out and bought Pathfinder stuff. Because that feels like a "real" RPG system. I supported indie Kickstarters that went all in on creating awesome settings - trying to give players and GMs some cool material to explore and be inspired by.The D&D playtests feel super corporate. The books feel anemic and creatively disjointed. I feel kind of bad writing this as I'm sure the creative staff poured a lot of passion and love into these works. But I can't recall D&D feeling this generic ever - it's like a nightmare reality where everything is subtly off, and I feel like all the worst parts of the 4 editions have merged into this weird thing that's wearing D&D, but underneath is just a corporate machine.I know companies have to make money. I know TSR of old wasn't profitable. But the true issue of 5E for me is that it feels creatively and mechanically dead. It feels like design by committee - rules and lore both. And I hate what they done with the settings. Pathfinder can do setting sourcebooks that are awesome. I wish D&D had that kind of material too.</blockquote>

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