D&D 5E What most needs revision for the (hypothetical) 50th anniversary core books?

[Ruin Explorer]

I've pretty much already written (repeatedly) why I disagree with all of this... but it is hilarious to me that earlier you wrote "I think 20/30 year olds are like this," then I wrote "I'm in my 20s and that's a dumb stereotype" and you replied with "Just because your 20 you can't prove I'm wrong."

Like lol, ok. And somehow my opinion that releasing a new edition on an anniversary being dumb (because pinning a new rules release on an arbitrary date is indeed, very dumb), somehow means I don't think people will buy books from a new edition ever (or ever have)... like ok, keep arguing against whoever it is you imagine I am, 'cause I'm not interested.

Your argument about why people wouldn't buy new books just doesn't make sense, mate. And you didn't say "that's a dumb stereotype", you said "that's a broad generalization". If you'd said young people liking new things was just a "dumb stereotype" I'd have been laughing too hard to type.

Like I said though, you could be right about it not happening in 2024, that's the weakest part of the assumptions.

 

[Urriak Uruk]

Your argument about why people wouldn't buy new books just doesn't make sense, mate. And you didn't say "that's a dumb stereotype", you said "that's a broad generalization". If you'd said young people liking new things was just a "dumb stereotype" I'd have been laughing too hard to type.

Like I said though, you could be right about it not happening in 2024, that's the weakest part of the assumptions.

I was specifically referring to the narrow, backwards compatible version of the books the OP was suggesting to me. If it really was a new edition, I think people would buy it. But if it's just the same books with some changes to races/alignment, I don't think it would sell like crazy. Probably do ok, but not like Tasha's or Xanathar's if 80% of it already is in the core books.

I was being polite in my first reply... you did initially make young people sound like addicts who crave new things, which I find just a lazy stereotype of 20/30-olds (who are adults, not teenagers).

 

[jmartkdr2]

Well, you are talking about polls here, which aren't really reflective of the actual 5E playerbase (way crunchier than most players). It would be better to poll Reddit to get an idea for actual preferences, and even then it would skew to more crunchy tastes.

I also just don't think the core books success is replicable, and that releasing new ones would cannibalize sales. I don't think most old players are going to buy new versions of their core rulebooks, and new players will buy one or the other, not both.

If they release new books, I'm willing to bet they won't add any new, as-yet-unpublished rules. Just updates.

This is to make sure that anyone who's been keeping up with supplements doesn't need to buy new core books (they're certainly welcome to, and they'll get new art, but they don't have to, which will be important.) For new players, it's just the most recent printing with all the errata and major options already included.

(This is also why I think they won't cut any subclasses - they will really want to lean into the idea that this is not a new set of rules, and you don't need to buy two PHBs).

I already own two versions: the 1st and 9th printings, and there are a few small but significant changes which were already in the errata. I suspect the Anniversary Edition will not go much further than that. But will include a bunch of the optional rules from Tasha's (at the very least re: racial ability mods.)

 

[CleverNickName]

Alignment, is of course, toast.

Ew, I hope not. It's easy enough to put back in via house-rule, but I hope they spare me the trouble.

 

[Malmuria]

I wonder how they'll deal with the split between "OC" and "neo-trad" playstyles (assuming those terms are at all accurate or applicable to a large part of the player base). It does seem there are some players who want a more immersive storytelling game and others who want options and crunch, and they all make do with 5e even though they'd prefer something else.

 

[Yaarel]

So far, there are 110 subclasses. I kinda want every single one of them in the Anniversary PH.

But a 110! Are any obsolete?

 

[Mercurius]

@Ruin Explorer and @Urriak Uruk , I compiled some thoughts and created a poll (everyone loves a good, if meaningless, poll!) here:

D&D 5E - Do you think we'll see revised core books in 2024? (And why I think we will)

Following up on a (somewhat) heated discussion about whether or not we'll see revised core rulebooks in 2024, I thought it was high time for a new poll (i did a similar one a year or two ago). NOTE: THIS IS NOT WHAT YOU WANT, BUT WHAT YOU THINK WILL HAPPEN. Here is a list of reasons why I...

www.enworld.org

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

I wonder how they'll deal with the split between "OC" and "neo-trad" playstyles (assuming those terms are at all accurate or applicable to a large part of the player base). It does seem there are some players who want a more immersive storytelling game and others who want options and crunch, and they all make do with 5e even though they'd prefer something else.

Why everyone lashes themselves to the current edition of D&D, rather than exploring OSR or D&D alternatives, is beyond me. There's so much compatible material out there, everyone can be happy.

I noped out of 4E and went with Castles & Crusades. The world did not end and none of my players abandoned my campaign.

 

[tetrasodium]

The system needs to slaughter the spherical cow of no feats no magic items assumed everywhere. Characters progress as they advance, as a result bounded accuracy Does. Not. Work.

Murder QFLW by baking in a mac item budget & pegging spells to it or better as casters basically do not notably benefit from magic items while combined with feats fighters become quadratic with them & can always be lifted up with magic items.

resistant to nonmagical bludgeoning piercing slashing is a meaningless waste of ink after tier 1 maybe somewhere in tier2, nothing should be balanced on the assumption that weapon users will be left dealing half damage

Spell slot advancement needs to revert to the old ways where it continues to grow rather than slowing out of the gate & being effectively frozen at 1 possibly
slots for higher level slots

Bring back (ex)(su) &(sp) tags on abilities then create a proper tactical combat module that hooks off those & movement

Bring back subjective elements in weapons & armor
Rework healing, basically all of phb197, & rest mechanics


edit: Remove or rework concentration, it's absurdly overused to the point that it's both pointless & impossible to fix with houserules. Use a system like anarchy online's NCU memory if something like that is needed. Concentration spells need to function more like hex & eyebite that allow redeployment rather than just being concentration to hamstring casters.

I'd also like to see a move away from low ac with bajillion hp back to the faster & less monotonous higher ac with lower hp, maybe even with touchac in some cases

 

[Disgruntled Hobbit]

This...

...does not agree with this...

...as racial ability scores are, at the moment, a rule in the book.

It is a contradiction but it's one of the few they'd likely make. Or just include the rule from TASHA'S CAULDRON as boxed text