D&D 5E When Did 5E Peak Quality Wise?

[Oofta]

I don't use modules, so those have no effect. While I don't agree with everything that has come out with Tasha's, there have always been things I didn't agree with. So I can't say it's peaked for me yet. There's some things I like, some things I don't. Just like always.

 

[Jolly Ruby]

I think Tasha's the peak, followed by a fast decline.

 

[Enrico Poli1]

In my opinion, at the beginning!
PHB, MM, DMG, original Starter Set, are all 10/10 products. Then, the only products that reached such quality are Curse of Strahd and Tomb of Annihilation.
So the edition is, in hindsight, a bit of a disappointment. But still, the rule system is so good that it remains my edition of choice.

 

[soviet]

The playtests

 

[Micah Sweet]

The release of the original Starter Set - the one with "Lost Mine of Phandelver". Which is somewhat unfortunate, given that that was the very first product, but IMO it just hasn't been matched.

That said, there have been some excellent products in the mix since then. Just nothing to quite match that peak.

I would agree with that. Some good stuff since then, but a lot of worse stuff too, and nothing better than the core books and that starter set.

Obviously I'm just speaking about WotC here. The initial offering was really great, some high points after that, then they hit Tasha's and just fell off a cliff for me. Outside of WotC the hit just keep coming.

 

[Ancalagon]

To me Tasha is the peak - both the best, and the clear indication that the decline was starting, with the power creep and outright unbalanced subclasses.

 

[BrokenTwin]

Their campaigns I think have been improving across the board (Witchlight and Strahd are both great, and I've liked them enough to convert them to other systems). And their continued experiments fluff-wise have been interesting (Radient Citadel felt a little undercooked, but full of ideas). Eberron was easily the best setting book for 5e.
Mechanics-wise I can't comment, because I don't really play 5e enough anymore to have a strong opinion on changes in that department. Been a mixed bag for me since around Tashas, if I had to pin down a point.

 

[Monayuris]

For me 5e peaked between when the Basic rules PDF was released, to the release of the DMG.

The game was fresh and open and I had a weekly game going. It was such a fun and casual time with an open ended/anything goes feel. It really reminded me of the good old days.

 

[gorice]

The playtests

Beat me to it!

It sounds catty, but I really believe it.

 

[Loren the GM]

For me, right now. There is so much available content right now, and so much third party support. Playtests are getting me excited about D&D again, and can't wait to see how the 2024 refresh of 5e cleans up the creaky bits of the system.