Mercurius
Legend
Riffing off my MCU-style phases above, what if WotC planned a 20-year edition style in line with the 20 levels and tiers of game play? I don't think they actually did, especially because they can't have possibly planned for that long without a re-boot, but let's play make-believe...
Phase-Tier Zero (2013, "session zero"/character creation): Next playtesting, Dragonspire/Icewind Dale.
Phase-Tier One (2014-17, levels 1-4): Core rules, establishing the focus on story arcs. Apprentice adventurers becoming local heroes--and the rise of D&D's popularity.
Phase-Tier Two (2018-23, levels 5-10): Expanding to settings. This is considered the sweet-spot by many players--as adventurers make a name for themselves and become national or regional heroes, and could also be the golden years of 5E as the core line is fleshed out more fully, while still focusing on classic D&D game play.
Phase-Tier Three (2024-29, levels 11-16): This is where we'd see revised "5.2" books, that form the basis for more experimental options and styles. More emphasis on planar adventures and world-shaking events, alternate approaches to the game (kingdom-building, other genres, etc). "Continental heroes."
Phase-Tier Four (2030-33, levels 17-20): Wild and woolly--extra-planar, immortal game play, apocalyptic events, the multiverse, etc. "World heroes." Completion of the cycle.
Again, I don't see this as WotC's plan, or how they look at it now, but it is a fun thought experiment. At the least, phase-tiers 0 to 2 seem relatively accurate, with 3-4 just being rather speculative.
Phase-Tier Zero (2013, "session zero"/character creation): Next playtesting, Dragonspire/Icewind Dale.
Phase-Tier One (2014-17, levels 1-4): Core rules, establishing the focus on story arcs. Apprentice adventurers becoming local heroes--and the rise of D&D's popularity.
Phase-Tier Two (2018-23, levels 5-10): Expanding to settings. This is considered the sweet-spot by many players--as adventurers make a name for themselves and become national or regional heroes, and could also be the golden years of 5E as the core line is fleshed out more fully, while still focusing on classic D&D game play.
Phase-Tier Three (2024-29, levels 11-16): This is where we'd see revised "5.2" books, that form the basis for more experimental options and styles. More emphasis on planar adventures and world-shaking events, alternate approaches to the game (kingdom-building, other genres, etc). "Continental heroes."
Phase-Tier Four (2030-33, levels 17-20): Wild and woolly--extra-planar, immortal game play, apocalyptic events, the multiverse, etc. "World heroes." Completion of the cycle.
Again, I don't see this as WotC's plan, or how they look at it now, but it is a fun thought experiment. At the least, phase-tiers 0 to 2 seem relatively accurate, with 3-4 just being rather speculative.