Who will be the new lead designer?

[Oni]

So, who will be the new lead designer? Monte Cook is gone, that door is close, that ship has sailed, we'll never see that particular vision. So dwelling on that is pretty much a useless endeavor. A much more important question is, who will be the new lead designer? Who will be the guiding vision for the team making the next iteration of Dungeons & Dragons? This is the guy I want to know about. What are your guys' suspicions (or secret hopes) about the identity of the new guy?

I mean, maybe this is a dumb question, maybe the answer is obvious, but I don't really know anything about the structure of WotC, so I'm curious.

 

[Blackwarder]

Me me! Pick me!!

Warder

 

[Ed_Laprade]

Most likely Mike Mearls. He seems to have been the number two guy, his name is known, and he talks well at cons.

 

[underfoot007ct]

So, who will be the new lead designer? Monte Cook is gone, that door is close, that ship has sailed, we'll never see that particular vision. So dwelling on that is pretty much a useless endeavor. A much more important question is, who will be the new lead designer? Who will be the guiding vision for the team making the next iteration of Dungeons & Dragons? This is the guy I want to know about. What are your guys' suspicions (or secret hopes) about the identity of the new guy?

I mean, maybe this is a dumb question, maybe the answer is obvious, but I don't really know anything about the structure of WotC, so I'm curious.

Not a dumb question at all, but a difficult one. Back in Sept, people smarter than myself (bloggers), guessed about 5E claiming WOTC had freelancers interviewing in Wash at WOTC HQ, but keeping silent on what they were interviwing for. A few Weeks latter we were told Monte was hired, so my guess is, someone else from that bunch of freelancer interviews.

AFAIK, Monte was a contract hire, not a full-timer at WOTC, so what other hi-profile freelancers are available is the big question.

 

[underfoot007ct]

Most likely Mike Mearls. He seems to have been the number two guy, his name is known, and he talks well at cons.

I don't believe so, Mike Mearls is senior manager of the Dungeons & Dragons research and design team and team leader of the 5th Edition version of the game. Which made Mike Mearls, Monte's boss if I understand things correctly.

My hope would be to rehire Skip Williams.

 

[Shadeydm]

Rumor has it they tapped Satan for the job and are waiting to hear back.

 

[GMforPowergamers]

My vote is to promote Bruce Cordel, then hire a freelancer to replace him.

My vote for new desginers are Ari Marmel, Rich Burlow, Keith Baker, Rich Baker...

 

[MortalPlague]

My vote for new desginers are Ari Marmel, Rich Burlow, Keith Baker, Rich Baker...

There's no part of that I don't like.

How about it, [MENTION=1268]mousferatu[/MENTION]?

 

[Maxboy]

Ken Hite

 

[howandwhy99]

The best people I can think of for the job of unifying the game through design work over at Paizo. Wizards needs more diversity, but I simply don't think there are that many people to be found who could do what Monte was asked to do without making D&D more unlike anything it has ever been.