D&D General Why Enworld should liberate D&D from Hasbro

[Jahydin]

@MichaelSomething
On a personal level though, the non-traditional direction D&D was going is what brought me to ENWorld to begin with. It's not my thing, but visiting hobby shops all over the US (I travel for work), it's quickly apparent that this game is made by and for an entire demographic entirely. Interviews with the designers backs this up as well.

It's their game, let them do what they want with it. Let the current player base enjoy it. We have an incredible OSR scene with so many great products in print, I struggle to decide witch one I want to play every week. Let me know if you need recommendations! Hint: Start with Shadowdark. Find what you like and come to ENWorld to talk about that.

Besides, let's be real, D&D will eventually return to its roots; it always does. Gary's original vision is timeless. I feel it in my bones and I'm sure you do too. Let's just play other games while we wait.

 

[MichaelSomething]

@MichaelSomething
Besides, let's be real, D&D will eventually return to its roots; it always does. Gary's original vision is timeless. I feel it in my bones and I'm sure you do too. Let's just play other games while we wait.

Where the rules don't reflect how people actually use the game, forcing them to houserule to make it suits their taste? We're already there again!

D&D 5E (2024) Thread 'Mike Mearls explains why your boss monsters die too easily'

Oct 8, 2025

Mearls helped design 5e and he crunches the numbers.

Interesting that Johnathan Tweet chime in about timing with rests changes the balance which is out of the designers hands. Why not make a control part of the design? Like in the One Ring?

https://bsky.app/profile/mearls.bsky.social%2Fpost%2F3m2pjmp526c2h

• darjr
• Replies: 1,835
• Forum: *Dungeons & Dragons

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[Jahydin]

Where the rules don't reflect how people actually use the game, forcing them to houserule to make it suits their taste? We're already there again!

D&D 5E (2024) Thread 'Mike Mearls explains why your boss monsters die too easily'

Oct 8, 2025

Mearls helped design 5e and he crunches the numbers.

Interesting that Johnathan Tweet chime in about timing with rests changes the balance which is out of the designers hands. Why not make a control part of the design? Like in the One Ring?

https://bsky.app/profile/mearls.bsky.social%2Fpost%2F3m2pjmp526c2h

• darjr
• Replies: 1,835
• Forum: *Dungeons & Dragons

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Never saw this as an issue. For those that want a challenge and balanced classes, design to 20 rounds of combat. For those that just want to tell a story and feel heroic, design for less. Everyone wins.

Reminds me, Hackmaster gave out a bonus EXP modifier for pushing further without resting. Such a clever game...

Not to detract from your point though. 5E certainly needs to be polished up. Wish they'd just bring Mearls back so he could assemble another dream team to fix things.

Not a PF2 fan btw?

 

[EthanSental]

I consider my posting a form of art. And art is suppose to disturb the comforted and comfort the disturbed.

Got it, so I’ll let the other 4 or 5 people keep this thread going another 10 pages and I’ll go read art….Adam Hughes comic art (who I missed seeing at the NYCC a couple weeks ago)… Carry on

 

[Cergorach]

shrugs
At this point I don't care. D&D has been in WotC hands for 28 years and in the hands of Hasbro for 26 years. And it's not as if the time under TSR was all that great either, especially there at the end...

We liked Basic D&D at the time, we liked AD&D2e at the time, we liked D&D 3e at the time, we didn't like 4e, but D&D 5e (2014) we liked, and we see D&D 5e (2024) as an improvement over all. While I like some aspects of 3e, the overall feel of the D&D 5e (2024) is better. I do like certain 2e and 3e settings better then how they are presented in 5e, but as I have access to all that old material, not really an issue for me...

As we have access to all of the old (pre 5e) material in relatively cheap pdf. Hasbro could F-up D&D again and most of us would shrug their shoulders. Especially us 'old timers' need to realize that the current D&D isn't being made for us that started back in the 80s (or even earlier), it's being made for more current generations. You can complain, but the reality is that in a couple of decades we won't be around anymore, our existence nothing more then a memory. I've heard similar complaints from old timers that complained about TSR and 2e in a similar vein. D&D is 51 years old, older then most of us, it has had different custodians, it will have new custodians in the future...

If you really want to liberate D&D from Hasbro, go earn $10.5 billion and buy Hasbro. Otherwise, just get to grips with reality.

 

[Zardnaar]

shrugs
At this point I don't care. D&D has been in WotC hands for 28 years and in the hands of Hasbro for 26 years. And it's not as if the time under TSR was all that great either, especially there at the end...

We liked Basic D&D at the time, we liked AD&D2e at the time, we liked D&D 3e at the time, we didn't like 4e, but D&D 5e (2014) we liked, and we see D&D 5e (2024) as an improvement over all. While I like some aspects of 3e, the overall feel of the D&D 5e (2024) is better. I do like certain 2e and 3e settings better then how they are presented in 5e, but as I have access to all that old material, not really an issue for me...

As we have access to all of the old (pre 5e) material in relatively cheap pdf. Hasbro could F-up D&D again and most of us would shrug their shoulders. Especially us 'old timers' need to realize that the current D&D isn't being made for us that started back in the 80s (or even earlier), it's being made for more current generations. You can complain, but the reality is that in a couple of decades we won't be around anymore, our existence nothing more then a memory. I've heard similar complaints from old timers that complained about TSR and 2e in a similar vein. D&D is 51 years old, older then most of us, it has had different custodians, it will have new custodians in the future...

If you really want to liberate D&D from Hasbro, go earn $10.5 billion and buy Hasbro. Otherwise, just get to grips with reality.

Want some toast?