D&D 5E Why such little content (books) for Dnd 5e?

[Agamon]

Sorry for saying this, but the truth is that Hasbro desperately wants D&D to break out of the pnp rpg niche into the much more profitable hobby genres of... pretty much everything else.

Don't be sorry. I'd love to see another good D&D video game. There hasn't been one of those for many years. My choice there is play a bad new game or go back and replay the old games.

Or another good non-adventure board game, like Lords of Waterdeep. I was surprised when they put out such a great Euro game.

We've never had a good D&D movie. That would be nice, but I'm not holding my breath. I'll wait and see what this MtG movie is like, and if it's decent, then I'd love to see them try again with D&D.

On the other hand, my D&D game has been a lot of fun. WotC has delivered on a great TT RPG, and I and my players are really enjoying it.

 

[DaveDash]

These feed into one another, groups force PCs to divide their focus and makes PCs decide to use stronger resources to get past the lesser foes faster or use up table time taking them out one at a time.

Also fewer high XP foes accelerate advancement. If one used the assumption the bulk of PCs foes will be around their level, XP will basically snowball.

It really depends on your group, but my finding in the game so far is that is not really the case.

There is the theory, then there is the reality. The reality is as you go up, your players power creep due to magic items (unless you run very low magic, which is acceptable, but probably rare).
The reality also is your players get better at playing 5e, and they find very efficient spells which can deal with the large numbers of lower CR creatures easily.

The Bard in my group for example cranks out moonbeam then sits back at eats mao from his alchemy jug. It's an amazingly efficient spell at dealing with large numbers of lower CR creatures.

Again, I know the theory. I've tinkered with the theory for ages. Using large numbers of low levels, mixed with a high level, using 2-4 mid CR, using high CRs, etc. The theory doesn't match up with the reality.

There's also a ton of points you havent addressed, such as using the same low CR creatures over and over again turns the game into a boring grind that lacks flavour.

Have you examined the monsters manual in detail to construct a high level campaign? Unless you want to fill it with nothing but Dragons and Fiends, you really don't have much in the way of options.

 

[Shiroiken]

Yeah no.

Yeah yes.

It would take you about 15 minutes to write each of this classes down (or type them).

That is the fault of 3E and it's over-complication. You can get the exact same feel of the creature without all the nonsense that 3E focused on. Give the creature the abilities that you want it to have, from class features, spellcasting, or whatever. Then use the chart in the DMG to figure out what it's CR is. If you need to make a few modifications to adjust the CR, then do it. That's it.

That's fine if your just plucking things from the air and using the stuff in the back of the MM as a reference. That's not really converting, that's winging it, and you still can't do that at high levels.

No, I'm talking about actually converting things (although DM skilled at winging it can do so at any level).

Also the stuff in the MM, particularly casters, are wrong. Once your group gets a bit higher level they'll simply be able to one shot most of your combat NPCs unless you build them properly, making the entire exercise pointless if you don't actually put some thought into it.

I don't use the NPCs at the back of the MM unless they're just a mook. Important NPCs (such as the four I did, not to mention a 5E conversion of Melf, Laerath, Thrommel, and several others), are treated exactly as PCs. Some thought is fine, but an hour for an NPC is too much, especially if it's only purpose is a single combat (which is normal for most adventures).

There's no buff stacking or pre-buffs, and concentration mechanics which make building NPC encounters very different in 5e, and change things dramatically.

So pick different spells. Use similar tactics, but different specifics. Use sparse magic items to fill out needed buffs, particularly consumables.

I did a combat of a 9th level wizard and 7th level rouge/assassin (also from ToEE) against a party of 7 level 4 PCs. It was a pretty challenging fight, but well within the encounter building guidelines. All I did was change his specific spells, because so many of the spells used would be Concentration. I gave him 2 good Concentration spells (to pick the best for the situation), and the rest were non-concentration. I also made sure he had some non-combat spells prepared, for his normal daily use.

 

[DaveDash]

Yeah yes.


That is the fault of 3E and it's over-complication. You can get the exact same feel of the creature without all the nonsense that 3E focused on. Give the creature the abilities that you want it to have, from class features, spellcasting, or whatever. Then use the chart in the DMG to figure out what it's CR is. If you need to make a few modifications to adjust the CR, then do it. That's it.


No, I'm talking about actually converting things (although DM skilled at winging it can do so at any level).


I don't use the NPCs at the back of the MM unless they're just a mook. Important NPCs (such as the four I did, not to mention a 5E conversion of Melf, Laerath, Thrommel, and several others), are treated exactly as PCs. Some thought is fine, but an hour for an NPC is too much, especially if it's only purpose is a single combat (which is normal for most adventures).


So pick different spells. Use similar tactics, but different specifics. Use sparse magic items to fill out needed buffs, particularly consumables.

I did a combat of a 9th level wizard and 7th level rouge/assassin (also from ToEE) against a party of 7 level 4 PCs. It was a pretty challenging fight, but well within the encounter building guidelines. All I did was change his specific spells, because so many of the spells used would be Concentration. I gave him 2 good Concentration spells (to pick the best for the situation), and the rest were non-concentration. I also made sure he had some non-combat spells prepared, for his normal daily use.

You are still very much talking low level stuff, which I agree, is pretty easy to convert.

 

[Shiroiken]

Nevermind. I realized that we've gotten off the original topic, and moved on towards the benefits of a conversion document (which I've heard they're working on, but has been delayed).

 

[teitan]

I'm sorry, I grew up on 1e and 2e and for me, ad hoccing and modifying monsters etc is simple, easily done etc even at high levels. One thing I didn't like about 3e was I could not do that and be sure of the encounter running as needed. Fifth looks just as easy to say I need a kobold sorceror of 18th level so I will give him these spells, these hit points and look at this chart and get his bonuses figured out and poof, five minutes I'm ready. I'm also a dm that I ready to pump hp or cut hp in the encounter and fudge my rolls if necessary to make it more interesting. I don't see the difficulty. Sorry.

 

[Kramodlog]

3.) I think the Mountain-out-of-a-molehill flack Mearls got for "cancelling something we didn't previously announce" (IE the Adventurer's Handbook) led to A LOT of this radio silence. We got no warning/hype for Dragon+ for example; you'd think the spiritual successor to Dragon Magazine would have gotten some fanfare! I'm convinced if there is a non AP book coming out this year, it will be announced at GenCon and be ready for sale in Sept/Oct.

If they play things close to their chest when it comes to digital material it is because of Dungeonscape. It was announced well before its launch and then they had to cancel it cause the guys at Trapdoor couldn't deliver. This is why Dragon+ and Fantasy Ground's VTT were announced the day they were released. They want to avoid more public fiascos when it comes to digital platforms. It doesn't make them look like an industry leader. It wasn't because of Mearls' lame tweet.

Frankly, I'm surprised we got to hear about Sword Coast Legends before its release. I'm guessing they have a lot of confidence in the product and a lot is riding on its success. So they need to promote it more and earlier. Like the rest of their products.

All and all, I would say WotC isn't holding its card very close to the chest now that they are past the launch period and they aren't late/or cutting it close on their release schedule anymore. We are hearing about Rage of Demons months before the autumn release. We already got art. That ain't the definition of keeping things close to their chest, isn't it? Why? Probably because a lot of it is finished and there won't be any cancellation except for a catastrophe.

The Elemental Evil storyline wasn't announced and promoted much because they were cutting it close to the launch date. Cover art for EE was made public in early January when the product was supposed to come out in three months. EE was officially announced 10 weeks before its release and we discovered that half of it was cancelled. Those aren't signs they were a head of schedule. A small 3PP was doing both an AP and a splatbook and they started working on those when the rules for 5e weren't finished yet. Those add difficulties to a project and with difficulties comes uncertainties. This is why we didn't get to hear much about EE before its launch and probably why half of it was cancelled. With RoD it is different.

From now on, I'm willing to bet that when it comes to non-digitial products, we will hear from WotC a lot sooner. Hype, buzz, promo, helps sell products and WotC wants to sell products. Mearls' communication blunder won't prevent this. The rules for 5e are done, the storylines have been written, the 3PP probably chosen already, a license overseer hired (SKR)... It is much easier for them to announce stuff because a lot of uncertainties have been removed. Of course, it still will just be one or two APs a year. Cause that it how they roll now.

 

[Goemoe]

I just checked the Wizards Catalog and there really isn't anything more coming out for 5e this year.

Obviously, there could be a bunch of stuff in the works but not announced...but publicly there is nothing really coming/announced other than that chaos/abyss thing later in the year.

Is there another site/location that outlines their roadmap?

I just bought all 3 core books and am excited for more. Anything, really: campaigns, options books, splat books etc....but at this point it looks like 5e RPG table top is dead....

They will probably milk the license cash cow for awhile and the board game angle...but looks like the classic RPG is deader than .... dead...

Hope I am wrong.

I miss a roadmap too. They all work at several pieces of stuff and could have published a list or two by now. It doesn't matter if they are out for many or few books. All that matters is communication and I miss this dearly. What is their intend? We have rumors and thoughts, some cherry picking from sage advice but no real info about a road map for the quite successful 5th edition.

At least one themed book for each of the bigger campaigns should be done and announced, but nothing. I am quite dissappointed with Wotc so far.

 

[evilbob]

Careful. You are setting yourself up for being put in the "sympathetic to whiners" camp. Prepare to be ridiculed and ignored for not embracing WOTC's Grand Plan for the Brand.

Nice. Thanks, but I think I'll be ok regardless of what random internet strangers think of me.

ps. So a lot of people are talking about this thread in the meta-sense that it is tired and heavily repeated, but please keep in mind - not everyone reads every single thread. I'm a fairly regular reader and I had no idea this was a "thing" and that a lot of people would be upset by the OP's post, which seems like a pretty reasonable post to me. Just food for thought.

 

[Zaran]

To the honest, I don't think they have any editors to put out their own printed content any more and I doubt they will let another company put out anything other than adventures. I'm thinking that anything we get will be published on the website or in digital apps.