Would you buy a product called 'D&D 4.5'?

[webrunner]

The game as it is right now basically is what any '4.5e' would be: new class design guidelines, major rule overhauls, balance changes..

The only difference is that you dont have to re-buy all the 4.0 stuff.

 

[wedgeski]

I didn't see the need to purchase Essentials since I have a DDI sub, so if it was called 4.5 the same thinking would have applied.

 

[Blue]

Releasing any 4.5e, let alone releasing one right now, would be a monumental mistake.

WotC should try really hard to find some way to get through two more years with 4e/Essentials, and then think about releasing 5e.

4e needs cleanup. Major revisions via errata (like to save penalties, flying, mounts, etc.). Obsolete feats. Feat taxes. Math fix feats. New (better) way they do things now the product is more mature. Vast amounts of bloat. 3000 FEATS. People are talking about "fixing the warlock".

Hey, let's have a racial feat that gives a +1 feat bonus to certain saves when bloodies ... and a new feat anyone can take that gives +2 to all saves across the board.

4e would really benefit from clearing out the chaff, but with the "no .5 edition" mentality where everything is backwards compatible, it stays.

Essentials was a chance for this, but because they didn't take it you get odd artifacts like basic-attack boosting Essentials classes plus half-elfs picking up powers that count as basic attacks.

When 4e came out it was a radical new system. It did a lot right, and it does more right now that it's matured. But lots of the old are still floating around, getting in the way of new and old players alike.

That said, I don't think they have the company resources to do it. DDI needs manpower, and taking everyone off current projects to do 4.5 for 6-9 months would leave the customer base screaming.

 

[RangerWickett]

Would you buy a product called D&D 4.5 if it came in a basket gift-wrapped with chocolates and flowers, and a little note saying, "Please baby take me back?"

Thing is, I was never a big customer of 3rd edition either. I loved the game to pieces, but I house ruled most everything I needed (or, y'know, wrote it and swindled morrus into paying me for the privilege).

I like rules that are easy to use, which means fewer books are better for me. So if 4.5 fixed some of the wonky stuff from early 4e and consolidated some new cool ideas into a single book, I'd consider it. I'd think WotC was daft for using the name "4.5," though.

 

[Kingreaper]

I wouldn't until it was significantly better than 4e.

If it's a .5, that's enough to make the old system incompatible, but not enough to actually be aimed at a different playstyle. To me 4e has a perfectly good playstyle, which it supports, so I have no interest in it being .5ed.

5E would be more likely to attract me, because there'd be more chance of it being a new, cool, way to play.

 

[P1NBACK]

No, but I'd buy a 5E if it looked like it took 4E's foundation and rebuilt it from the ground-up for a more improved game.

 

[Morrus]

Specifying it would negate the intend of my poll. I want to see how purchases are affected by the naming of the products. Would just the name put you off or would you give the product a fair chance, despite of the name? Please answer honestly.

Just for @Morrus to decide, just let's say they had 'Essentials' called '4.5'.

The name still makes no difference to me. They can call it 4-BoogyWooggyFish-E for all I care; I'd only be interested in what's inside it. I'd look at it and decide if it was a version of D&D that I liked (assuming we're talking about D&D products here).

 

[Aegeri]

I still see Essentials as 4.5E, particularly in terms of the revisions to monsters.

Essentials didn't start the revisions to monsters - this was in motion well before it with MM3. Or would you say Dark Sun is an essentials product (DS:CC also uses the updated new monster maths and superior power design)?

 

[delericho]

4e needs cleanup. Major revisions via errata (like to save penalties, flying, mounts, etc.). Obsolete feats. Feat taxes. Math fix feats. New (better) way they do things now the product is more mature. Vast amounts of bloat. 3000 FEATS. People are talking about "fixing the warlock".

I agree. And had they not done Essentials, then I would have said this was the right way to go. (In fact, IMO Essentials should have been unabashed in being 4.5e.)

As it is, they've had their chance and missed it. If they released 4.5e now, they'd get:

- All the anti-4e people crowing because, "they always knew WotC were lying when the Rouse said there'd be no 4.5e"

- A significant number of people justifiably annoyed because they've just rebought everything for Essentials, and are now being asked to do so again

- A significant number of people refusing to update, either because they like 4.0e or because they expect 5e imminently

- And, of course, a significant number who happily upgrade.

I wouldn't be at all surprised to see 5e announced later this year. I believe that would be a mistake, as it's too soon. I would be extremely surprised to see 4.5e announced. I believe that would be a huge mistake.

 

[Mengu]

Names and numbers of editions don't mean anything to me, they can call it 4.5 or 2012, or advanced 4.0, or 4.0 gold edition, whatever. I don't care about the name, I care about the content.

If they made a 4.5 as a class/power reboot, and started with all essentials style classes, I would be put off. If they made it as a way to reboot other portions of 4.0, like feats and magic items, I would love it.