Thursday, January 17, 2013

5e: Returning to a Basic / Advanced Model? Awesome!

A few days ago Mike Mearls made a fairly exciting post on the D&D Next website. In it he expands on some earlier discussions outlining plans to craft a two-tier system for D&D Next, where there would be a completely stand-alone basic core set that could then be expanded to make a crunchier 3.5/Pathfinder like game if players so desired.

Mearls description of the core set makes it sound like it would be squarely aimed at OSR-types, new gamers, and returning gamers. His vision essentially describes as a virtual re-release of the 1981 Basic/Expert set combo. I am stoked! This model would be something that would differentiate 5e from Pathfinder while also leveraging D&D's pop cultural visibility to attract new players into roleplaying. I like it and I hope it happens.

Mearls' post is also kind of amazing because it reads like he is making a point-by-point response to my previous musings on the last D&D Next playtest packet, right down to paring down combat options and citing Settlers of Catan as a model for maximum rules complexity. Hmmm....

I just want to express how excited I am by what is being expressed. I am hoping to see a playtest packet of the new Basic Set soon!

11 comments:

  1. I agree. Encouraging. We need a Basic D&D for under the Christmas trees.

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  2. I noticed the same thing about how his post seemed to be directly relevant to yours. I assume either a) he reads OSR blogs (which I am sure he does) and potentially yours, b) your concerns were common to many other people (which is likely), or c) a combination of both.

    Regardless, I share your enthusiasm.

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  3. That post also sparked a little hope on me regarding D&D 5E (I only liked the 1st package and the Sorcerer/Warlock classes). But I guess its still a 'wait and see'.

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  4. But if 5e is essentially Basic/Expert, why would one need buy 5e if one has B/X rules already? And with the plethora of retro-clones out there, what is the appeal for 5e?

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    1. Finding people to play with. Most gamers look at me like I'm insane when I say I like playing 1970s or 1980s editions. They just don't get it, and won't even try to understand. I want to be able to walk into the local game shop or game club meeting and not feel like a leper. This doesn't matter for you in SoCal, but it matters for me in this little town in the middle of upstate NY.

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    2. Yeah. New gamers, new interest, and new product.

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    3. Well SoCal is still difficult to find players who like old school versions of D&D. I tried with a re-formed group of players to try Castles & Crusades and they wanted to play Pathfinder instead. Grrr.

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  5. You know, Cyc, when I saw Mearls' announcement, I SWEAR he was addressing the questions and issues you had on the blog.

    Funny, that. :)

    - Ark

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  6. I'm hopeful and now paying attention to Next. That's more than a few weeks ago! I'd like to see those guys get it right and recapture some of the magic. Reaching that unreachable star, even.

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  7. Sadly the basic monsters are full page characters.

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  8. Huh. I just now read your post (and the link to the Mearls article). Personally, I really don't see anything here worth getting excited over...which is to say, I don't seem to be inferring the same things you are from his post.

    Maybe I'm just cynical?

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