D&D 5th/Next?

[Blood axe]

Has anyone heard much about this? What do they think?

Ive seen a few posts from someone who said they play-tested. I am NOT hopeful if what he says is true.

A hill dwarf dragon-blooded necromancer bounty hunter is NOT the game I want to play.

[Wizardawn]

Yeah...I fall into the "give zero crap club" as I already have my share of fantasy RPGs. But I did like that fantasy RPG they released late last year.

[Blood axe]

Yeah...I fall into the "give zero crap club" as I already have my share of fantasy RPGs. But I did like that fantasy RPG they released late last year.

What was that? I missed it.

I was hoping for a change back from 4th to something like 1st/2nd.

[redwullf]

Has anyone heard much about this? What do they think?

Ive seen a few posts from someone who said they play-tested. I am NOT hopeful if what he says is true.

A hill dwarf dragon-blooded necromancer bounty hunter is NOT the game I want to play.

You must have heard about a different D&D experience than what we've been play testing, but there are no dragon-blooded necromancer bounty hunters (or anything of the sort) anywhere to be found in the play test rules. In fact, our most recent play test group consisted of a Wizard, two dwarven fighters, a cleric, and a thief (halfling, of course).

My recommendation is to sign up for the play test, download the rules, and have a thorough look before passing harsh judgement. You may find yourself pleasantly surprised with the direction Mike Mearls and the R&D team are taking the next version of D&D. I'll only say that Wizards is interested in creating a version that can be tailored to both old school fans and "modern" gamers alike. It sounds like an unrealistic undertaking, I know, but I think they're on to something... Check it out.

[Blood axe]

What can you reveal? More like 1st or 4th? R]elease date? Hopefully I got some bad info.

[redwullf]

What can you reveal? More like 1st or 4th? R]elease date? Hopefully I got some bad info.

I really think you should check out the play test rules, even if it's just a read-through - it doesn't cost you anything to check it out. Also, follow Mike Mearls blog "Legends & Lore." He can explain the goals and desires for D&D Next better than I ever could.

But, I can reveal that it seems Mearls wants to provide 3 "versions" of D&D Next: Basic, Standard, and Advanced. At first glance, these are ideas we're familiar with, but I think the approach is going to be a bit different (at least a little). I recommend reading Mearls' blogs "D&D Next Goals, Part One" through "...Part Four," where he explains in-depth what the thinking is behind these versions.

At any rate, the initial play-test featured the very core classes: Fighter, Cleric, Wizard, Thief. Since then, they've added the Monk, and now just recently, the Barbarian. No sign of Paladins or Rangers yet, but I suspect they'll come. I have a feeling that the Basic version will be kind of a "white box' affair, with the base 4 classes and standard races, but that still remains to be seen. The rules are extremely streamlined, so far, though they've gotten a little more "busy" as the play test has progressed. There are skills and feats, but they are far more limited in scope than what you may be familiar with from 3rd edition. If anything, D&D Next so far strikes me more like a hybrid between Basic/Expert D&D and 3rd Edition. There's little evidence of 4th edition...but a few features remain (or are at least being tested), such as short and long rests, and the ability to recuperate at least a measurable portion of your hit points during such rests.

I can say this about the rules in general: the R&D team has a *strong* commitment to maintaining the old school "feel" of the game, even if that feel will only exist in, say, the Basic version or the Standard version, it will be there. It's likely that the Advanced version will, in a modular fashion, allow the DM to "bolt on" all manner of crazy stuff, likely allowing the dragon-blooded dwarf necromancer you heard about, but none of that has appeared in the play test, so it's only speculation or unfounded opinion.

Combat is wonderfully streamlined with a simple break-down of available actions. My regular group of weekly Pathfinder players may have various opinions about class features and other functions of the game, but NO ONE is complaining about the beautifully smooth and fast combat. Minis are very much optional, and you can choose to keep the Battlemat off the table if you wish.

You're going to get a mixed bag of opinions about D&D Next, ranging from informed details from actual play testers all the way to haters-who-are-going-to-hate-no-matter-what-you-say (be they Grognards or 4E players). Because of this, I stand by my recommendation to check it out and pass your own judgement. Heck, get a few people together and try it out,if you can. No matter WHAT you decide about the rules so far, at least you'll spend some time fantasy role playing, and that's NEVER a bad thing.

EDIT: Wizards has offered no hint, not even a ballpark, of a release date.

[Blood axe]

I appreciate the info Redwulf. Thank you.

[by_the_sword]

When 4th came out, I sank all sorts of money into it, buying books and hoping I'd find people to play the game with. Since then I have played the game maybe five times. Five sessions and a dozen books.

I'm going to wait and see how it all pans out and if i hook up with a gaming group, I will probably just read over a friend's shoulder for the first few years.

[Wizardawn]

My recommendation is to sign up for the play test, download the rules, and have a thorough look before passing harsh judgement.

No one is passing "harsh judgement" here...yet. I simply don't care because I don't need to keep shelling out cash for another, and another, and another fantasy role-playing game. I feel the same way about the 20+ versions of Monopoly they released over the years. I already have Monopoly...I don't need more no matter how they dress it up. Blood Axe asked what others think. That is what I think. I already own Dungeons & Dragons (just like I own Monopoly). I have met people over the years with huge shelves of 50+ RPGs sitting on them. When you get down to it, they maybe played a few of them and only for a very short time. The others were opened, maybe read all the way through, and now sit in that gaming trophy case they are ever so proud of. Some people buy to read them, some people buy them because they are searching for that perfect game they haven't found yet, others buy them to play them.

Yeah...I fall into the "give zero crap club" as I already have my share of fantasy RPGs. But I did like that fantasy RPG they released late last year.

What was that? I missed it.

I was referring to the AD&D reprints.

[Blood axe]

Ok, I saw the reprints. A little pricy, but if i ever have the extra cash, I might pick them up. I have the originals, so not a big deal.

Im not passing judgement either, I just want to see what others have heard or think.

Im one of those guys, i have 50+ rpg games, its my hobby. I read for pleasure. I have hundreds of other books too. Its my hobby, so I dont mind.
If the D&D next, is good, I'll get it, whether I play it or not.