June 1, 2012

5E Friday

- I've been trying to get a pick-up game for 5E, since I don't want to replace my regular games with the playtest, but so far having no luck in actually running a game of 5E. However, there have been a plethora of 5E reviews, play analysis and other comments on a variety of blogs. With a lot of good analysis two things have struck me...

1) "5E is not innovative." I've seen a few people mention this (some do mention the Advantage/Disadvantage die system as innovation-though some also mention it's been used in other games before 5E). However, 5E is an attempt to unify and simplify D&D. If they start to add a variety of innovations then it is not a true simplification. Instead, it would turn into what 4E was, a D&D with so much innovation it no longer looked like D&D to some people. Innovation is not what WotC is trying to produce with 5E. The rule set is meant to NOT be innovative. The true innovations will be how 5E will allow a wide selection of play styles from old school to new school and in-between, sort of a meta-game innovation (assuming they can pull it off).

2) "5E does not exactly reproduce my favorite version of D&D". Sort of the opposite of the first point. Some people want 5E to be a retro-version of their favorite D&D. That is not what 5E will be. Again, 5E is more of a meta-game which will allow each group to customize it to their own group's play style. It is not a reproduction of that play style.

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