Yeah, so I don't know if anyone else is aware of it but apparently the 4th Edition of Dungeons and Dragons is coming out next May, a mere 8 years from the release of 3rd Edition and like 3-4 years from the release of 3.5. I haven't played D&D in a while, but I've been thinking about getting back into it and making some use of my sizable collection of 3.5 books. I'll wait to reserve judgment on the new system until I can see more of what it's about (which is hard as the D&D site is down), but I'm thinking I'll stick with 3.5 for the time being. Any other thoughts?
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"The imagination is not a State: it is the Human existence itself." - William Blake
Unfortunately, i don't think this will go over too well. There's already more information and more materials out for 3.5 then most people can or will ever use. If they make 4.0 basically just a minor upgrade from 3.5 (Search,spot,listen = Perception), then it probably wont be too bad as it would be insanely easy to just convert stuff over. If they dont then that would make people feel like their 3.5 books WERENT a waste of cash and money.
But if WOTC makes 3.5 books completely pointless and obsolete, i think you'll see alot of people just STAY in 3.5, rather then 'moving on to' 4.0.
So, who's happy having never bought 3.5? Take that all you "Gnome's favored class is bard" people!
I share the same concerns as StormBlind (who, by the way, has one of the best avatars I've ever seen). Has WotC gone public addressing any of this or showing previews?
pfft ... i still use basic D&D. yeah you know the one that has elf and dwarf as character classes and the monster have the "save as:____" stat. suits me just fine, who needs all this fancy stuff.
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Well the thing is RPGA will pretty much force people to convert. If you play sanctioned D&D they always use the most recent rules.
Yes if your only home gamer with your 4 buddies or similar experience it has no impact on you. Unless you want to use the new rules or something. After watching the virtual experience they are creating I was quite impressed no longer will the game be pure Tabletop or not quite that like Neverwinter Nights.
Complete control over a virtual interface by the DM makes a lot of sense.
Anyways if you go the Gen Con page link from the magic official page you can see the interviews about 4th ed.
According to the second video, you can play the game online, meaning, long distance campaigns, campaigns that allow you to play with friends you rarely see, or never see.
THIS might be a very very strong selling point.
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[19:59] greymon90210: Hey StormBlind how tall are you? "I'm six money *****, don't forget it"
"The Critics always said that we'd only have a black president when pigs flu"...
Yeah I think that will prob be separate from the D&D 4th ed books.
So you can buy this thing but costs ya another 20 bucks or something.
Everyone knows its a very common strategy with D&D stuff.
Its cool though for sure finally those that live in the middle of nowhere can possibly get a set game group.
Actually, 3.0 came with a CD with the rules on it and character creation software. Likely this online version will be an upgrade to that (with extra options to allow people to actually run games) and likely included with the book.
It looks like the online services will be subscription-based. This displeases me. On the other hand, the tack they seem to be taking with the rules revisions themselves seems to be heavily in the direction of simplification and streamlining, which would not go over poorly at our group's Friday night everyone's-invited hack-'n'-slash.
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Vive, vale. Siquid novisti rectius istis,
candidus inperti; si nil, his utere mecum.
I have no issue with paying a subscription for the online service. It is no different than paying to rent a place to play, which alot of groups do anyways.
One thing I read that irks me is that they say they're going to do more to define class roles "to make sure the party member know their place on the battlefield". I can understand how this would help neophytes to understand the basics of the game, but as somebody who knows how to crunch his way to versatile-yet-focused characters and somebody who enjoys the game for something more than what he could log into WoW to experience restrictive character roles, I'm thoroughly irked.
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"The imagination is not a State: it is the Human existence itself." - William Blake
I will most likely stay with 3.5 since my playgroup has invested alot in the books.
Although, we may switch over to the online service as it may be more convienient to play online. I like the idea of this and i'd much rather pay for D&D than something like WoW...
Media is not making me steal. But in a way is like the story of the very hot girl with the short skirt teasing the old sick guy with a history of rape.
Unfortunately, from what I have heard, the online services only allow you to use books that you have purchased and entered a code for. If you don't have the book, then you can't use any of the rules for your character.
It also sounds like they are getting rid of feats and instead using skill trees such as those found in Diablo II or WOW. I like such things in video games, but am not sure how much I will enjoy them in my tabletop roleplaying.
Perhaps they are doing that to define the skills more. I always was bummed that unless you plan for your feats like oh i need 12+ dex to get feat xyz at level 8+.
You basically need a character map to get the best ones for said level. Obviously if your trying to make a unique character. This isn't as important but for those trying to power game there character as much as possible.
So hopefully the new feat trees give people an idea of whats coming instead of reading through the whole list. You can make sure you know which feats they want at every level beforehand.
pfft ... i still use basic D&D. yeah you know the one that has elf and dwarf as character classes and the monster have the "save as:____" stat. suits me just fine, who needs all this fancy stuff.
You know I've always loved that in Dungeons and Dragons, if my character studied really hard (class) he could be a Dwarf. "Don't worry Ulgor, some day when you finish school, you'll be a dwarf like your father."
If you've never had to experience the disbanding of a long-time gaming group, consider yourself lucky. I have lost two. And although the idea appeals to me to be able to play campaigns with them again, nothing is a good enough substitute for getting together in the same room and sitting down to play. It isn't merely a logistics problem, no one in my groups really ever checked die rolls or stats, (unless someone was obviously cheating to the detriment of the game) it's a social one. The best gaming stories have little to do with the system the story is based in.
It's a horrible idea. The d20 system is a great, easy to learn system, and they've released COUNTLESS supplements for it, each at 30 bucks+ a pop. I'm severely dissapointed. I'm assuming once 4E gets rolling, they're going to stop supportng 3/3.5, just like what's happened to 1/2, and no new things will ever come out for it, and that's quite a shame.
Perhaps it won't be too much of a change, but the way I see it, that's what 3.5 was - an update. A whole new numbered edition likely means a whole new system.
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Fortunately, it's not too hard to take books for 3/3.5 and work back to 2. I'm hoping that a transfer between 4 to 3.5 won't be too difficult.
The online idea is cool, but I don't think it'd be as fun as sitting around a table, and I'm afraid that rules may have to be compromised to make it work online. We'll see how it turns out...
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My anecdotal evidence disagrees with yours! EXPLAIN THAT!
People already play online. There's already programs that allow it. I think it'd be a waste to "subscribe" to this just to play online, when you can do it for free..
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Top 8 of SCG Invitational, Somerset, NJ, Aug 28-30, 2015
Winner of SCG Worcester Team Sealed Open with Gerard Fabiano and Curtis Sheu, September 28, 2013
It's a horrible idea. The d20 system is a great, easy to learn system, and they've released COUNTLESS supplements for it, each at 30 bucks+ a pop. I'm severely dissapointed. I'm assuming once 4E gets rolling, they're going to stop supportng 3/3.5, just like what's happened to 1/2, and no new things will ever come out for it, and that's quite a shame.
Perhaps it won't be too much of a change, but the way I see it, that's what 3.5 was - an update. A whole new numbered edition likely means a whole new system.
They're keeping d20. Which actually means that a lot of 3.0/3.5 stuff should be easily adaptible, now that I think about it.
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"The imagination is not a State: it is the Human existence itself." - William Blake
"Stoned players can't attack, block, or play spells or abilities."
But if WOTC makes 3.5 books completely pointless and obsolete, i think you'll see alot of people just STAY in 3.5, rather then 'moving on to' 4.0.
I share the same concerns as StormBlind (who, by the way, has one of the best avatars I've ever seen). Has WotC gone public addressing any of this or showing previews?
Yes if your only home gamer with your 4 buddies or similar experience it has no impact on you. Unless you want to use the new rules or something. After watching the virtual experience they are creating I was quite impressed no longer will the game be pure Tabletop or not quite that like Neverwinter Nights.
Complete control over a virtual interface by the DM makes a lot of sense.
Anyways if you go the Gen Con page link from the magic official page you can see the interviews about 4th ed.
Feel free to bid on my cards here!
THIS might be a very very strong selling point.
So you can buy this thing but costs ya another 20 bucks or something.
Everyone knows its a very common strategy with D&D stuff.
Its cool though for sure finally those that live in the middle of nowhere can possibly get a set game group.
Feel free to bid on my cards here!
Actually, 3.0 came with a CD with the rules on it and character creation software. Likely this online version will be an upgrade to that (with extra options to allow people to actually run games) and likely included with the book.
candidus inperti; si nil, his utere mecum.
"Stoned players can't attack, block, or play spells or abilities."
Although, we may switch over to the online service as it may be more convienient to play online. I like the idea of this and i'd much rather pay for D&D than something like WoW...
It also sounds like they are getting rid of feats and instead using skill trees such as those found in Diablo II or WOW. I like such things in video games, but am not sure how much I will enjoy them in my tabletop roleplaying.
You basically need a character map to get the best ones for said level. Obviously if your trying to make a unique character. This isn't as important but for those trying to power game there character as much as possible.
So hopefully the new feat trees give people an idea of whats coming instead of reading through the whole list. You can make sure you know which feats they want at every level beforehand.
Feel free to bid on my cards here!
Really, what is the point in buying new books, other than to create a new revenue stream for WotC?
Any new ideas that come out, you can easily adapt to your older materials.
You know I've always loved that in Dungeons and Dragons, if my character studied really hard (class) he could be a Dwarf. "Don't worry Ulgor, some day when you finish school, you'll be a dwarf like your father."
If you've never had to experience the disbanding of a long-time gaming group, consider yourself lucky. I have lost two. And although the idea appeals to me to be able to play campaigns with them again, nothing is a good enough substitute for getting together in the same room and sitting down to play. It isn't merely a logistics problem, no one in my groups really ever checked die rolls or stats, (unless someone was obviously cheating to the detriment of the game) it's a social one. The best gaming stories have little to do with the system the story is based in.
Perhaps it won't be too much of a change, but the way I see it, that's what 3.5 was - an update. A whole new numbered edition likely means a whole new system.
Top 8 of SCG Invitational, Las Vegas, NV, Dec 13-15, 2013
Top 8 of SCG Invitational, Somerset, NJ, Aug 28-30, 2015
Winner of SCG Worcester Team Sealed Open with Gerard Fabiano and Curtis Sheu, September 28, 2013
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The online idea is cool, but I don't think it'd be as fun as sitting around a table, and I'm afraid that rules may have to be compromised to make it work online. We'll see how it turns out...
Top 8 of SCG Invitational, Las Vegas, NV, Dec 13-15, 2013
Top 8 of SCG Invitational, Somerset, NJ, Aug 28-30, 2015
Winner of SCG Worcester Team Sealed Open with Gerard Fabiano and Curtis Sheu, September 28, 2013
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They're keeping d20. Which actually means that a lot of 3.0/3.5 stuff should be easily adaptible, now that I think about it.
"Stoned players can't attack, block, or play spells or abilities."