D&D Next Edition
Posted: Mon Jan 09, 2012 10:21 am
Yup, it's been announced. The following statement, by Mearls, is very reassuring:
It's a bold statement, but it makes me happy. Since I stopped playing 4e, I've decided my home campaign will always be some sort of "home-brew", by taking the best of what I like from other games (D&D, official & otherwise), sprinkled with some of my own inventions. DCC RPG encouraged this kind of play, plus the "core" rules hit a sweet-spot for me. 3e was always "too much", and 4e went in a direction that disenfranchised players that "liked" some of the old ways, i.e. Vancian magic, etc.
I suspect that the "core" of the next edition will look a lot like 3e & 4e, which will probably influence the "Living" campaigns and Tournament play. But there will be a lot of extra or optional rules in there that can be used to make the game our own. This is what I'm hoping for. What I liked about DCC RPG was it was "mostly" compatible with every other "D&D" game (official & their simulacra.) A 1-level fighter in DCC worked fine in 1e, 2e, 3x, LL, S&W, LotFP, with minor modifications. While had to be completely re-done for 4e, that was the deal breaker for me (and it took 2 years to come to this.)
The last two sentences, (in bold) from Mearl's statement, clinches it for me. I hope they figure this out, and I totally see it being possible.
(Emphasis mine.)"We seek to build a foundation for the long-term health and growth of D&D, one rooted in the vital traits that make D&D unique and special. We want a game that rises above differences of play styles, campaign settings, and editions, one that takes the fundamental essence of D&D and brings it to the forefront of the game. In short, we want a game that is as simple or complex as you please, its action focused on combat, intrigue, and exploration as you desire. We want a game that is unmistakably D&D, but one that can easily become your D&D, the game that you want to run and play."
It's a bold statement, but it makes me happy. Since I stopped playing 4e, I've decided my home campaign will always be some sort of "home-brew", by taking the best of what I like from other games (D&D, official & otherwise), sprinkled with some of my own inventions. DCC RPG encouraged this kind of play, plus the "core" rules hit a sweet-spot for me. 3e was always "too much", and 4e went in a direction that disenfranchised players that "liked" some of the old ways, i.e. Vancian magic, etc.
I suspect that the "core" of the next edition will look a lot like 3e & 4e, which will probably influence the "Living" campaigns and Tournament play. But there will be a lot of extra or optional rules in there that can be used to make the game our own. This is what I'm hoping for. What I liked about DCC RPG was it was "mostly" compatible with every other "D&D" game (official & their simulacra.) A 1-level fighter in DCC worked fine in 1e, 2e, 3x, LL, S&W, LotFP, with minor modifications. While had to be completely re-done for 4e, that was the deal breaker for me (and it took 2 years to come to this.)
The last two sentences, (in bold) from Mearl's statement, clinches it for me. I hope they figure this out, and I totally see it being possible.