D&D 5E Discussion

[IDtenT]

You'll notice how hard they're pushing video game mentions in their promos the last few months. Baldur's Gate and Icewind Dale are specifically mentioned when talking about Forgotten Realms. Etcetera. They know where their real pay piggies are. Books could never sell like games.

 

[IDtenT]

A New Starter Set for the Revised Rules​

Whether you’re new to the game or bringing friends into the fold, the Fall 2025 starter set is a beginner-friendly introduction to D&D. Based on the past ten years of play, we’ve revamped the new player experience to kick off your adventures with ease regardless of your experience level.

Heroes of the Borderlands (working title) makes it easy to start playing D&D in minutes with a quick-start guide; intuitive, component-centric character creation; and a modular, introductory adventure. It reimagines B2: The Keep on the Borderlands—a classic introductory D&D adventure—for use with this boxed set by splitting the adventure into three self-contained booklets: the Caves of Chaos, the Keep on the Borderlands, and the Wilderness. Each booklet includes a short tutorial to help new and returning players learn as they go. A how-to-play video will also accompany the release.

https://www.dndbeyond.com/posts/1807-d-d-direct-recap-a-look-at-two-forgotten-realms#new-starter-set

 

[IDtenT]

Interesting trend I'm noticing is that they seem to skew more towards modular adventure design rather than big adventure books. A couple in the DMG iirc, ten in the Dragon Anthology, three in the Starter Set and probably one for each of the five settings in the Forgotten Realms DMG.

Hope would be that it's because they're actually listening to the community, but something tells me that this is a way they can monetize nickel-and-dime modules for their VTT.

 

[Reinhardt]

Are there any hobbies left that haven't been colonized?

kotc2 module creation

 

[Stella Brando]

No, carousing was not implemented in AD&D; you find it in OSR systems. It was inspired by old-school literature, like the books of Fritz Leiber, where Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser are always spending everything they have. The same goes for Robert E. Howard's books—Conan never held on to anything for long.

I feel like this kind of thing is at the heart of adventuring - but not everyone gets it. Adventurers should be bro-types.

The modern adventurer probably spends his money on therapy and yoga.

 

[Mr. Magniloquent]

Lol they gave arcane casters a healing spell.

Where do you see this?

 

[gooseman]

Play a better system.

Why does everyone play dnd if it sucks so much? I get why normal people do, because it's the biggest thing, but here?

 

[Gandalf]

Play a better system.

What system would you recommend?

 

[Mortmal]

Play a better system.

What system would you recommend?

Depends, what would you like to do ?

 

[deuxhero]

Play a better system.

What system would you recommend?

Savage Worlds (/Savage Worlds Pathfinder). Mutants and Masterminds..

 

[Gandalf]

Play a better system.

What system would you recommend?

Depends, what would you like to do ?

I just want to read the rules of such system.

 

[Mortmal]

Play a better system.

What system would you recommend?

Depends, what would you like to do ?

I just want to read the rules of such system.

The best system depends on what you want to do with it. If it's tactical combat, it's probably Pathfinder 2e, though it’s quite a constraining system. If you want something lighter and easier, you go for OSE or grab some BECMI or B/X boxes. If you're looking for social interaction, you’d go for Ars Magica or Vampire: The Masquerade. SWADE might be more appealing than 5e if you're interested in wild west or weird settings.

 

[IDtenT]

Play a better system.

Why does everyone play dnd if it sucks so much? I get why normal people do, because it's the biggest thing, but here?

Dexers are actually quite normal.

 

[deuxhero]

SW doesn't have to be "weird" settings, The main things it will have difficulty with handling are settings very closely intertwined with their system (World of Darkness is full of stuff backed by actual mechanics), very logistical nitty gritty, and less "on demand" powers (which is generally intertwined with first two).

 

[Mortmal]

Of course, you can play classic D&D in SWADE or even the Pathfinder SWADE version, but with such a wide array of settings—from 1889 to kids in '80s horror movies and superhero themes—it seems a shame to limit yourself.

 

[Alex]

Ugh, why would anyone want to play savage worlds. Even Deadlands is better in its original system rather than in SW. And AD&D's settings are some of the best part of it too.

I am personally partial to GURPS before 4e and to Shadowrun... before 4e. Both do a lot in representing setting things by rules rather than thinking of rules as something besides the system. Hero system could be fun if you want to try to make the most overpowered character possible.

 

[Old One]

I bought Knave 2E and I'm incredibly impressed by it's simplicity. If I were going to start a new game I would probably use Knave.

 

[Mortmal]

Ugh, why would anyone want to play savage worlds. Even Deadlands is better in its original system rather than in SW. And AD&D's settings are some of the best part of it too.

I am personally partial to GURPS before 4e and to Shadowrun... before 4e. Both do a lot in representing setting things by rules rather than thinking of rules as something besides the system. Hero system could be fun if you want to try to make the most overpowered character possible.

SWADE has a fantastic implementation on Fantasy Grounds Unity, and it's very smooth to use. The number of settings is quite inspiring. But it's just one system among many viable ones.

 

[IDtenT]

 

[IDtenT]

 

[Mortmal]

So in 2024, you have only 1% of what you had in BECMI and the Rules Cyclopedia 30 years ago , where dominions were integrated into the story, with construction costs, npc hirelings, armies . In 2024 D&D, there's a bastion that doesn't interact with the story at all and is just an instanced home, like in MMORPGs to craft and decorate. Such innovation, such improvement.

 

[Fedora Master]

Play a better system.

What system would you recommend?

Talislanta

 

[IDtenT]

 

[Caim]

So in 2024, you have only 1% of what you had in BECMI and the Rules Cyclopedia 30 years ago , where dominions were integrated into the story, with construction costs, npc hirelings, armies . In 2024 D&D, there's a bastion that doesn't interact with the story at all and is just an instanced home, like in MMORPGs to craft and decorate. Such innovation, such improvement.

For 5.5e a mansion is a major chapter in the DMG, in AD&D 2e it is a class feature for the fighter.

 

[Mortmal]

So in 2024, you have only 1% of what you had in BECMI and the Rules Cyclopedia 30 years ago , where dominions were integrated into the story, with construction costs, npc hirelings, armies . In 2024 D&D, there's a bastion that doesn't interact with the story at all and is just an instanced home, like in MMORPGs to craft and decorate. Such innovation, such improvement.

For 5.5e a mansion is a major chapter in the DMG, in AD&D 2e it is a class feature for the fighter.

In BECMI or RC, everyone had something by level 9: a stronghold for fighters, a wizard tower, a rogue guild, a temple for clerics, and clan-specific things for demi-humans. It was then well expanded, with costs and dominion rules in the expert and Companion sets. These were both class features and a major part of the game.