Reading it and playing it a little, DnD Next comes across as yet another variant of classic D&D. Something you would expect from a D20/OSR publisher. While that may seem like faint praise I think that is a good thing after the debacle of 4th edition.
Because of that they may just have a shot of regaining their market lead versus Pathfinder. Not because the system is more innovative, etc. Because rather they seem to be focused on making a system that is as quick to setup and play as classic DnD but with new school options. By and large they I feel they succeeded with that in the playtest.
However this same focus means that the rules themselves really doesn't have any more (or less) to offer than any other variant of classic D&D. It not worse nor it is better.
It will make a big difference in going against Pathfinder. Again with the 4th edition debacle in mind they will probably take a soft line with this and it will come out more in the reviews and actual play reports. In addition there is a good chance that supplemental products (adventures, settings) will be far more useful than d20/Pathfinder products. You can see this by their consistent use of restating older modules for use in the playtest. A good test of the above goals.
What unknown is the presentation of the rules, adventures, supplements, and settings. If there going to a major problem it will be here. There was nothing about the design of 4e that required to be a 24/7 High Fantasy RPG focused on combat scenarios. But because Wizards chose to present it that way for much of its product life it condemned DnD 4e to be a one note RPG.
I am awaiting to see what kind of third party program they come out with. If it something that I can work this then I will be more active in playing the game and following what they do. If it is not then I wish them the best luck and hope that the supplements will be useful enough for me to buy.
4 comments:
You hit the nail on the head about third party support, and the fact that they're being conspicuously silent on that front worries me. We got a very vague "we're looking at that" when D&D Next was first announced, and nothing since.
Given the company-wide policy of "no licensing of WotC properties" that seems to be in effect, I can't help but wonder if they'll forego third-party support altogether, under the same philosophy. And that would not serve them well.
There also two more things to consider. That any game based off of classic D&D mechanics can be reversed engineering with the d20 SRD.
It may not be a retro-clone but rather a close clone like Castles & Crusade and AD&D.
And if published D&D Next os able to use old modules 'as is' like in the playtest then just about the entire library of OSR adventures & Settings becomes useful to a D&D Next player.
mmmmm... maybe they already incorporated that into their plans.
I dont think so. They have screwed around with hit points and hit dice that I see backwards compatibility as a lost cause.
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