Silver Lining to Hasbro's Debacle [+]

[Sacrosanct]

Heh and people yelled at me when I said their recent efforts are lacklustre. Basically Spelljammer, most of their adventures, maybe Tasha's (mixed bag).

They peaked Quality wise Xanathars to Eberron at least mechanically. Adventures probably first two years.

This doesn’t seem like a + comment…

I’d like to avoid negative comments about HASBRO or WoTC on their products and more focus on how this is turning into a positive from 3PP and gamers.

 

[Zardnaar]

This doesn’t seem like a + comment…

I’d like to avoid negative comments about HASBRO or WoTC on their products and more focus on how this is turning into a positive from 3PP and gamers.

Ah touche. You use discord?

 

[doctorbadwolf]

Heh and people yelled at me when I said their recent efforts are lacklustre. Basically Spelljammer, most of their adventures, maybe Tasha's (mixed bag).

They peaked Quality wise Xanathars to Eberron at least mechanically. Adventures probably first two years.

Nah Tasha’s is a better product than Xanathar’s.

 

[Steampunkette]

Can player characters earn Villain Points to use to force the bad guys to reroll?

I think that would be pretty cool and encourage different players to take different tacts. Plus it would reinforce the "Antihero" characters that some people like to make.

 

[ECMO3]

In this debacle, there is a silver lining. Regardless what they do now, the trust is broken. You've heard many 3PP say they are working on their own systems. I'm not different.

This is an opportunity to re-tool Bugbears&Borderlands. Most of the original scope still in place: keep it simple, streamlined, and easy to learn. What's being removed is the stepping stone to 5e. By removing the OGL from it (and thus any reference to SRD material), the game mechanics are being re-tooled as well. It's allowing me to do things I didn't do for the sake of keeping it 5e compatible. Without that yoke, some really nice changes are coming, such as:

• no saving throws. It's even simpler now as everything is a skill check.
• no Vancian magic. Spell point system. This allows greater flexibility, both in how you use your magic (not tied to preparation or slots any longer) and in that you can overcharge spells for greater affect
• desperation mechanic. If you drop below half your hit points, you gain a feature or trait that kicks in, inspired by desperation. Warriors get damage reduction, infiltrators (previously experts) gain additional movement speed and skill bonuses, and wizards gain a reduction in spell point costs. Monsters get them too, something thematically fitting for the monster.
• Heroic and Villain points. Earn heroic points by doing something cool or exceptional. Use them to reroll any one dice and take either result, or to cancel out a monster's use of villain points. Monsters get villain points. Same thing, only they can use them to force you to reroll. Only epic monsters get them, so don't worry about cannon fodder screwing up your crits.

Those are just some of the changes. While I won't enjoy the market or branding of 5e, it's kinda liberating to feel more free in game design. I'm curious to hear from other publishers how they are approaching this, and from other gamers as to what they are hoping to see come out now that more games won't be tied to the OGL. + thread please.

I don't really see this as opportunity. These alternative games already existed, I did not play them primarily because I find 5E mechanics to be much better.

IMO WOTC has world-class game designers when it comes to mechanics and I personally have not played a game system I like better than 5E. A clear majority of members at the tables I play at have the same opinion.

Where WOTC falls short is the creative content. Some of their adventure books are awful and even the good ones are way outclassed by 3rd party organizations and that is what we could lose with the new license. Although TBH, I am starting to think we won't lose that content for 5E. As more companies come forward I think we are setting up a situation where creators are going to continue to create for 5E under OGL 1.0a (revoked or not).

 

[Warpiglet-7]

Nah Tasha’s is a better product than Xanathar’s.

I can around to tasha’s. I don’t like some things but there are so many good options too…worth the money.


Back to other topic:

Since I still play 5e, I wonder if 3pp can do some more system neutral stuff that will fit and be usable and not run afoul of the new OGL.

What I have been recently interested in is a return to old school. I started looking at castles and crusades as a non 5e departure.

I hope this opens new avenues of gaming. What a trip it would be to see other games in the much broader public awareness!

If ever there was a time. 5e made a lot of players and I think 5e is the perfect gateway drug. There are more potential non D&D players than ever.

 

[rcade]

IMO WOTC has world-class game designers when it comes to mechanics and I personally have not played a game system I like better than 5E. A clear majority of members at the tables I play at have the same opinion.

One of those 5E lead designers came from open gaming. Robert J. Schwalb started at Green Ronin Publishing, which released its first OGL products the same year the license was released.

 

[Reynard]

Do it. I'll buy it in solidarity if nothing else.

 

[Bill Zebub]

Another silver lining is that lately there have been very few contentious arguments about casters vs. martials, metagaming, goal & approach, or whether NPCs can 'use Persuade' on PCs.

 

[Reynard]

Another silver lining is that lately there have been very few contentious arguments about casters vs. martials, metagaming, goal & approach, or whether NPCs can 'use Persuade' on PCs.

A solid uptick in 4E vs Pathfinder edition warring, tho.