D&D 4E The Soonest You Would Purchase 4e

[R-man]

I answered 2008, but honestly it will depend on how much of an improvement over 3.5 it really is. I will not buy it unless there is a noticable upgrade from the current system.

However to clarify, I am playing 3.5 due to my having felt that there was a noticable and definable upgrade from 1st to 2nd to 3rd to 3.5 editions anyway. I also played a number of other game systems in there as I was unhappy with 1st and 2nd in a lot of ways when they were on the market. I will go to were-ever the best system is to run and play with our group. That means that D&D will have to continue catering to my needs in a RPG;

Easy to run, Fast to set up (prepublished adventures help), complex play without bogging down play (not always successfully but better then Rolemaster), lots of options for players in character design/concept and during play without needless complication (also not always successful as the class based system has significant flaws for character customization).

Unlike many on the boards I am not really concerned about the pricetag for my hobby. When your wife and two daughters are all using the materials purchased for gaming then I don't begrudge the cost so much, as its a better family activity then TV any day of the week.

 

[Olaf the Stout]

Publish 4e compatible material.

In any case, when 4e comes out I'll probably just raid the new SRD for crunchy bits to append to my hideous collection of 3.5e/d20 House Rules, at least for several months. It isn't so much of an issue of when it comes out-- because I'll be delaying anyway.

My game hasn't been 3.5 since a week after 3.5 was released. 4e probably isn't going to do much for me.

Of course you are assuming that there will be a SRD for 4E. I'm not so sure that will be the case.

Olaf the Stout

 

[Ashrum the Black]

It would really depend on how good it was. I waited three months before buying 3rd edition. I looked it over several times before I truely became interested in it. I'd prpbably do the same for the new edition. If it is, in my opinion an improvement of the game, then I'd buy. At this point I'd probably buy it sooner than I did 3e simply because I'm already plugged into an online community to help me find out about the game that much quicker.

-Ashrum

 

[lukelightning]

It also depends on my gaming group. If the majority wants to adopt 4e right away, I would, too. But I'd just get the Players' Handbook.

 

[Umbran]

What can you POSSIBLY do in 4e that you COULD NOT do in 3e...

Produce a revenue stream sufficient to keep the RPG arm of WotC alive. Maintenence levels of PHBs are not what you'd call an exciting business model.

If RPGs are not sufficiently profitable, WotC as a business would be better served by shifting its resources to other projects. If they do that, the D&D brand dries up. In theory, the OGL allows others to print similar books. In practice, I don't expect that would have anything near the vitality of the current arrangement.

I will accept a new edition if it means the community of gamers remains energetic, engaged, and creative.

 

[Rl'Halsinor]

We have determined as a group, 10 of us, that we will not purchase 4e. We are happy with 3/3.5. We will not lay out any more $.

 

[lukelightning]

Heck, solving some of the perennial arguements on these boards would be worth it. "Can a cleric cast with a shield? Can my paladin do this? Bards are undepowered! (Insert word) is broken!"

 

[Storyteller01]

I didn't vote. I would have chosen 'Never, unless the system is an monumentally exceptional improvement over the current system'.

 

[Raven Crowking]

I said 2009....but only if it was a significant improvement, and the improvements were useful to my game.

I doubt that I will ever buy another RPG that isn't OGL compliant, so if 4e dropped the OGL, I wouldn't bother with it.

RC


EDIT: Making Rule 0 more prominent would also go a long way toward picking my pocket another time.

 

[Wombat]

I bought D&D before there was a "first edition" -- it was three tiny books back in 1975.

I dropped out when it became AD&D "First Edition".

I came back with 3e.

I didn't switch to 3.5

I'll see you again around 8th edition