Come to think of it, it seems like the vast majority (if not all UA) is targeted at playtesting player options (or things that could be used by both the player and DM): subclasses, spells, feats, etc.
I am wondering, if WotC were to try and release a set of playtest material specific to the DM side what that would look like
Monster stats? Optional variant rules? Encounters that would eventually be baked into a full dungeon?
They did this at least once with exploration stuff:
Come to think of it, it seems like the vast majority (if not all UA) is targeted at playtesting player options (or things that could be used by both the player and DM): subclasses, spells, feats, etc.
I am wondering, if WotC were to try and release a set of playtest material specific to the DM side what that would look like
Monster stats? Optional variant rules? Encounters that would eventually be baked into a full dungeon?
this is probably because 1) most supplements are pretty player-focused and 2) a broken subclass or spell can break the game more than a broken magic item or monster, since monsters and magic items are generally less exact anyways. A broken magic item can always be stolen or destroyed, and a underpowered or overpowered monster for it's CR will at most ruin a single encounter.
The most we will get from the DM side is probably variant rules like Mass Combat from one of the first UA articles, greyhawk initiative and players make all rolls (those two are also pretty early UA articles).
I don't think that they would ever have a public playtest for such things as modules and what not
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i am soup, with too many ideas (all of them very spicy) who has made sufficient homebrew material and character to last an thousand human lifetimes
Come to think of it, it seems like the vast majority (if not all UA) is targeted at playtesting player options (or things that could be used by both the player and DM): subclasses, spells, feats, etc.
I am wondering, if WotC were to try and release a set of playtest material specific to the DM side what that would look like
Monster stats? Optional variant rules? Encounters that would eventually be baked into a full dungeon?
this is probably because 1) most supplements are pretty player-focused and 2) a broken subclass or spell can break the game more than a broken magic item or monster, since monsters and magic items are generally less exact anyways. A broken magic item can always be stolen or destroyed, and a underpowered or overpowered monster for it's CR will at most ruin a single encounter.
The most we will get from the DM side is probably variant rules like Mass Combat from one of the first UA articles, greyhawk initiative and players make all rolls (those two are also pretty early UA articles).
I don't think that they would ever have a public playtest for such things as modules and what not
It was a very bad interpretation of 2nd edition initiative. And I loathed it when I read it, and I played 2nd more than any other edition.
I'd like to see something before the end of the year. With all the new hardcovers going to publishing soon, I would imagine they are done balancing the other UA and should be looking towards next year's books at this point.
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I am thinking that we won't see anything new till they are ready to announce the next book(s) out of fear of spoiling the hype of the stuff being released over the next few weeks. What ever the next UA has will likely tell us what the next setting will be.
I am thinking that we won't see anything new till they are ready to announce the next book(s) out of fear of spoiling the hype of the stuff being released over the next few weeks. What ever the next UA has will likely tell us what the next setting will be.
Or the next other book. We could get more Fey stuff. Or something else entirely like Fizban’s.
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This isn't actually a signature, just something I copy and paste onto the bottom of all my posts. Or is it? Yep, it is. Or is it..? I’m a hobbit, and the master cranial imploder of the "Oops, I Accidently Destroyed Someone's Brain" cult. Extended sig. I'm actually in Limbo, it says I'm in Mechanus because that's where I get my WiFi from. Please don't tell the modrons, they're still angry from the 'Spawning Stone' fiasco. No connection to Dragonslayer8 other than knowing them in real life.
I am thinking that we won't see anything new till they are ready to announce the next book(s) out of fear of spoiling the hype of the stuff being released over the next few weeks. What ever the next UA has will likely tell us what the next setting will be.
Or the next other book. We could get more Fey stuff. Or something else entirely like Fizban’s.
Will it? When we got the Minotaurs and Seafarers stuff, everyone expected Greyhawk but it ended up being the first Ravnica UA. Strixhaven's Aven lineage was in the "Folk of the Feywild" UA. Even the College of Swords Bard was in a misleading UA.
I don't expect the next UA to come out until after Strixhaven: The Curriculum of Chaos comes out. That's when they'd start playtesting options for next year's books, probably. We're definitely not getting any playtest options for Fizban's or Strixhaven, so we're going to have to wait awhile until the next UA comes out.
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Please check out my homebrew, I would appreciate feedback:
Yeah, new UA wouldn't be for any of the announced books, and I don't know if they want to put UA out there to distract from the hype cycle of the fall trifecta, so I'm thinking after Fizban's (which I feel out of the three would presumably be the biggest seller).
Or [conspiracy theory] maybe the next UA will in fact be 6e, and the reason why DDB isn't hosting UA anymore is because it's not clear Wizards is keeping the relationship with them [/conspiracy theory]. I don't really believe that, but I'll float it because it's Friday and maybe it'll turn the rumor mill into a GenCon weekend dynamo.
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Jander Sunstar is the thinking person's Drizzt, fight me.
Or [conspiracy theory] maybe the next UA will in fact be 6e, and the reason why DDB isn't hosting UA anymore is because it's not clear Wizards is keeping the relationship with them [/conspiracy theory]. I don't really believe that, but I'll float it because it's Friday and maybe it'll turn the rumor mill into a GenCon weekend dynamo.
The collective loss of bananas would be so monumental that the impact to the commodities market would destabilize the global economy, and the ecological impact to the banana producing nations of the world would be so devistating that it might lead to the kinds of political upheaval that changes maps forever.
Or [conspiracy theory] maybe the next UA will in fact be 6e, and the reason why DDB isn't hosting UA anymore is because it's not clear Wizards is keeping the relationship with them [/conspiracy theory]. I don't really believe that, but I'll float it because it's Friday and maybe it'll turn the rumor mill into a GenCon weekend dynamo.
The collective loss of bananas would be so monumental that the impact to the commodities market would destabilize the global economy, and ecological impact to the banana producing nations of the world would would be so devistating that it might lead to the kinds of political upheaval that changes maps forever.
That's why I don't think there will be a true 6e for awhile. WotC is not eager to initiate another Edition War (heh. I didn't even notice this pun while writing it). They learned from their last blunder that ended up with them losing the seat for the "World's Best Roleplaying Game" (back when Pathfinder was outselling D&D 4e).
A soft reboot, maybe some massive erratas to the PHB, or a 10 Year Anniversary Edition reprint of the Core Rulebooks with updates akin to how TCoE does thing? Sure. That's fairly plausible. I could even see a 5.5e in name coming out relatively soon. But a whole new 6e? Nah. Not anytime within the next decade, unless WotC somehow manages to bungle things so badly that it's necessary. And that doesn't seem likely, due to the fact that D&D is getting more popular every day, even with the massively controversial things they've done recently (TCoE, making massive changes to the Ravenloft setting, more or less dropping alignment, leaning hard into Magic: the Gathering settings for book ideas, etc).
WotC is doing fine. D&D is selling more than ever. So long as that continues, 6e won't come. Kinda like "an apple a day keeps the doctor away", but "a profit today keeps the next edition away".
Or [conspiracy theory] maybe the next UA will in fact be 6e, and the reason why DDB isn't hosting UA anymore is because it's not clear Wizards is keeping the relationship with them [/conspiracy theory]. I don't really believe that, but I'll float it because it's Friday and maybe it'll turn the rumor mill into a GenCon weekend dynamo.
The collective loss of bananas would be so monumental that the impact to the commodities market would destabilize the global economy, and ecological impact to the banana producing nations of the world would would be so devistating that it might lead to the kinds of political upheaval that changes maps forever.
That's why I don't think there will be a true 6e for awhile. WotC is not eager to initiate another Edition War (heh. I didn't even notice this pun while writing it). They learned from their last blunder that ended up with them losing the seat for the "World's Best Roleplaying Game" (back when Pathfinder was outselling D&D 4e).
A soft reboot, maybe some massive erratas to the PHB, or a 10 Year Anniversary Edition reprint of the Core Rulebooks with updates akin to how TCoE does thing? Sure. That's fairly plausible. I could even see a 5.5e in name coming out relatively soon. But a whole new 6e? Nah. Not anytime within the next decade, unless WotC somehow manages to bungle things so badly that it's necessary. And that doesn't seem likely, due to the fact that D&D is getting more popular every day, even with the massively controversial things they've done recently (TCoE, making massive changes to the Ravenloft setting, more or less dropping alignment, leaning hard into Magic: the Gathering settings for book ideas, etc).
WotC is doing fine. D&D is selling more than ever. So long as that continues, 6e won't come. Kinda like "an apple a day keeps the doctor away", but "a profit today keeps the next edition away".
It is controversial, as you say, but if you look a little closer, we find the following (scores based off of majority of community I know of, not just minor vocals)
In 2017, we had:
XGtE (a rules book for everyone), Highly Regarded
TftYP (a mini campaign book for all types of DMs), Highly Regarded
ToA (a horror-comedy campaign book), Highly Regarded
In 2020, we had:
TCoE (a rules book for everyone but more niche than XGtE), Polarizing
RotF (a survival horror campaign book, once again also more niche than ToA), Highly Regarded
EGtW (a setting in a streamed world, very niche), Highly Regarded
MOoT (a MTG setting, debated among D&D Players but beloved by those who bought it), Well Thought Of
And in 2021, we've had:
FToD (a dragon book, extremely niche), so far Highly Regarded
WBtW (a children's faire, niche version of a promising idea), so far Polarizing
S:CoC (another MTG setting that was beloved by fans and far more niche than MOoT), so far Highly Regarded
CM (a far more niche version of TftYP), Highly Regarded
VRGtR (a horror setting, less niche but will count as more niche due to extensive changes from bad/troubling/unimportant lore), Reasonably Regarded
If we consider the fact that 2017 had three HR, 2020 (everyone's "Year of Worthlessness") has 2 HR and 1 WTO and only 1P, and 2021 has 3 HR, 1RR, and 1P, the "controversial things" are just WotC getting more niche, though they still have options at least once or twice a year for everyone, so complaints, while you can make them, are just bitterness. With +2 releases per year from everyone's fav. 2017, WotC is giving you as much as you would have had earlier.
Oh, I definitely agree with you that the more recent controversies are fairly minor and don't impact the numbers much because WotC still has the vast majority of players (mostly younger ones) that don't care one bit about whether or not the game gears more towards the younger fanbase. In fact, this direction is probably making them more money than before, not despite the controversial decisions, but largely because of them. They've been largely popular amongst the majority of the fanbase, even if a lot of the older players are not fond of them.
(I also disagree with the assertion that a dragon book is "niche". D&D has had a Draconomicon in nearly every single edition of D&D up until this point, and "dragons" is quite literally a part of the name of the hobby. Dragons could not be a less "niche" thing to have a book be based off of, IMO.)
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Please check out my homebrew, I would appreciate feedback:
Yeah, new UA wouldn't be for any of the announced books, and I don't know if they want to put UA out there to distract from the hype cycle of the fall trifecta, so I'm thinking after Fizban's (which I feel out of the three would presumably be the biggest seller).
Or [conspiracy theory] maybe the next UA will in fact be 6e, and the reason why DDB isn't hosting UA anymore is because it's not clear Wizards is keeping the relationship with them [/conspiracy theory]. I don't really believe that, but I'll float it because it's Friday and maybe it'll turn the rumor mill into a GenCon weekend dynamo.
They (WoTC) have no (finacial) reason to bring out a 6e at this time. They're reaching audiences they haven't before, I'm seeing a lot of parents starting up games for their 10-12 year olds, because 5th is an easy system to manage and teach to children (this is no means a criticism).
That some of us would like more depth, and I'm one of them, does not diminish the success of the product. Switching now would be them shooting themselves in both feet.
They have brought out enough settings to publish out companion books for those settings, they can go and actualise/freshen up classes in Complete Class books and make them optional so not to upset the player base. They still have old campaign worlds they could bring out, but I don't think they will. For good or bad MtG has a lot of planes they still can bring into the DnD universe.
Youtuber Davvy Chappy commented in his History of Dungeons and Dragons video series that whenever a new edition gets rolled out, it's usually because of stuff that was going on behind the scenes, and so they probably won't be trying out a 6th Edition unless Hasbro gets bought out by the Thanos of entertainment.
Youtuber Davvy Chappy commented in his History of Dungeons and Dragons video series that whenever a new edition gets rolled out, it's usually because of stuff that was going on behind the scenes, and so they probably won't be trying out a 6th Edition unless Hasbro gets bought out by the Thanos of entertainment.
Youtuber Davvy Chappy commented in his History of Dungeons and Dragons video series that whenever a new edition gets rolled out, it's usually because of stuff that was going on behind the scenes, and so they probably won't be trying out a 6th Edition unless Hasbro gets bought out by the Thanos of entertainment.
You think Bezos would be interested?
Spare us! Jeff Bezos would make D&D into a hamburger RPG company that also sells rifles.
Yeah, new UA wouldn't be for any of the announced books, and I don't know if they want to put UA out there to distract from the hype cycle of the fall trifecta, so I'm thinking after Fizban's (which I feel out of the three would presumably be the biggest seller).
Or [conspiracy theory] maybe the next UA will in fact be 6e, and the reason why DDB isn't hosting UA anymore is because it's not clear Wizards is keeping the relationship with them [/conspiracy theory]. I don't really believe that, but I'll float it because it's Friday and maybe it'll turn the rumor mill into a GenCon weekend dynamo.
They (WoTC) have no (finacial) reason to bring out a 6e at this time. They're reaching audiences they haven't before, I'm seeing a lot of parents starting up games for their 10-12 year olds, because 5th is an easy system to manage and teach to children (this is no means a criticism).
That some of us would like more depth, and I'm one of them, does not diminish the success of the product. Switching now would be them shooting themselves in both feet.
They have brought out enough settings to publish out companion books for those settings, they can go and actualise/freshen up classes in Complete Class books and make them optional so not to upset the player base. They still have old campaign worlds they could bring out, but I don't think they will. For good or bad MtG has a lot of planes they still can bring into the DnD universe.
No I don't think 6e is around the corner.
I'm loving how my sardonic "conspiracy theory" tags and my "I don't really believe this but it would be fun to metastasize this rumor while GenCon's on" are getting ignored by folks who are using my post to put down their serious assessment against the plausibility of a 6E, it's not a GENCON riot, but it's amusing.
Youtuber Davvy Chappy commented in his History of Dungeons and Dragons video series that whenever a new edition gets rolled out, it's usually because of stuff that was going on behind the scenes, and so they probably won't be trying out a 6th Edition unless Hasbro gets bought out by the Thanos of entertainment.
You think Bezos would be interested?
Does not have to be that big in scale. What the Chappy vid is really pointing out (and Colville said something like this really recently during a live chat) is pay attention to who was attached to the development of an edition. Then watch where they go and watch who replaces them. It's more art than science in the analysis, but there is a metaphorical critical mass that can be reached on the brand management front that usually brings out an edition change.
But if you want to play guess the Oligarchy, most analyst would see Disney buying Hasbro before Amazon. I don't see that in the near future.
They did this at least once with exploration stuff:
https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://media.wizards.com/2018/dnd/downloads/UA_IntoTheWild.pdf&ved=2ahUKEwiQ35a-kvLyAhWOMd8KHdCnBpkQFnoECAwQAQ&usg=AOvVaw3PaeN1hjF_8j8vGpjVT0dM
this is probably because 1) most supplements are pretty player-focused and 2) a broken subclass or spell can break the game more than a broken magic item or monster, since monsters and magic items are generally less exact anyways. A broken magic item can always be stolen or destroyed, and a underpowered or overpowered monster for it's CR will at most ruin a single encounter.
The most we will get from the DM side is probably variant rules like Mass Combat from one of the first UA articles, greyhawk initiative and players make all rolls (those two are also pretty early UA articles).
I don't think that they would ever have a public playtest for such things as modules and what not
i am soup, with too many ideas (all of them very spicy) who has made sufficient homebrew material and character to last an thousand human lifetimes
It was a very bad interpretation of 2nd edition initiative. And I loathed it when I read it, and I played 2nd more than any other edition.
Are we thinking no new UA till the rush of hardcovers is done or you think we'll see stuff before end of the year?
Jander Sunstar is the thinking person's Drizzt, fight me.
I'd like to see something before the end of the year. With all the new hardcovers going to publishing soon, I would imagine they are done balancing the other UA and should be looking towards next year's books at this point.
Four-time Judge of the Competition of the Finest Brews! Come join us in making fun, unique homebrew and voting for your favorite entries!
I am thinking that we won't see anything new till they are ready to announce the next book(s) out of fear of spoiling the hype of the stuff being released over the next few weeks. What ever the next UA has will likely tell us what the next setting will be.
She/Her Player and Dungeon Master
Or the next other book. We could get more Fey stuff. Or something else entirely like Fizban’s.
This isn't actually a signature, just something I copy and paste onto the bottom of all my posts. Or is it? Yep, it is. Or is it..? I’m a hobbit, and the master cranial imploder of the "Oops, I Accidently Destroyed Someone's Brain" cult. Extended sig. I'm actually in Limbo, it says I'm in Mechanus because that's where I get my WiFi from. Please don't tell the modrons, they're still angry from the 'Spawning Stone' fiasco.
No connection to Dragonslayer8 other than knowing them in real life.
Will it? When we got the Minotaurs and Seafarers stuff, everyone expected Greyhawk but it ended up being the first Ravnica UA. Strixhaven's Aven lineage was in the "Folk of the Feywild" UA. Even the College of Swords Bard was in a misleading UA.
Frequent Eladrin || They/Them, but accept all pronouns
Luz Noceda would like to remind you that you're worth loving!
I don't expect the next UA to come out until after Strixhaven: The Curriculum of Chaos comes out. That's when they'd start playtesting options for next year's books, probably. We're definitely not getting any playtest options for Fizban's or Strixhaven, so we're going to have to wait awhile until the next UA comes out.
Please check out my homebrew, I would appreciate feedback:
Spells, Monsters, Subclasses, Races, Arcknight Class, Occultist Class, World, Enigmatic Esoterica forms
Yeah, new UA wouldn't be for any of the announced books, and I don't know if they want to put UA out there to distract from the hype cycle of the fall trifecta, so I'm thinking after Fizban's (which I feel out of the three would presumably be the biggest seller).
Or [conspiracy theory] maybe the next UA will in fact be 6e, and the reason why DDB isn't hosting UA anymore is because it's not clear Wizards is keeping the relationship with them [/conspiracy theory]. I don't really believe that, but I'll float it because it's Friday and maybe it'll turn the rumor mill into a GenCon weekend dynamo.
Jander Sunstar is the thinking person's Drizzt, fight me.
The collective loss of bananas would be so monumental that the impact to the commodities market would destabilize the global economy, and the ecological impact to the banana producing nations of the world would be so devistating that it might lead to the kinds of political upheaval that changes maps forever.
Creating Epic Boons on DDB
DDB Buyers' Guide
Hardcovers, DDB & You
Content Troubleshooting
That's why I don't think there will be a true 6e for awhile. WotC is not eager to initiate another Edition War (heh. I didn't even notice this pun while writing it). They learned from their last blunder that ended up with them losing the seat for the "World's Best Roleplaying Game" (back when Pathfinder was outselling D&D 4e).
A soft reboot, maybe some massive erratas to the PHB, or a 10 Year Anniversary Edition reprint of the Core Rulebooks with updates akin to how TCoE does thing? Sure. That's fairly plausible. I could even see a 5.5e in name coming out relatively soon. But a whole new 6e? Nah. Not anytime within the next decade, unless WotC somehow manages to bungle things so badly that it's necessary. And that doesn't seem likely, due to the fact that D&D is getting more popular every day, even with the massively controversial things they've done recently (TCoE, making massive changes to the Ravenloft setting, more or less dropping alignment, leaning hard into Magic: the Gathering settings for book ideas, etc).
WotC is doing fine. D&D is selling more than ever. So long as that continues, 6e won't come. Kinda like "an apple a day keeps the doctor away", but "a profit today keeps the next edition away".
Please check out my homebrew, I would appreciate feedback:
Spells, Monsters, Subclasses, Races, Arcknight Class, Occultist Class, World, Enigmatic Esoterica forms
It is controversial, as you say, but if you look a little closer, we find the following (scores based off of majority of community I know of, not just minor vocals)
In 2017, we had:
In 2020, we had:
And in 2021, we've had:
If we consider the fact that 2017 had three HR, 2020 (everyone's "Year of Worthlessness") has 2 HR and 1 WTO and only 1P, and 2021 has 3 HR, 1RR, and 1P, the "controversial things" are just WotC getting more niche, though they still have options at least once or twice a year for everyone, so complaints, while you can make them, are just bitterness. With +2 releases per year from everyone's fav. 2017, WotC is giving you as much as you would have had earlier.
Frequent Eladrin || They/Them, but accept all pronouns
Luz Noceda would like to remind you that you're worth loving!
Not to be insulting, just analyzing numbers
Frequent Eladrin || They/Them, but accept all pronouns
Luz Noceda would like to remind you that you're worth loving!
Oh, I definitely agree with you that the more recent controversies are fairly minor and don't impact the numbers much because WotC still has the vast majority of players (mostly younger ones) that don't care one bit about whether or not the game gears more towards the younger fanbase. In fact, this direction is probably making them more money than before, not despite the controversial decisions, but largely because of them. They've been largely popular amongst the majority of the fanbase, even if a lot of the older players are not fond of them.
(I also disagree with the assertion that a dragon book is "niche". D&D has had a Draconomicon in nearly every single edition of D&D up until this point, and "dragons" is quite literally a part of the name of the hobby. Dragons could not be a less "niche" thing to have a book be based off of, IMO.)
Please check out my homebrew, I would appreciate feedback:
Spells, Monsters, Subclasses, Races, Arcknight Class, Occultist Class, World, Enigmatic Esoterica forms
They (WoTC) have no (finacial) reason to bring out a 6e at this time. They're reaching audiences they haven't before, I'm seeing a lot of parents starting up games for their 10-12 year olds, because 5th is an easy system to manage and teach to children (this is no means a criticism).
That some of us would like more depth, and I'm one of them, does not diminish the success of the product. Switching now would be them shooting themselves in both feet.
They have brought out enough settings to publish out companion books for those settings, they can go and actualise/freshen up classes in Complete Class books and make them optional so not to upset the player base. They still have old campaign worlds they could bring out, but I don't think they will. For good or bad MtG has a lot of planes they still can bring into the DnD universe.
No I don't think 6e is around the corner.
Youtuber Davvy Chappy commented in his History of Dungeons and Dragons video series that whenever a new edition gets rolled out, it's usually because of stuff that was going on behind the scenes, and so they probably won't be trying out a 6th Edition unless Hasbro gets bought out by the Thanos of entertainment.
You think Bezos would be interested?
Creating Epic Boons on DDB
DDB Buyers' Guide
Hardcovers, DDB & You
Content Troubleshooting
Spare us! Jeff Bezos would make D&D into a hamburger RPG company that also sells rifles.
Frequent Eladrin || They/Them, but accept all pronouns
Luz Noceda would like to remind you that you're worth loving!
I'm loving how my sardonic "conspiracy theory" tags and my "I don't really believe this but it would be fun to metastasize this rumor while GenCon's on" are getting ignored by folks who are using my post to put down their serious assessment against the plausibility of a 6E, it's not a GENCON riot, but it's amusing.
Does not have to be that big in scale. What the Chappy vid is really pointing out (and Colville said something like this really recently during a live chat) is pay attention to who was attached to the development of an edition. Then watch where they go and watch who replaces them. It's more art than science in the analysis, but there is a metaphorical critical mass that can be reached on the brand management front that usually brings out an edition change.
But if you want to play guess the Oligarchy, most analyst would see Disney buying Hasbro before Amazon. I don't see that in the near future.
Jander Sunstar is the thinking person's Drizzt, fight me.