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Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 DarthSunshine Jan 04, 2015 7:45:02	I have been away from D&D for a very long time. While I have remained an avid role-playing game enthusiast, D&D stopped being my game of choice right about the time 3rd edition came out. It has been a pretty interesting trip for me coming full circle back to where I started. In my personal opinion, D&D hit a rapid decline after second edition. Second edition had it's problems (boy did it!) and third and fourth edition did have their positive contributions, but they lacked a certain spirit. Part of this post is probably nostalgia fueled as I started roleplaying with the big black books of second edition revised, but I really think there is something to this. I remember opening up those big black hardbacks and being struck by the desire to play the game. The writing style, art, and lore (espically the Monsterous Manual) combined to create a strong call for adventure. The rules themselves were restrictive, needlessly arcane, and balance wasn't even really a thing back then. Yet it managed to capture that feeling for so many people. I remember that before I had a physical group, I DM'ed a two year long campaign over IRC. I still consider it to be one of my finest accomplishments as a game master. Then came third edition. When I opened those books, it gave me an entirely different urge which seems to have been shared by many. It made me want to tinker. I was part of several early third edition groups and every single one of them spent more time talking about rules and building characters than actually playing! It was addictive, sure, but it didn't instill me with that wanderlust or sense of adventure. Everyone seemed to be more worried about their character builds, even people who I had played second edition with were infected with this "virus." I quickly moved on to other RPG's, some of which I still follow today. Oh boy, then fourth edition came. I loved how the main rules for play were actually quite simple and I got a bit excited. I got my group together, whipped up an adventure, and went to town. Well, I would say that we went to town but we never actually made it there. We played two 4 hour sessions and didn't even make it half-way through my little adventure. Combat, even for first level characters, was an all night affair. In practice, this game was slow. For people who loved their combat more than anything else, I could see how this would appeal. My group was spoiled by our ongoing Vampire game, though. We like action, but not that much! After my group has now been exposed to so many different RPG's I think they became a bit jaded. We played more Vampire than I can shake a gangrel at, a helping of Traveller, a full course of Savage Worlds, a sprinkling of GURPS for crunch, and so many more. After a long while, our Vampire and Savage Worlds games came to a close. My group is now mostly on hiatus as a little break seemed like it would be refreshing. A few weeks ago I picked up the 5th edition core books at my local B&N and started to thumb through. I was instantly struck by that same feeling I have when I read my second edition books (now stained from cheesy fingers and years of use.) These books make me want to play again! The rules are also far superior even to my beloved second edition. Gone are the racial level limits, worthless fighters, disposable rogues, and single use wizards. The flavor scattered around is also a nostalgia hit; my first D&D campaign was burried deep in Forgotten Realms lore. I made a few test characters, did some combat, tested save and skill math, and I am quite impressed. I just might be getting my people back together! The things that really stick out for me as positives are the art and how there is flavor scattered all throughout the core books. I read the Monster Manual cover to cover just because it was facinating. Also, the whole bounded accuracy thing and reduced reliance on magic items were super important changes for me. It allows games to more closely emulate genre fiction and that is a huge deal. I also like how encounter building is now less forulaic, the CR system reminds me a little of how we used to use HD/XP to eyeball combat difficulty. I think D&D has taken a real step up in the world of RPG's. Play on folks!
#2 joeburgos Jan 04, 2015 8:30:47	Great first impressions, thanks for sharing with our community. And welcome, I see this is your first post. I too was 'won over' with 5e. For me the positives are that its NOT pathfinder, not bloated with supplements and streamlined. I really like your points about how 5e can emulate fantasy fiction, thats a big plus for my group.
(Reply to #2) OoftaMeg	joeburgos wrote:
#4 arderkrag Jan 04, 2015 8:51:17	This is the kind of thread we need more of in the forum.
#5 Wuzzard Jan 04, 2015 10:23:09	I'm certain that soon someone will show up and feel the need to express the exact opposite sentiment. Then a few posts later a cohort will appear compelled to tell the OP he is wrong and set out to prove it using references to missing character options, combat choices and math. 100 posts later the thread will have devolved into an edition war between a few diehard individuals that repeatedly talk past each other, each claiming the moral high-ground, using devisive language, replying point-by-point to everything said in opposition, in a fatalistic bloodbath of semantic wankery. But enjoy the serenity while it lasts.
#6 Brock_Landers Jan 04, 2015 10:35:14	This is what I wanted back in August 2000, thank you, finally a 2.5 to call home (with some good bits of all previous editions).
(Reply to #5) arderkrag	Wuzzard wrote:
#8 SleepsInTraffic Jan 04, 2015 11:43:41	I will say that this edition's books, the dmg in particular, have made me really excited to just play the game, and see where we can adventure to, and what we can have happen for interesting stories. The existence of a carousing table that can result in full on story hooks that can drive the story just makes me happy.
(Reply to #5) joeburgos	Wuzzard wrote:
#10 warpiglet Jan 04, 2015 12:28:29	This edition sucks. The healing is off, there are too few classes. Where is my potion maker librarian prestige class? Also, how can I buy a cube of force? I can't and when I have a dragon hoard of gold I still can't buy it or make it! Not to mention, you cannot make enough cheese and u can kill a tarrasq.... Just kidding. It takes me back to the mystery and wonder of old AD&D campaigns with a side car of fun. I am back big time and I am bringing my kids in to boot. Wonderful product has me thinking about playing every single day!
(Reply to #5) DungeonKrusher	Wuzzard wrote:
#12 Wuzzard Jan 04, 2015 12:48:01	warpiglet wrote:
#13 Wuzzard Jan 04, 2015 12:54:25	DungeonKrusher wrote:
#14 Cyber-Dave Jan 04, 2015 13:00:12	+1 to OP.
#15 Rhenny Jan 04, 2015 13:23:05	It is amazing. I feel the magic again. Now I'm hoping that with the holidays past, I'll be able to run and play in more games. Cheers.
#16 Forjgenon Jan 04, 2015 13:53:14	One of the things that struck me while reading the Player's Handbook was the inclusiveness of the artwork. Blacks, asians, tons of woman and not in some skimpy outfit with a Wonder-Corset. It isn't hard to be inclusive of lots of people. You just have to try--and they clearly did. Lots of in-game racial variations. 1st edition was always Human-heavy. I do think it a mistake to not offer detailed artwork covering all the different weapons. What exactly are Glaive, War Pick, Maul and Pike? Gone form fourth edition are some obscure ones like Falchion--they didn't have a drawing of that one in 4E either. The artwork is great and none of it detracts from the readability of the text. I thought the 3.0 books were ugly as sin inside and just hard to read. The Monster Manual artwork is so rich, with the pencil sketches in the bakgrounds. I was suprised at the one-for-one artwork of the magic items in the DMG. I'm still reading up. I'll probably do some test battles to get the feel for how combat plays out before I try to move from 4e to 5e. But I see no reason to stick with the older editions.
#17 Azzy1974 Jan 04, 2015 14:06:47	I agree with the OP. Heck, on of my friends who has been playing since the original D&D game has been having a blast in the game I'm running, and he hasn't played since 3e (which he played all of once and was disinclined to play again). Of course the other player (who is a veteran D&Der from 1st edition) in that group and I have been enjoying the game as well. The other gaming group I play with is also adoping 5e (when we can all get our schedules aligned), and I can't wait to play my first (player) character in that campaign.
#18 ChrisCarlson Jan 04, 2015 15:01:08	Azzy1974 wrote:
#19 Ath-kethin Jan 04, 2015 15:48:50	I share the OP's enthusiasm 100%. I played 2e, a 2e/1e/BECMI mishmash, 3.x, Pathfinder, and a bit of 4. I have primarily been the DM since about three months afer I started playing, back in '94. I run a game now for my neighbor and her husband, who are novices to D&D and RPGs in general. 5th edition is the first time I have actually been excited about the game in 15 years.
#20 Shasarak Jan 04, 2015 15:50:08	joeburgos wrote:
#21 warpiglet Jan 04, 2015 16:00:44	Shasarak wrote:
(Reply to #13) DungeonKrusher	Wuzzard wrote:
#23 DungeonKrusher Jan 04, 2015 16:15:08	Every time I grab my 5E book, trumpets blare and a harpsicord starts playing an angellic version of D'yer Mak'er. Having bailed the game at 4E (after 3E seemed to be on a path I REALLY enjoyed!) I am ecstatic at this new edition and the combination of old and new. I moved away from my old group... but it IS family, and I'm optmistic that we'll meet up again, or even merge with my new group. Can't wait to see what else is provided in the supplements, and whether I'll choose to include them or not! I've never felt that way about D&D before.
#24 TheNovaLord Jan 04, 2015 16:33:45	Currently playing with two groups a week. Look forward to the games like I haven't for a long time. Pace, pace, pace
#25 Chiisai_Usagi Jan 04, 2015 16:55:50	The edition has a couple new ideas, a lot of rehash/retakes on older ones, and a decent compromise approach on spellcasting between 2nd and 4th without going too far overboard. It has a couple of things that, to me, are highly annoying (and which I naturally changed), but I will say that anyone commenting that this is what they were looking for in 2000 has a very short memory. If this had hit shelves after Combat & Tactics, there would have been a frickin' revolt. You may not remember it, but among the reasons D&D was getting positively creamed by White Wolf at the time was that everyone was sick and tired of the same-old-same-old. I get that many of you have a strong connection to it (and there's nothing wrong with that!) and that in many ways its good that a lot of the overriding boredom people had with all-Tolkien has faded, but the hyperbole is really overkill. There have been many new additions to classes in other games that could use creation/representation, and from what we know of the publishing schedule it won't be Wizards publishing them (or else it will be a long wait). That's a sad thing in one way, but in another it's completely understandable. It's not a position I'd like to be in as a company, that's for sure. I like the edition on the bulk; I just (like most reasonable people) have a few things I wish had gone a little farther, or taken more time looking at, or a variety of other considerations. Like armor. Oh, god, Armor.
(Reply to #25) arderkrag	Chiisai_Usagi wrote:
#27 Chiisai_Usagi Jan 04, 2015 20:19:51	arderkrag wrote:
#28 Mistwell Jan 04, 2015 20:46:31	Chiisai_Usagi wrote:
#29 EthanSental Jan 04, 2015 21:14:39	I feel similar to Darthsunshine, just picked up all 3 books, adventures and the forgotten realms novels in 1 fell swoop! I'm enjoying reading these and it does remind me of the nostalgic feel when I'd buy a new supplement in 2e...can't put it down and exciting when I see new stuff on the shelf at the comic gaming store! I actually called my old DM that got me playing back in the late 80s that I hadnt talked to in 10 years and he felt the same.
(Reply to #27) Diffan	Chiisai_Usagi wrote:
(Reply to #27) arderkrag	It didn't take long for someone to say they merely liked it instead of worshipped it. I'm sorry I let you down, I'll try to refocus so that next time I post I'll have sufficient zeal.
#32 DarthSunshine Jan 05, 2015 4:43:26	Thanks for the replies everyone! As somebody touched on above, it's great to see a game that I'm excited about in stores. In my home town, St. Louis, there are only a small handful of gaming stores. Their selection of RPG's primary consists of Pathfinder, D&D 4th, and a few small press titles that never leave the shelf. Fifth edition has hit those same shelves and seems to be moving at a steady pace. Like it or not our little community needs a strong backbone, a common language if you will. I think that this really could be it and I'm excited to see it unfold. I have my minor quibbles with 5th edition also. I personally can't stand Dragonborne and I think there are just a few too many quirks left in the magic system. But you know what? It's close enough and I feel like playing D&D for the first time in well over a decade. If I had a glass of wine to raise in toast, I would. As it stands I guess a bottle of A&W will have to suffice. Cheers to geeks and owlbears, may they always be at odds!
(Reply to #20) SleepsInTraffic	Shasarak wrote:
(Reply to #31) Diffan	arderkrag wrote:
#35 Miladoon Jan 05, 2015 9:29:26	A pretty good game. I have been playing 5E exclusively since the first playtest packet. I would like to see much of the playtest material offered as options. It would be kinda cool to see a Playtest Journal published, to read the designers notes regarding putting those options in or taking those options out. I am a little tired of the typical classes and settings. I am hoping to see some interest in allowing inexpensive fan-based materials to be easily/legally found on the internet.
(Reply to #33) DungeonKrusher	SleepsInTraffic wrote:
#37 Brock_Landers Jan 05, 2015 10:44:56	Chiisai_Usagi wrote:
#38 Mistwell Jan 05, 2015 11:10:53	Diffan wrote:
(Reply to #37) DungeonKrusher	Brock_Landers wrote:
#40 Brock_Landers Jan 05, 2015 11:20:25	DungeonKrusher wrote:
(Reply to #36) Rhenny	DungeonKrusher wrote:
(Reply to #38) Rhenny	Mistwell wrote:
#43 Kishri Jan 05, 2015 13:40:06	I too love the new edition. I really like Pathfinder, but I have found that I simply cannot keep up with and properly adjudicate the rules in PF anymore. I found that I simply could not provide meaningful, as well as, tactically rich combats in the system. My world and RP is good, but my system mastery of the PF/3.5 systems simply isn't there any more. D&D 5 gives me no such issues. The magic is back!
#44 Brock_Landers Jan 05, 2015 13:42:32	Rhenny wrote:
(Reply to #44) Diffan	Brock_Landers wrote:
#46 Orethalion Jan 05, 2015 14:25:42	Diffan wrote:
#47 SleepsInTraffic Jan 05, 2015 14:57:00	Brock_Landers wrote:
#48 Brock_Landers Jan 05, 2015 14:53:00	SleepsInTraffic wrote:
#49 Synjin Jan 05, 2015 15:13:51	I too haven't played for a long time. The spark was lost for me. Thankfully, that creative spark and interest has been re-kindled. No, that doesn't do the interest justice. more like dragonfire. For the first time in over 10 years, I'm exited to play, create, and invest again.
(Reply to #49) DungeonKrusher	Synjin wrote:
(Reply to #50) ChrisCarlson	DungeonKrusher wrote:
(Reply to #50) SleepsInTraffic	DungeonKrusher wrote:
#53 ORC_Cricket Jan 05, 2015 16:35:25	We’ve removed content from this thread because of a violation of the Code of Conduct. You can review the Code here: http://company.wizards.com/conduct Please keep your posts polite, on-topic, and refrain from making personal attacks. You are welcome to disagree with one another but please do so respectfully and constructively. Remember, a community is a joint effort of all those involved, and while we want intelligent meaningful and productive banter to ensue we also need it to be polite and considerate of others. Thank you for your time and support as we continue to try and make a great community for everyone.
#54 guachi Jan 05, 2015 18:21:53	I last played D&D in 1999 in a 2e campaign. I didn't stop because 3e came out; i don't even recall knowing 3e had come out. I stopped because life happened and I moved away from my friends. 15 years of D&D from 1984-1999 and then 15 years off. 5e has made me want to play again. I've sunk huge amounts of money (because I have a real job now!) in older material from ebay. Lots of dice (real dice you color in with a crayon), 1e adventures, BECMI adventures I didn't get the first time around, the tail end of the Mystara line I missed, the entire al-Qadim 2e line (awesome stuff! great condition and cheap boxed sets!), a bunch of the 2e Complete books (namely the DMGR series and green Historical line). All told it's about $1000 dollars in six months. It's definitely money well spent. Although I'm amazed how much fun I had in those 15 years spending way less than that. Gaming can really be a cheap hobby. I could have upgraded my PC for that much but I've had way more fun with all the stuff I've bought. 5e is a great system and really easy to use with 35 year old modules. So far I've run U1 Sinister Secret of Saltmarsh ($15.75 shipped from ebay!), B2 Keep on the Borderlands which I owned from way back when, and am currently running B10 Night's Dark Terror ($5 from dnd classics, printed out, and bound with my comb binder I got as an X-mas present!). I love, love, love 5e. I only wish WOTC had more stuff I actually wanted to purchase. Sadly I see nothing in 2015.
#55 Miladoon Jan 05, 2015 19:51:35	I am running B6, B9, and B10 using 5E. I need to find Dwarves of Rockhome on dnd classics before my GAZ .pdf collection can be finalized. I am spending money on the hobby again.
#56 guachi Jan 05, 2015 20:26:58	B6 and B10 are totally awesome and work very well together. I found a few updated fan made maps for B10. You should be able to find them easily with a Google search. I'm not sure why Dwarves of Rockhome seems to have been skipped on the dndclassics site.
#57 Psikerlord Jan 05, 2015 23:59:16	5e has inspired to make my own homebrew world to game in. I've never actually done that before in over 20 years RPG gaming (on and off). The magic is back baby yeah! In terms of new material, I'm looking forward to (i) the online monthly unearthed arcana and (ii) adventures from 3rd party publishers.
#58 Neonflux Jan 06, 2015 0:01:49	I'm another example of someone this latest edition has bought back into the fold. Having begun with 2nd Edition, I was starting to lose interest by the time 3.5 came out and was finding the effort to reward ratio of running a game just wasn't doing it for me anymore. About a decade passed where I focused on other hobbies when I started to have that world building itch a DM gets, so I looked at 4E but the 3 core PHBs was probably enough of a deterrent, I couldn't just pick up a single book to see where the game was at, (I've always liked bards, and from memory it wasn't even in the 1st PHB) A little looking around and I came across the early playtest info for D&D next, which reminded me a lot of the basic redbox. So I waited, everything I saw leading up to the release and since has been exactly what I was looking for. I've played 3 sessions with friends that hadn't really played since high school, not to mention a guy that had never played before (who has since bought pretty much everything put out for this new edition) I agree with what other people have said here, the magic's back. I'm currently looking at starting a game in a local RPG store next week as my regular group isn't enough.
(Reply to #41) DarthSunshine	Rhenny wrote:
#60 Chiisai_Usagi Jan 06, 2015 13:26:52	Psikerlord wrote:
#61 joeburgos Jan 06, 2015 21:05:37	Wow, so I'm not the only one. 5e, and my renewed love for D&D is making me buy a bunch of 1e and 3e supplements. It's definitely rekindled my eBay shopping. So far I've picked up: Book of Vile Darkness FRCG Silver Marches Murder in Baldurs Gate Against the Giants (G1-3) Bunch of FR PDFs for 3e
#62 EthanSental Jan 07, 2015 20:21:21	My 6 Sundering novels as well as the rise of Tiamat adventure hardcover came in today, so now I'll have all the D&D next/5e edition items WoTC has produced to date. Plenty of ready to keep this new found fire burning. Now I'm hoping for a Forgotten Realms sourcebook along with Dragonlance and Ravenloft (include popular NPC stats) in 2015.
(Reply to #43) SigmaOne	Kishri wrote:
#64 joeburgos Jan 09, 2015 7:21:54	This is also what I have heard from my gaming buddies who play PF. Personally I have never played it, but about a year ago I was at my FLGS and I was browsing the PF shelves (it was massive) and I felt intimidated by the sheer number of supplements. I am all about minimalism and simplicity, 2 things that I am getting from 5e. I am launching my Baldur's Gate campaign in 2 weeks and my group of players are super excited to use the advanced options in the PHB (we've been playing the starter box set adventure for 6 months).
(Reply to #50) Azzy1974	DungeonKrusher wrote:
#66 Dave2 Jan 10, 2015 15:26:44	I would agree that this is one of the better editions of D&D. Perhaps the best. I am big fan of advantage and disadvantage and bounded accuracy. I will go as far to say this is the best RPG to come out in 2014& 2015.
#67 EthanSental Jan 19, 2015 13:01:36	Not that Amazon sales are the be all sales data but I was glad to see the PHB was still number 51 in the sales top book sale today, 4 months after its release. DMG 56th.

Post/Author/DateTime

Post

DarthSunshine

Jan 04, 2015 7:45:02

I have been away from D&D for a very long time. While I have remained an avid role-playing game enthusiast, D&D stopped being my game of choice right about the time 3rd edition came out. It has been a pretty interesting trip for me coming full circle back to where I started.

In my personal opinion, D&D hit a rapid decline after second edition. Second edition had it's problems (boy did it!) and third and fourth edition did have their positive contributions, but they lacked a certain spirit. Part of this post is probably nostalgia fueled as I started roleplaying with the big black books of second edition revised, but I really think there is something to this.

I remember opening up those big black hardbacks and being struck by the desire to play the game. The writing style, art, and lore (espically the Monsterous Manual) combined to create a strong call for adventure. The rules themselves were restrictive, needlessly arcane, and balance wasn't even really a thing back then. Yet it managed to capture that feeling for so many people. I remember that before I had a physical group, I DM'ed a two year long campaign over IRC. I still consider it to be one of my finest accomplishments as a game master.

Then came third edition. When I opened those books, it gave me an entirely different urge which seems to have been shared by many. It made me want to tinker. I was part of several early third edition groups and every single one of them spent more time talking about rules and building characters than actually playing! It was addictive, sure, but it didn't instill me with that wanderlust or sense of adventure. Everyone seemed to be more worried about their character builds, even people who I had played second edition with were infected with this "virus." I quickly moved on to other RPG's, some of which I still follow today.

Oh boy, then fourth edition came. I loved how the main rules for play were actually quite simple and I got a bit excited. I got my group together, whipped up an adventure, and went to town. Well, I would say that we went to town but we never actually made it there. We played two 4 hour sessions and didn't even make it half-way through my little adventure. Combat, even for first level characters, was an all night affair. In practice, this game was slow. For people who loved their combat more than anything else, I could see how this would appeal. My group was spoiled by our ongoing Vampire game, though. We like action, but not that much!

After my group has now been exposed to so many different RPG's I think they became a bit jaded. We played more Vampire than I can shake a gangrel at, a helping of Traveller, a full course of Savage Worlds, a sprinkling of GURPS for crunch, and so many more. After a long while, our Vampire and Savage Worlds games came to a close. My group is now mostly on hiatus as a little break seemed like it would be refreshing.

A few weeks ago I picked up the 5th edition core books at my local B&N and started to thumb through. I was instantly struck by that same feeling I have when I read my second edition books (now stained from cheesy fingers and years of use.) These books make me want to play again! The rules are also far superior even to my beloved second edition. Gone are the racial level limits, worthless fighters, disposable rogues, and single use wizards. The flavor scattered around is also a nostalgia hit; my first D&D campaign was burried deep in Forgotten Realms lore. I made a few test characters, did some combat, tested save and skill math, and I am quite impressed. I just might be getting my people back together!

The things that really stick out for me as positives are the art and how there is flavor scattered all throughout the core books. I read the Monster Manual cover to cover just because it was facinating. Also, the whole bounded accuracy thing and reduced reliance on magic items were super important changes for me. It allows games to more closely emulate genre fiction and that is a huge deal. I also like how encounter building is now less forulaic, the CR system reminds me a little of how we used to use HD/XP to eyeball combat difficulty. I think D&D has taken a real step up in the world of RPG's.

Play on folks!

joeburgos

Jan 04, 2015 8:30:47

Great first impressions, thanks for sharing with our community. And welcome, I see this is your first post. I too was 'won over' with 5e. For me the positives are that its NOT pathfinder, not bloated with supplements and streamlined. I really like your points about how 5e can emulate fantasy fiction, thats a big plus for my group.

(Reply to #2)

OoftaMeg

joeburgos wrote:

arderkrag

Jan 04, 2015 8:51:17

This is the kind of thread we need more of in the forum.

Wuzzard

Jan 04, 2015 10:23:09

I'm certain that soon someone will show up and feel the need to express the exact opposite sentiment. Then a few posts later a cohort will appear compelled to tell the OP he is wrong and set out to prove it using references to missing character options, combat choices and math. 100 posts later the thread will have devolved into an edition war between a few diehard individuals that repeatedly talk past each other, each claiming the moral high-ground, using devisive language, replying point-by-point to everything said in opposition, in a fatalistic bloodbath of semantic wankery.

But enjoy the serenity while it lasts.

Brock_Landers

Jan 04, 2015 10:35:14

This is what I wanted back in August 2000, thank you, finally a 2.5 to call home (with some good bits of all previous editions).

(Reply to #5)

arderkrag

Wuzzard wrote:

SleepsInTraffic

Jan 04, 2015 11:43:41

I will say that this edition's books, the dmg in particular, have made me really excited to just play the game, and see where we can adventure to, and what we can have happen for interesting stories. The existence of a carousing table that can result in full on story hooks that can drive the story just makes me happy.

(Reply to #5)

joeburgos

Wuzzard wrote:

#10

warpiglet

Jan 04, 2015 12:28:29

This edition sucks. The healing is off, there are too few classes. Where is my potion maker librarian prestige class? Also, how can I buy a cube of force? I can't and when I have a dragon hoard of gold I still can't buy it or make it! Not to mention, you cannot make enough cheese and u can kill a tarrasq....

Just kidding. It takes me back to the mystery and wonder of old AD&D campaigns with a side car of fun. I am back big time and I am bringing my kids in to boot. Wonderful product has me thinking about playing every single day!

(Reply to #5)

DungeonKrusher

Wuzzard wrote:

#12

Wuzzard

Jan 04, 2015 12:48:01

warpiglet wrote:

#13

Wuzzard

Jan 04, 2015 12:54:25

DungeonKrusher wrote:

#14

Cyber-Dave

Jan 04, 2015 13:00:12

+1 to OP.

#15

Rhenny

Jan 04, 2015 13:23:05

It is amazing. I feel the magic again. Now I'm hoping that with the holidays past, I'll be able to run and play in more games. Cheers.

#16

Forjgenon

Jan 04, 2015 13:53:14

One of the things that struck me while reading the Player's Handbook was the inclusiveness of the artwork. Blacks, asians, tons of woman and not in some skimpy outfit with a Wonder-Corset. It isn't hard to be inclusive of lots of people. You just have to try--and they clearly did. Lots of in-game racial variations. 1st edition was always Human-heavy. I do think it a mistake to not offer detailed artwork covering all the different weapons. What exactly are Glaive, War Pick, Maul and Pike? Gone form fourth edition are some obscure ones like Falchion--they didn't have a drawing of that one in 4E either.

The artwork is great and none of it detracts from the readability of the text. I thought the 3.0 books were ugly as sin inside and just hard to read.

The Monster Manual artwork is so rich, with the pencil sketches in the bakgrounds.

I was suprised at the one-for-one artwork of the magic items in the DMG.

I'm still reading up. I'll probably do some test battles to get the feel for how combat plays out before I try to move from 4e to 5e. But I see no reason to stick with the older editions.

#17

Azzy1974

Jan 04, 2015 14:06:47

I agree with the OP.

Heck, on of my friends who has been playing since the original D&D game has been having a blast in the game I'm running, and he hasn't played since 3e (which he played all of once and was disinclined to play again). Of course the other player (who is a veteran D&Der from 1st edition) in that group and I have been enjoying the game as well. The other gaming group I play with is also adoping 5e (when we can all get our schedules aligned), and I can't wait to play my first (player) character in that campaign.

#18

ChrisCarlson

Jan 04, 2015 15:01:08

Azzy1974 wrote:

#19

Ath-kethin

Jan 04, 2015 15:48:50

I share the OP's enthusiasm 100%. I played 2e, a 2e/1e/BECMI mishmash, 3.x, Pathfinder, and a bit of 4. I have primarily been the DM since about three months afer I started playing, back in '94. I run a game now for my neighbor and her husband, who are novices to D&D and RPGs in general. 5th edition is the first time I have actually been excited about the game in 15 years.

#20

Shasarak

Jan 04, 2015 15:50:08

joeburgos wrote:

#21

warpiglet

Jan 04, 2015 16:00:44

Shasarak wrote:

(Reply to #13)

DungeonKrusher

Wuzzard wrote:

#23

DungeonKrusher

Jan 04, 2015 16:15:08

Every time I grab my 5E book, trumpets blare and a harpsicord starts playing an angellic version of D'yer Mak'er.

Having bailed the game at 4E (after 3E seemed to be on a path I REALLY enjoyed!) I am ecstatic at this new edition and the combination of old and new. I moved away from my old group... but it IS family, and I'm optmistic that we'll meet up again, or even merge with my new group. Can't wait to see what else is provided in the supplements, and whether I'll choose to include them or not! I've never felt that way about D&D before.

#24

TheNovaLord

Jan 04, 2015 16:33:45

Currently playing with two groups a week. Look forward to the games like I haven't for a long time. Pace, pace, pace

#25

Chiisai_Usagi

Jan 04, 2015 16:55:50

The edition has a couple new ideas, a lot of rehash/retakes on older ones, and a decent compromise approach on spellcasting between 2nd and 4th without going too far overboard. It has a couple of things that, to me, are highly annoying (and which I naturally changed), but I will say that anyone commenting that this is what they were looking for in 2000 has a very short memory. If this had hit shelves after Combat & Tactics, there would have been a frickin' revolt. You may not remember it, but among the reasons D&D was getting positively creamed by White Wolf at the time was that everyone was sick and tired of the same-old-same-old. I get that many of you have a strong connection to it (and there's nothing wrong with that!) and that in many ways its good that a lot of the overriding boredom people had with all-Tolkien has faded, but the hyperbole is really overkill.

There have been many new additions to classes in other games that could use creation/representation, and from what we know of the publishing schedule it won't be Wizards publishing them (or else it will be a long wait). That's a sad thing in one way, but in another it's completely understandable. It's not a position I'd like to be in as a company, that's for sure.

I like the edition on the bulk; I just (like most reasonable people) have a few things I wish had gone a little farther, or taken more time looking at, or a variety of other considerations. Like armor. Oh, god, Armor.

(Reply to #25)

arderkrag

Chiisai_Usagi wrote:

#27

Chiisai_Usagi

Jan 04, 2015 20:19:51

arderkrag wrote:

#28

Mistwell

Jan 04, 2015 20:46:31

Chiisai_Usagi wrote:

#29

EthanSental

Jan 04, 2015 21:14:39

I feel similar to Darthsunshine, just picked up all 3 books, adventures and the forgotten realms novels in 1 fell swoop! I'm enjoying reading these and it does remind me of the nostalgic feel when I'd buy a new supplement in 2e...can't put it down and exciting when I see new stuff on the shelf at the comic gaming store! I actually called my old DM that got me playing back in the late 80s that I hadnt talked to in 10 years and he felt the same.

(Reply to #27)

Diffan

Chiisai_Usagi wrote:

(Reply to #27)

arderkrag

It didn't take long for someone to say they merely liked it instead of worshipped it. I'm sorry I let you down, I'll try to refocus so that next time I post I'll have sufficient zeal.

#32

DarthSunshine

Jan 05, 2015 4:43:26

Thanks for the replies everyone! As somebody touched on above, it's great to see a game that I'm excited about in stores. In my home town, St. Louis, there are only a small handful of gaming stores. Their selection of RPG's primary consists of Pathfinder, D&D 4th, and a few small press titles that never leave the shelf. Fifth edition has hit those same shelves and seems to be moving at a steady pace. Like it or not our little community needs a strong backbone, a common language if you will. I think that this really could be it and I'm excited to see it unfold. I have my minor quibbles with 5th edition also. I personally can't stand Dragonborne and I think there are just a few too many quirks left in the magic system. But you know what? It's close enough and I feel like playing D&D for the first time in well over a decade. If I had a glass of wine to raise in toast, I would. As it stands I guess a bottle of A&W will have to suffice. Cheers to geeks and owlbears, may they always be at odds!

(Reply to #20)

SleepsInTraffic

Shasarak wrote:

(Reply to #31)

Diffan

arderkrag wrote:

#35

Miladoon

Jan 05, 2015 9:29:26

A pretty good game.

I have been playing 5E exclusively since the first playtest packet. I would like to see much of the playtest material offered as options. It would be kinda cool to see a Playtest Journal published, to read the designers notes regarding putting those options in or taking those options out.

I am a little tired of the typical classes and settings. I am hoping to see some interest in allowing inexpensive fan-based materials to be easily/legally found on the internet.

(Reply to #33)

DungeonKrusher

SleepsInTraffic wrote:

#37

Brock_Landers

Jan 05, 2015 10:44:56

Chiisai_Usagi wrote:

#38

Mistwell

Jan 05, 2015 11:10:53

Diffan wrote:

(Reply to #37)

DungeonKrusher

Brock_Landers wrote:

#40

Brock_Landers

Jan 05, 2015 11:20:25

DungeonKrusher wrote:

(Reply to #36)

Rhenny

DungeonKrusher wrote:

(Reply to #38)

Rhenny

Mistwell wrote:

#43

Kishri

Jan 05, 2015 13:40:06

I too love the new edition.

I really like Pathfinder, but I have found that I simply cannot keep up with and properly adjudicate the rules in PF anymore. I found that I simply could not provide meaningful, as well as, tactically rich combats in the system. My world and RP is good, but my system mastery of the PF/3.5 systems simply isn't there any more.

D&D 5 gives me no such issues. The magic is back!

#44

Brock_Landers

Jan 05, 2015 13:42:32

Rhenny wrote:

(Reply to #44)

Diffan

Brock_Landers wrote:

#46

Orethalion

Jan 05, 2015 14:25:42

Diffan wrote:

#47

SleepsInTraffic

Jan 05, 2015 14:57:00

Brock_Landers wrote:

#48

Brock_Landers

Jan 05, 2015 14:53:00

SleepsInTraffic wrote:

#49

Synjin

Jan 05, 2015 15:13:51

I too haven't played for a long time. The spark was lost for me. Thankfully, that creative spark and interest has been re-kindled. No, that doesn't do the interest justice. more like dragonfire.

For the first time in over 10 years, I'm exited to play, create, and invest again.

(Reply to #49)

DungeonKrusher

Synjin wrote:

(Reply to #50)

ChrisCarlson

DungeonKrusher wrote:

(Reply to #50)

SleepsInTraffic

DungeonKrusher wrote:

#53

ORC_Cricket

Jan 05, 2015 16:35:25

We’ve removed content from this thread because of a violation of the Code of Conduct.

You can review the Code here: http://company.wizards.com/conduct

Please keep your posts polite, on-topic, and refrain from making personal attacks. You are welcome to disagree with one another but please do so respectfully and constructively.

Remember, a community is a joint effort of all those involved, and while we want intelligent meaningful and productive banter to ensue we also need it to be polite and considerate of others.

Thank you for your time and support as we continue to try and make a great community for everyone.

#54

guachi

Jan 05, 2015 18:21:53

I last played D&D in 1999 in a 2e campaign. I didn't stop because 3e came out; i don't even recall knowing 3e had come out. I stopped because life happened and I moved away from my friends. 15 years of D&D from 1984-1999 and then 15 years off.

5e has made me want to play again. I've sunk huge amounts of money (because I have a real job now!) in older material from ebay. Lots of dice (real dice you color in with a crayon), 1e adventures, BECMI adventures I didn't get the first time around, the tail end of the Mystara line I missed, the entire al-Qadim 2e line (awesome stuff! great condition and cheap boxed sets!), a bunch of the 2e Complete books (namely the DMGR series and green Historical line).

All told it's about $1000 dollars in six months. It's definitely money well spent. Although I'm amazed how much fun I had in those 15 years spending way less than that. Gaming can really be a cheap hobby. I could have upgraded my PC for that much but I've had way more fun with all the stuff I've bought. 5e is a great system and really easy to use with 35 year old modules. So far I've run U1 Sinister Secret of Saltmarsh ($15.75 shipped from ebay!), B2 Keep on the Borderlands which I owned from way back when, and am currently running B10 Night's Dark Terror ($5 from dnd classics, printed out, and bound with my comb binder I got as an X-mas present!).

I love, love, love 5e. I only wish WOTC had more stuff I actually wanted to purchase. Sadly I see nothing in 2015.

#55

Miladoon

Jan 05, 2015 19:51:35

I am running B6, B9, and B10 using 5E. I need to find Dwarves of Rockhome on dnd classics before my GAZ .pdf collection can be finalized. I am spending money on the hobby again.

#56

guachi

Jan 05, 2015 20:26:58

B6 and B10 are totally awesome and work very well together. I found a few updated fan made maps for B10. You should be able to find them easily with a Google search.

I'm not sure why Dwarves of Rockhome seems to have been skipped on the dndclassics site.

#57

Psikerlord

Jan 05, 2015 23:59:16

5e has inspired to make my own homebrew world to game in. I've never actually done that before in over 20 years RPG gaming (on and off). The magic is back baby yeah!

In terms of new material, I'm looking forward to (i) the online monthly unearthed arcana and (ii) adventures from 3rd party publishers.

#58

Neonflux

Jan 06, 2015 0:01:49

I'm another example of someone this latest edition has bought back into the fold.

Having begun with 2nd Edition, I was starting to lose interest by the time 3.5 came out and was finding the effort to reward ratio of running a game just wasn't doing it for me anymore.

About a decade passed where I focused on other hobbies when I started to have that world building itch a DM gets, so I looked at 4E but the 3 core PHBs was probably enough of a deterrent, I couldn't just pick up a single book to see where the game was at, (I've always liked bards, and from memory it wasn't even in the 1st PHB) A little looking around and I came across the early playtest info for D&D next, which reminded me a lot of the basic redbox. So I waited, everything I saw leading up to the release and since has been exactly what I was looking for.

I've played 3 sessions with friends that hadn't really played since high school, not to mention a guy that had never played before (who has since bought pretty much everything put out for this new edition) I agree with what other people have said here, the magic's back.

I'm currently looking at starting a game in a local RPG store next week as my regular group isn't enough.

(Reply to #41)

DarthSunshine

Rhenny wrote:

#60

Chiisai_Usagi

Jan 06, 2015 13:26:52

Psikerlord wrote:

#61

joeburgos

Jan 06, 2015 21:05:37

Wow, so I'm not the only one. 5e, and my renewed love for D&D is making me buy a bunch of 1e and 3e supplements. It's definitely rekindled my eBay shopping. So far I've picked up:

Book of Vile Darkness

FRCG

Silver Marches

Murder in Baldurs Gate

Against the Giants (G1-3)

Bunch of FR PDFs for 3e

#62

EthanSental

Jan 07, 2015 20:21:21

My 6 Sundering novels as well as the rise of Tiamat adventure hardcover came in today, so now I'll have all the D&D next/5e edition items WoTC has produced to date. Plenty of ready to keep this new found fire burning. Now I'm hoping for a Forgotten Realms sourcebook along with Dragonlance and Ravenloft (include popular NPC stats) in 2015.

(Reply to #43)

SigmaOne

Kishri wrote:

#64

joeburgos

Jan 09, 2015 7:21:54

This is also what I have heard from my gaming buddies who play PF. Personally I have never played it, but about a year ago I was at my FLGS and I was browsing the PF shelves (it was massive) and I felt intimidated by the sheer number of supplements. I am all about minimalism and simplicity, 2 things that I am getting from 5e. I am launching my Baldur's Gate campaign in 2 weeks and my group of players are super excited to use the advanced options in the PHB (we've been playing the starter box set adventure for 6 months).

(Reply to #50)

Azzy1974

DungeonKrusher wrote:

#66

Dave2

Jan 10, 2015 15:26:44

I would agree that this is one of the better editions of D&D. Perhaps the best. I am big fan of advantage and disadvantage and bounded accuracy. I will go as far to say this is the best RPG to come out in 2014& 2015.

#67

EthanSental

Jan 19, 2015 13:01:36

Not that Amazon sales are the be all sales data but I was glad to see the PHB was still number 51 in the sales top book sale today, 4 months after its release. DMG 56th.