Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 Timpookie Nov 17, 2014 5:01:40	Should I get the 5e rulebooks, or just stick with the 4e rulebooks that I've invested in?   Oh, and why?
#2 mellored Nov 17, 2014 5:06:20	You can try it out for free here.   Their fairly different games, alot less tactics in 5e.
#3 CFK Nov 17, 2014 5:15:42	I'm currently making the same transition. We chose to go to 5th.   4th edition is/was great, but in our opinion 5th has more options and less game mechanics. We feel that 5th is more like the AD&D, while 4th is more like 3rd or 3.5.   Personally, I want to switch to 5th becouse of the market. For 4th there won't be any updates or new adventures. So even if you stick with it, in a few months/years you want an upgrade. Forums will be less frequent updated, books will stop or will be harder to find. See it as your OS on the computer. Windows XP wasn't bad, but still it went out of support.
#4 Theros Nov 17, 2014 5:23:33	I can understand not wanting to spend the money on a new game when you’ve already invested so much in 4th. But in my opinion 5th provides the superior experience.   The game has been rigorously playtested making combat easier, faster, and more fun.   The skills are more accessible to every class and the DC’s are lower allowing more opportunities for non-combat challenges for all characters.   The classes have been redesigned making them feel like actual people instead of a MMO style avatars.   Do yourself and your group a favor and upgrade.
#5 shpelley Nov 17, 2014 5:38:37	As mellored stated, looking over the free PDF document here will probably give you the most insight as to whether or not you'd enjoy 5E enough to switch (outside of actual play experience, of course). As for the "why", I won't go on about what 4E does/doesn't do well as you are the one playing it and know what you do and do not enjoy out of it. 5E's main pros and cons by my reckoning are (YMMV):   Pros: - Intuitive character creation - Quicker/more fluid combat - Bounded Accuracy (less time looking up fiddly modifiers) - A feeling of slow, steady progression through Class/Subclass Features and Proficiency Bonus - Emphasis on Rulings over Rules. - Backgrounds and the Personality Traits/Ideals/Bonds/Flaws "system"   Cons: - Character creation streamlined at cost of certain options - Quicker/more fluid combat at cost of system-defined tactical maneuvers - Rulings over Rules can create ambiguity which can be problematic (Hiding being the most debated)   Then there is the obvious caveat that 4E has literally *years* of content added onto it that 5E simply doesn't have as of yet (which also contributes to the "lack of options" issue)
#6 autolycus Nov 17, 2014 5:41:36	Each system encourages its own style of game.   4th edition is great for "encounter of the week" style play, where the most important thing is how the characters resolve a combat against an opposing force. It is also good for "wu-xia" battles where Flaming Wyvern Strike faces off against Stone Pilar Stance.   5th edition is much more traditional with its approach to combat. This can have the effect of making the fights less overtly dramatic. But it also means the fights are over faster. So if you want to move the focus away from combat and more into the other adventuring pillars it may be the edition for you. Or if you want to have several fights per session where the characters bounce from one quick combat to another 5th may also be your system.   Figure out what you like to play and go with what serves that need.
#7 iserith Nov 17, 2014 5:52:15	Play both.
#8 joeburgos Nov 17, 2014 6:05:45	Timpookie wrote:
#9 Timpookie Nov 17, 2014 6:07:13	CFK wrote:
#10 Timpookie Nov 17, 2014 6:08:31	autolycus wrote:
#11 Timpookie Nov 17, 2014 6:10:19	iserith wrote:
#12 iserith Nov 17, 2014 6:22:49	Timpookie wrote:
#13 Kentus Nov 17, 2014 6:28:47	Here are my reasons blogged to switch over to 5e. But it may be very player-dependend.   One of my players is pretty bad at changing systems (first to 4e, now to 5e), and he brought some good points, why the 4e is a good system in itself: Great ways of optimizing/customizing your character, a combat system which rewards tactical planning and a way to learn resource management masterfully (which comes in handy when playing 5e, too). So if your players are more up to that, 4e will be definitely be the better system.   But in the end especially the latter rulebooks which were enhancing the power even more needlessly and the fact, that every battle in the mid-to-late levels of every tier becomes a grind-feast.   I still don't know if the 5e is ultimately better, but for now I still have a hell lot of fun and it seems to enhance my way of DMing better.
#14 Gnarl Nov 17, 2014 6:29:02	Timpookie wrote:
#15 IxidorRS Nov 17, 2014 6:40:12	I'm in with the "both" crowd. Our 4th ed group dried up awhile back. I'm loving 5th but still miss some of the things you could do with a character in 4th. At the same time, the power/system/class/etc bloat. Ugh.
#16 joeburgos Nov 17, 2014 7:10:58	Timpookie wrote:
#17 JohnLynch Nov 17, 2014 7:32:42	Do you find that 4th ed has any shortcomings or aspects that you dislike? If no, then stick with it. Why would you stop using a system that meets your needs after spending all that money on it.   If you do feel 4th ed has some less than desirable elements could you list them? That way we can tell you if 5th ed has resolved those issues or whether they're still present.
(Reply to #17) bawylie	JohnLynch wrote:
#19 Gnarl Nov 17, 2014 8:01:05	JohnLynch wrote:
#20 Artifact Nov 17, 2014 8:16:44	iserith wrote:
#21 joeburgos Nov 17, 2014 8:39:12	Artifact wrote:
#22 Timborama Nov 17, 2014 8:45:12	We're playing "both" currently, but the full-on switch will come with the new year. Last 4E session ever will be this week! Oh boy are they in for a nasty surprise...   That being said, every version of DnD I've played has things I like and things I dislike. While I have enjoyed my time playing 4E, 5th ed is a welcome breathe of fresh air, and harking back to the playstyle my group started with. There are a things in 4E that aren't in 5th that I will miss, but we are more than happy to make the switch. If only for the fact that 4E "had its time" or "ran its course" and now it's 5th ed's turn!   So, I suggest doing the same. Read the rules, play a few sessions, and see which you like better. If anything, you can just alternate, running 2 campaigns. Or have 2 different groups
#23 JohnLynch Nov 17, 2014 8:50:59	bawylie wrote:
#24 FFSAA Nov 17, 2014 11:23:11	5E's DMG isn't even out yet.  If you don't mind going from a system with 20+ books to one with 2 then go ahead.
#25 Shasarak Nov 17, 2014 12:06:12	Timpookie wrote:
#26 Mistwell Nov 17, 2014 13:17:42	FFSAA wrote:
#27 DaveDash Nov 17, 2014 13:28:39	I enjoyed 4e, but 5e has killed 4e for me. I cant quite explain why but 5e has bought me fully back into the d&d fold, more than since being a teenager playing AD&D.
#28 Shasarak Nov 17, 2014 13:31:35	Mistwell wrote:
#29 Mistwell Nov 17, 2014 13:53:23	Shasarak wrote:
#30 MechaPilot Nov 17, 2014 13:57:55	Timpookie wrote:
#31 pukunui Nov 17, 2014 14:03:14	MechaPilot wrote:
#32 Shasarak Nov 17, 2014 14:22:36	Mistwell wrote:
#33 caridhor Nov 17, 2014 15:24:40	While I consider 5th to be so far a major downgrade from 4th and grossly overpriced for content (and there are many who disagree with me as well)  I would say play both, don't stop playing what you like. Use the free 5th ed stuff and grab some other stuff second hand, it goes alot cheaper on sites like bartertown. They are completely different games so playing both isnt really a bad thing. 5th has played surprisingly well for us over skype with a party so geographically spread out.  while I personally hate going back to spell lists, the familiarity of it for older players and its overall "old feel" makes it easier to pick up. Also the modules are pretty much useable for any edition so thats a plus.
#34 Azzy1974 Nov 17, 2014 15:42:04	Timpookie wrote:
#35 Timpookie Nov 17, 2014 16:06:28	JohnLynch wrote:
#36 JohnLynch Nov 17, 2014 16:10:12	In that case I'd say giving 5e a try could be worthwhile. That said it is significantly different so I wouldn't recommend ditching 4e but instead playing both at least for a little while to make sure there's things about 5e that you really dislike.   Also there is plenty of advice on how to speed up combat in 4e. If you haven't used any of it I would recommend trying that first.
#37 Timpookie Nov 17, 2014 16:14:43	JohnLynch wrote:
#38 Chiisai_Usagi Nov 17, 2014 16:20:47	Timpookie wrote:
#39 iserith Nov 17, 2014 16:24:03	Timpookie wrote:
#40 Rhenny Nov 17, 2014 19:42:18	Of course you should try before you buy.     I'm finding that as DM and a player 5e is giving me more balance between combat, interaction and exploration than 4e did.  Focus in 4e is on the encounter while the focus in 5e is on the adventuring day.  This design choice makes 5e more like 1e and 2e.     I can run low to mid level game sessions with 5e that have 2 or 3 combat encounters, some interaction with NPCs or monsters, and some exploration of a site or an area or two all in a 1 1/2 hour session.     5e scratches more of my RPG itch and works better for my DMing and playing style.     Give it a shot and see what you think.
#41 Shasarak Nov 17, 2014 19:46:56	iserith wrote:
#42 Zardnaar Nov 17, 2014 20:01:40	Shasarak wrote:
#43 Timpookie Nov 18, 2014 2:02:09	iserith wrote:
#44 Kazadvorn Nov 18, 2014 7:59:25	Two different games... that's the feeling I've come to.   I like them both, for different reasons. I really see no reason to choose one over the other, any more than I see a need to choose between playing Catan or Pandemic.
#45 sleypy Nov 18, 2014 8:07:58	Shasarak wrote: