Here in the OOC, I'm going to try a new idea, or rather, a stolen one. Every so often, I'll post a topic and try to get some conversation going here in the OOC. At least until I forget about it or something.

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Is 5th Edition / D&D Next out yet? What's it like? What does the new Forgotten Realms look like? Have they undone the Spellplague or gone back in time, or is it edition-neutral like I've heard? What's going on?

Yeah, I haven't followed D&D and FR since 4th edition came out. I'm completely out of the loop.

The Starter Kit for DnD 5 is out.  Tuesday is the release date (8/19) for the Players Guide, and I think the DMG is coming out some time in November.

I have played a little bit with it, during the playtest and since they released the Core rules. (Read the free part) And so far I've been pleased.  I like the way that they have a good mix of magical abilities for clerics and mages such that they don't have nothing to do after their 2 spells are gone.  They aren't anything too powerful so it doesn't make the group over powered too quickly, so it gives the magic users a little more balance.

I haven't seen much in the way of the worlds yet, and where that is going.  I want to get into the world stuff soon and just see where they are trying to go with it.

I hear tell that the first module (don't remember if it's the one in the starter kit or the one due out later) is set in the Forgotten Realms... something about preventing Tiamat from coming back to the Realms for something like that. Sounds fairly cool to me. And like Kilric I've heard some good things about it. One of the reviews I read mentioned that it has a feel to it like a good 'remix' of old 1st edition flavor combined with all the good stuff from the later editions.

I still play in a long standing 1st edition game, and I have to say there isn't much similarity between 5 and First.

Well I suppose that isn't entirely correct.  First was relatively simple from a depth perspective.  The rules were fairly simple, but fairly inflexible.  Of course there were add-ons later that expanded some of the base rules, like the grappling rules for example.  The more they tried to add to it, the more complicated first edition got.

First is exceptionally hard on Magic users early on.  No HP, very little magic and almost nothing else truly useful.  In later levels though they became fearfully powerful.

I think this version tries to get back to a "rules light" functionality.  There is a fairly short class list, I think the starter set has 4 classes, and a few additional, mostly non game altering, background types that help to fill in your backstory.  (This gives skills proficiency and some gear options.)  Skills are much simpler than they are in 3rd.  There is a relatively short list of skills of which anyone can use.  They are all simply based on your characters stats, with the few skills that you have proficiency with.  Instead of Skill ranks, there is a single "Proficiency Bonus" that applies to all skills, weapons, saves, etc, that you have proficiency with.

I like that side of it.  Less to keep track of as the game moves on really.  A little setup in the beginning and then you simply play.  Gaining levels gives benefits but they are eay to track.  (Unlike Feats which could sometimes be a bear to follow)

Ok, I didn't mean to make this a book.  So I'll stop now, but I like what I have seen and can't wait to play again outside the beta.

It's odd that the release dates are staggered like that. No DMG for a month or two? Is no-one going to run a game until then?

It seems like a few FR modules have already been released, or least tidbits of them appear on the wiki. It hasn't been easy to find information.

Are these the free starter kit rules?
http://dnd.wizards.com/articles/features/basicrules

4th edition must have had the shortest run of any D&D edition, not counting 3.0. I guess that means it was a bit of a flop?

Eh, I'm still not really looking for a new D&D. Too invested in 3.x and too disappointed with 4th. Right now, I want to apply the Vortex system of Doctor Who: Adventures in Time and Space to everything. :)

I've tried to gain a glimpse into what's new with the new edition and stumbled upon a youtube video talking about just that, which seemed helpful to me at the time.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?...jhjzQq1RA5wsl531i70P

Also, I'll bite, what's great about the Vortex System? I've been focusing more on rulesets lately, so I have a genuine interest.

I actually find DnD; in all it's incarnations, from a RP-point of view, one of the weaker rule systems out there.

Do I enjoy it? Yeah sure; I do (except 4e.) But I generally play it not so much because I think it's the best system; but because it's easiest to find players for.

I like Next. 3e requires a fair amount of rule mastery to really work, and is not something I would recommend for anyone not planning on investing the time to study. Next is simpler, yet offers enough options not to become completely bland.

I'm all for playing a game, but will not have time to DM it right now. Anyone prepared to step up to the plate?

I don't know too many rulesets, so I'm not really good at judging and comparing them. But now that I've gotten into some great DWAITAS games (willvr knows ;) ) I've become quite enamoured of the DWAITAS/Vortex system. Cubicle 7 use it for their Primeval and Rocket Age settings, but it's so flexible I think it could patched it onto a lot of other settings. I think it would be great for Star Trek, as they suit similar ethics and stories, and many settings and campaigns that rely on investigation and RP more than combat.

It's quite rules-light, everything comes down to the same sort of check and difficulties. You roll 2d6 + Attribute + Skill plus any bonuses from Traits and such. Unlike D&D, attributes (ingenuity, awareness, presence, strength, resolve, coordination) are not specific to skills. If you want to find out what's wrong with a machine, roll Awareness + Technology, if you want to fix it, roll Ingenuity + Technology, that sort of thing. It's flexible, so can find always find a combination to suit what you want do. (Microlite d20 and those based on it do something similar.)

Checks are either opposed or against a set difficulty like in D&D, but have a varied scale of results. Roll really high, you get a "Yes, And..." result, meaning you succeed in the task and get a bonus. Just pass or just fail, you get a "Yes, But..." or a "No, But..." meaning you either succeed, but it isn't as good, or you fail, but it isn't as bad. A total failure in a "No, And" means things get much worse. The GM or even players can pick outcomes. So the story can be quite surprising with ups and downs and swings of fortune. A high roll or a high score isn't wasted but gives extra benefit to the PCs, though a GM would have to run a lot on the fly.

Another key part is Story Points. Players and special NPCs can use them to gain bonuses to rolls, reduce the severity of a failure or make it a success, reduce injury, gain clues or nudge the story in certain directions, or do something the rules or common sense don't ordinarily allow. When you really need it, you can be awesome. :D On the other hand, players can gain back story points by accepting negative events like getting captured, doing something heroic, taking an injury, or playing up a character trait at a key point. Or a GM can just reward/bribe the PCs. Players can let themselves be defeated and captured, gain some points, be taken to the enemy's lair, learn their schemes, then use those points to help defeat them. So, SPs can keep the story interesting and dramatic, allows both players and GMs to influence the story. It's all very flexible and story-based.

Traits are like feats and flaws, giving bonuses or penalties, or extra abilities. You can buy psychic powers, alien abilities, all the same way. Some are plot-hooks you can use or the GM can use against you. Some are just personality based and have no direct effect, but if you play them up, you get Story Points or find they have a subtler influence. Play up Impulsive or Insatiable Curiosity, and just find trouble. :)

Combat is underdeveloped, being Doctor Who. Two opposed rolls, flat damage is done. Talkers always go first, before Movers, who go before Doers, and Fighters act last in round. It seems to fall in a heap in an extended, complex conflict, with all the actions and reactions in each phase and penalties for how many times you act, which I think would be difficult to keep track of.

On the other hand, you can weaponise screaming and can defeat your enemies by running away with the well-developed chase rules and stunts. I've found it allows for some amazing parkour scenes. :D

I tried to organise my first tabletop game as a GM last week, running DWAITAS and module oneshots. Sadly, I didn't get a peep of interest.

It's actually quite similar to Eden Studios' cinematic unisystem games; except it uses a 2d6 system as opposed to a d10 system. The company seems a bit better organised/managed as well; though that says nothing as Eden Studios makes TSR in its final days look like a model of efficiency.

It would be awesome as a tabletop game; but it actually works very well in PbP; which not all games do. It doesn't handle combat well; but it's not really required. If you get into a massive fight scene in Doctor Who; you've already failed.

 Now if only someone whispered that to the scriptwriters... ^_-

One thing to remember the free rules are being up dated as things come out.
The idea in Next that seems closest to first edition is stressing that the player's are the Heroes and that is different then your average man on the street.
That said I have yet to see this idea hard wired into the rules, but have to check the latest version of the free rules DM set.