[Rumor] Wizards dropping 4E in favor of Essentials line?

[wanderer]

So is D&D essentials a throw back to 3.5 or a streamlined 4.0?

Neither, it's more like 4th Edition refocused. Essentials will play like 4th Edition, but all the classes, races, powers, monsters, etc. have been revised, possibly streamlined, and possibly balanced better.

There's a good link to some insider information about the line in this thread.

[wanderer]

Anyone have updates on the Essentials line post-Gen Con?

[Novan]

Here's a breakdown of everything they talked about at the WoTC conference:

http://critical-hits.com/2010/08/07/gen ... s-seminar/

And you can listen to the entire WoTC conference at:

http://thetome.podbean.com/

I'ts long but very good.

And here are some picts from the conference going over Essentials and all of 2011 releases:

http://twitpic.com/photos/newbiedm

[wanderer]

Wow, thanks Novan. Lots to check out.

[Jedi Samurai]

Hopefully with better art direction.

Yeah, there weren't nearly enough spikes, blades and piercings on the monsters.

the comic book crowd can relate to that with the rob liefeld era all the ammo pouches and straps and buckles spikes and pointless cybernetic limbs

[jenskot]

At Gencon they repeated several times that this rumor is untrue.

That said, the Essentials lines changes many of the base class features and powers, skill challenges, and monsters. They are also re-releasing essentially the DMG and MM. Everything is supposed to be compatible. But given the number of versions of the same content, the amount of changes added to the existing steady flow of errata (which they addressed as an issue that they are working on) at this point I would rather the Essentials line take over. They are even releasing a greatly changed DM screen. I'm glad I only bought the 4E PHB, MM, DMG1, DMG2!

These issues aside, I saw the Essentials demo and it looks rock solid. The game is improving and moving forward. It's also become more focused rather than less (like in the past), sending more 3E and pro simulationist fans who don't like the abstract tactics over to Pathfinder. But hopefully this will also mean picking up new fans.

[Jedi Samurai]

more than likely support for 4 e will simply stop without any announcment or declaration and they will never call essentials 5e then a few years later essentials will become either AD&D essentials or essentials 2e

[Questionor]

sending more 3E and pro simulationist fans who don't like the abstract tactics over to Pathfinder. But hopefully this will also mean picking up new fans.

Hmm how is this pathfinder thing? I'm confused though. It isn't from wizards (is it?). Why would they be sending customers away to another company instead of having a different product for the other people?

[jenskot]

Pathfinder is D&D 3E kept alive as a product line by Paizo through the OGL license which allows non Wizards of the Coast companies to use specified 3E content.

3E material (not just the rules) in general is meant to make you feel like your part of the world. It's trying to simulate the fiction, which sometimes de-emphasizes or conflicts with the tactical parts of the game. 4E is very streamlined and focused on the tactical parts. The fiction is still there but integrating the fiction and the rules is mainly left to the player. For example, in 4E you may have a power that says "when the kick ass class drinks a kick ass potion, inflict 20 damage, heal 2 friends, and jump 4 squares." In 3E, there would be fictional reasons why all this happens with extended descriptions and reasons why only the kick ass class is allowed to drink kick ass potions, where in 4E it just says you can't and if the players care they must make up a reason why.

I suspect a large portion of the existing RPG audience prefers games that simulate fiction. But outside of the RPG audience, I suspect Wizards believes (and they may be right, I have no idea) there are more gamers that don't care as much (look at the explosion of Board Game players for example). So 4E was designed for a new audience. Where D&D in the past tried to attract multiple audiences, sometimes with conflicting interests. Now much of the old audience is converting over to Pathfinder.

Pathfinder sales are exploding. They had over 1,200 different people play their official events at Gencon. I'm fairly certain they sold more Advanced Player Guides than Wizards sold Darksun books. And some people renamed the ENnie Awards to the Paizo Awards given how many awards they won!

That said, I have no idea why Wizards didn't release 2 types of D&D games. 1 for simulation heavy players and 1 for tactical players. There are many business reasons why or why not to do it. It depends on too many factors that I couldn't begin to guess. I think it is clear they are losing existing market share. I have no idea if they are breaking into new markets. The new Ravenloft Boardgame and Essentials 4E definitely has the potential to do so.

[wanderer]

I have no idea why Wizards didn't release 2 types of D&D games. 1 for simulation heavy players and 1 for tactical players.

One could argue that Wizards tried this when they were supporting both D&D Miniatures and 3rd Edition.