D&D (2024) So Will 'OneD&D' (6E) Actually Be Backwards Compatible?

[Retreater]

I don' t think you will be correct. But if it will turn out like this, then I would hate that they added SRD5.1 to CC. Then I think harm has been done to me and many people who were looking forward to a consolidated 5e.

But as I said: very unlikely that they just give up and sell it.

I think Hasbro is in a tough financial position. Fans are pushing back against their plan to make D&D a billion dollar franchise. If they realize it cannot be done, then they are likely pulling resources to that IP (as they said their corporate strategy is).
What are big resources? Developing a huge VTT and online ecosystem. Toys and merchandise. Hollywood films. A new edition with heavy promotion.
So even if it's not sold, D&D may "Diminish, and Go Into The West, and Remain Galadriel.”

 

[UngeheuerLich]

I only used 1e adventures for 2e rules, I think 5e/5.5e will be way more compatible than even that.

No. It won't. I guess it will be about the same difficulty. And about as much as using a 3.0 adventure with 3.5.

Since we are keeping the same skills most probably, even easier than 3.0 -> 3.5...

 

[Jer]

Their goal is to sell a new PHB, and keep selling Curse of Strahd for several more years.

I remember a game store owner acquaintance back in the 90s who would complain often that TSR would not update the Temple of Elemental Evil, Against the Slavers, and Queen of Spiders mega modules to 2e or even just keep them in print as 1e adventures so he could order them. He felt those could have been evergreen sellers for him, while a lot of the 2e adventures were big misses for him.

If Wizards is finally taking that approach, I hope he's happy about it (oh who am I kidding - he was 30 years older than me. I hope he's retired and isn't thinking about how to stock his shelves anymore...)

 

[UngeheuerLich]

I think Hasbro is in a tough financial position. Fans are pushing back against their plan to make D&D a billion dollar franchise. If they realize it cannot be done, then they are likely pulling resources to that IP (as they said their corporate strategy is).
What are big resources? Developing a huge VTT and online ecosystem. Toys and merchandise. Hollywood films. A new edition with heavy promotion.
So even if it's not sold, D&D may "Diminish, and Go Into The West, and Remain Galadriel.”

"Fans" that would not have been consumers anyway for the most part. Look at this forum. A good amunt of the people who won't leave a good word on WotC and OneD&D already moved on well before that. So I do think the financial blow is not that hard.
But of course, it involves more risk and they can't risk another mistake. A single point of data (or two in 10 years) is not a trend, but two in short succession might be the start of one.

 

[GMforPowergamers]

Even in the playtest material we've seen there's already considerably more difference between 5E and 1D&D than 3E and 3.5E, but we're still well within tolerances for 1E to 2E.

this is where I am coming down too... very compatible on the DM side but will take some work on PC side

 

[Parmandur]

I've always assumed that it will be compatible with D&D5 the same way D&D3.5 was compatible with D&D3, or Pathfinder was compatible with D&D3.5, or a major league pitcher can play baseball with a little league team. So, both and neither.

My first reaction to them releasing the SRD 5.1 under CC-BY 4.0 was that they'd have to make oneD&D into D&D6, but the more I think about it the less that seems true. From a sales perspective, I'm sure D&D3.5 "killed" D&D3, and Pathfinder "killed" D&D3.5.

Even with competitors and clones in the marketplace, the chance that oneD&D will not still dominate the market in 2024 is virtually nil. Whether or not it is still dominating the marketplace in 2029 is a complete unknown.

Their thing the move seems to do, from my vantage point, is encourage 3PP to keep making D&D compatible material. So if OneD&D is backwards compatible, WotC still benefits from the competition through network externalities.

 

[Parmandur]

I think if they can achieve that for all classes, it would be a big argument to transition to OneD&D.
But actually they don't need us to switch.
If they opt to go the slow and steady route as with core 5e, new players will naturally just pick the new books and take the new online offers. And after a few years, 90% of the player base will play OneD&D.

Won't happen if the difference is too big, because they have to build up a whole new eco system and compete against themselves.

If the Starter Sets in Target are all OneD&D, the transition can be quite organic as the next generation of players comes in.

 

[Parmandur]

I remember a game store owner acquaintance back in the 90s who would complain often that TSR would not update the Temple of Elemental Evil, Against the Slavers, and Queen of Spiders mega modules to 2e or even just keep them in print as 1e adventures so he could order them. He felt those could have been evergreen sellers for him, while a lot of the 2e adventures were big misses for him.

If Wizards is finally taking that approach, I hope he's happy about it (oh who am I kidding - he was 30 years older than me. I hope he's retired and isn't thinking about how to stock his shelves anymore...)

I just saw seberal copies of Tyranny of Dragons in Target on Sunday.

A 9nyear old Advebture for sale in Target.

 

[payn]

I haven't seen anything that looks like it wont in the oneD&D playstests. A few changes to feats that don't really change the power structure will likely cause some folks to think differently though.

 

[DEFCON 1]

When it comes to D&D, I am unconcerned with compatibility. If I can take a product from a different edition and use it in my current game by just guesstimating some number changes on the fly and not require full mechanical changes to the game format... then it's compatible as far as I'm concerned.

So yeah... I expect 2024E to be compatible with 2014E. WotC would have to completely change the dice mechanics to a whole different game system for compatibility to go away. And I do not expect that to happen, because the game would no longer be Dungeons & Dragons at that point.