D&D 5E The Physical D&D Next Books

[delericho]

To make later supplements attractive in print form, I'd love to see important, major supplements get the full-sized, hardcover, full color, big-book treatment. Ptolus!!! Well, maybe not quite that big, but big and meaty, no more of those skinny hardcovers from 4E. Imagine the next Manual of the Planes, or Draconomicon, being a true TOME! Again, expensive, sure.

I like that idea. Also, I would quite like to eventually see an "Encyclopedia Version" of the game - the game, complete and entire, presented across several large tomes, with all the races gathered together, all the classes gathered together, all built for easy referencing...

Of course, that's a dream. But it's a pleasant one.

 

[Lanefan]

Hardcover books for me, please.

Boxed sets, while nice, tend to contain lots of smaller bits that get separated and lost over time.

And if the books are to be smaller i.e. Essentials-sized, do 'em up right like the 2e Spell and Item Compendia. That said, I prefer the larger size.

Lanefan

 

[Wednesday Boy]

I prefer hardcover books only. I loathe boxed sets--it's almost always full of extra stuff that I never use.

 

[MoxieFu]

Having a box set for Beginners or Basic set of rules is a must. It's what non-gamers understand as a game. They just don't grok a game being a book. A box is also ideal for sale in game and toy stores. The game must be sold in Toys R Us and Walmart if it is to gain new audience. I can easily imagine people who would pick it up and play it with their kids, but would never buy a large book or multiple books. It is a must however that this be a fully playable game and not just a demo. You must be able to create your own characters for this game.

After that I like the idea of a Core book for levels 1-20 or maybe even just levels 1-10. Basically just extending what was started in the beginner's box.

Next they can get into the multi-book core game, similar to the way first edition AD&D was considered a "complete" game in three books. Of course more books can be added for monsters, but I wouldn't see PHB II or DMG II or beyond. The material there would be best served in the next group of books.

The final tier of books extends the game for those who want it. Alternate systems as found in Unearthed Arcana, Campaign settings, Manual of the Planes, etc. Third or Fourth edition could be reproduced here.

I know the issue exists that so many would stop at just the lower levels at the beginning of what can be purchased. I do think that so many people who wouldn't buy at all could more than make up for any losses. Furthermore those who do buy in at the lower level of a box set or the first omnibus volume could be enticed into investing further into the game.

 

[ChainSawHobbit]

This is how I would like to see the D&D Next core products released.

Started Set: This would be the introduction to the game for new players, and the introduction to the new edition for existing players. It would cover levels 1-10, and would only contain the four iconic classes.

• 64-page player's book.
• 92-page DM's book.
• 32-page adventure.
• Blank character sheet.
• Four pregen characters.
• A couple of sheets of tokens.
• Three or four sheets of dungeons tiles.

Advanced Set: This would be the "sequel" to the Starter Set. It would cover levels 11-20, and would contain the Ranger, Paladin, and Warlord classes.

• 64-page player's book.
• 92-page DM's book.
• 32-page adventure.
• A couple of sheets of tokens.
• Some more dungeon tiles.

Forgotten Realms Boxed Set: This would be the considered part of the core experience, since the Forgotten Realms would be the default D&D Next setting. It would cover the entire history of the Realms, but would have an emphasis on the era before the Time of Troubles.

• 64-page player's book, giving an introduction to the Realms, presenting some Realms-based character options, and perhaps presenting a new class like the Bladesinger.
• 92-page DM's book.
• 32-page adventure.
• A couple of sheets of tokens.
• Even more dungeon tiles.

After that, supplements aimed at players would be softcover books, and supplements aimed at dungeon masters would be boxed sets.

 

[Nebulous]

I don't mind if they keep to the same PHB/DMG/MM hardback trilogy. Keep the basics simple, levels 1-20. Later, release an Immortals handbook for levels 21+ that adds in new rules and advanced complexity for gamers that want that.

I prefer boxes for campaign settings and mega-adventures, not my core rules. And i really don't need piles of monster tokens.

 

[Keldryn]

Given the stated goals of the new D&D game, I would not be surprised to see the basic core rules resembling a modernized hybrid of B/X D&D and AD&D.

What if the "starter set" itself came with a Player's Book (featuring the classic races and character classes), a DM's Books, and a third book (32 pages perhaps) featuring the first set of add-ons for races and classes? This third book could include the most popular 3e and 4e options such as tieflings, dragonborn, eladrin, sorcerers, warlocks, warlords, etc. It could also include rules for adding healing surges to the game (assuming that they aren't part of the core).

There will of course be some players who are unhappy that the options they want aren't available right out of the game, but this sort of structure would allow those who want a more "traditional" game to leave out the elements that they don't like, while those who want to use those elements will have a good selection of them available without having to wait or buy additional supplements.

 

[MoxieFu]

If you make the hard-core haters of 4e pay for anything in the core that includes material that 4e introduced you are just going to cheese them off all over again, even if it's considered optional. The point is, you just make them pay for it. Also there's that implicit push for players to use it since it's in the core to begin with.

Nobody likes having things forced on them that they don't like.

 

[Christopher Hawkins]

My one big hope with the physical books of the next edition is that they return to the 3e-era of cover art. I recently went over to the house of a friend who has an extensive library of 3e/3.5 books (mostly core, Ebberon & Forgotten Realms), and they look fantastic sitting on his shelf. The old designs made them look like actual tomes of lore, rather than simply being game-books. There is something so satisfying about opening and flicking through those books. They are physical objects that I would be glad to own, and happy to display in a prominent position in my collection.

That's my 2 coppers, anyway..

 

[Olgar Shiverstone]

Skip boxes except for the introductory game that is fully complete for low-level play.

I'd like a quality hard-bound book, more durable than recent WotC printings -- textbook quality with quality paper and color artwork. It's got to survive years of gaming sessions, and softcover can't do that. Plus you should get a free digital copy for laptop/tablet use with purchase of the book. And as a player my view is I should have to purchase only one product to be able to play the core game. Splitting the PHB over three boxed sets is a non-starter to me, and where both Essentials and 4E went wrong.

I'm fine with a $30 price point for the above.

But of course it all depends on content execution. Great packaging with crap content equals crap product.