The birth of a new D&D
Wizards of the coast tried something they’d not done before with the new D&D, an open public play-test. This is where my journey with 5th edition started.
My group has been together now for nearly a decade, we’ve played 3.5e, Pathfinder, 4e and many other systems in-between. When DnD Next, the public play-test, was first announced we took the first text packet of documents and ran a one off session. Everyone liked the way it played and felt, but didn’t want to dedicate to unfinished system, instead we ended up playing Castles and Crusades for a year. Many of us though were looking forward to, and getting excited about the the 40th anniversary release of 5th edition.
Release of the new version
Many of my group snapped up the core rule books as they were released month on month. I myself eagerly cycled the 20 miles to the nearest local game store, too impatient to wait for amazon to get theirs in stock a four night later. I rushed home in a furious blur of pedals and devoured the Player’s Handbook page by page.
I think it was very telling that when the next game session arrive the largest complaint from my fellow gamers was about about a piece of artwork. In a book that was full to the brim with breathtaking beautiful artwork that one picture for many of us just didn’t gel. The system we all though was brilliant and couldn’t wait to try it out, but we agreed to wait for the Dungeon Master’s guide and Monster Manual before we started playing.
We did prepare though, by creating an brand new collaboratively build campaign world to play in.
Collaborative world design
Given we had a few months to prepare in we put the time to good use creating a vibrant and living world to play in. I recommend this as a group activity if you’ve never tried it before.
We started with a blank sheer of paper and a map, agreeing we should kick things off with a single kingdom, or continent. Everyone contributed ideas for towns, cities, history, factions and NPCs.
A major part of this design for me as DM was to write questionnaires for the players, to assist with their PC backgrounds. From these we fleshed out the world even further. By the time were we were done the Monster Manual was released and we started the following Monday.
5e in action
Everyone arrive with their characters ready to go and dove right in with the Starter Box adventure, with Phandalin already slotted into our new and shiny Kingdom of Glédemoor, and various Phandalin threads woven into some of the PCs backgrounds. We started off with a ranger, paladin, wizard, thief and a bard, and heartily enjoyed the first few levels.
We were collectively pleased with the tweaked power curve and the general flattening of level related bonuses. Everyone loved the advantage mechanic and its resulting removal of a lot of situational bonuses. No more plus two from here, there, and everywhere!
Later we were joined by a cleric and a monk, rounding out the party to a healthy 6 to 7 players from week to week. They righted wrongs, put evil to the sword, made some gold, joined the adventures guild, won a prestigious competition and started a collection of dragon heads.
By the time they hit level seven they had saved the capital of Glédemoor from a forty foot insane metal and clockwork giant who called himself ‘The Brass Master’, and were personally rewarded by the King, becoming known as ‘The King’s Heroes’
A year later
A year and a bit later we are still playing the same characters in the same campaign. None have died yet, but many have come close.
Our thief is now a a wererat. Our paladin has rebirthed a religion. Our ranger travelled back in time and became the childhood hero she once worshipped. Our wizard has grown in power greatly and still slaughters necromancers with no questions asked. Our bard has saved the party more times than can be counted. Our cleric has been ill and keeps wandering off.
Our monk is still useless, aged, and a bit thick.
All the players agree that 5th edition is a most fine example of D&D, for many its reminiscent of earlier edition that they have fond memories of, but plays smoother and faster with its refined and tidied ruleset, simplification of math and reduction in power creep.
Personally I think WotC did an incredible job, their aim was to bring make a game that fans of all the previous editions would enjoy and I think that nailed that as well as anyone could have.
It may be that it’s too good and WotC have no where to go with any improvements. I hope they simply continue to concentrate on releasing great supporting stuff as they have been. We’re all looking forward to ‘The Curse of Strand’ and I’m hoping we see a number of meaty campaign books in the coming years. Dark Sun in particular, but I’d also love to see Eberron, Dragonlance, Birthright and all those old worlds that are quite liberally referenced throughout the new Player’s Handbook.
So all in all we love the new version. How about you? Still loving it a year later? Let us know in the comments.