Standard Gold

The blog post that CHANGED EVERYTHING?  (Spoiler alert: nothing actually changed)

Here's the gist.  A 4th edition D&D designer, Robert J. Schwalb, was hired to "fly the 4e flag", bringing 4e fans' preferences and concerns to the 5e table.  Obviously, 4e fans want influence just as 3e fans, 2e fans, straight down the line.  Well, there wouldn't be any hubbub, except that 4e designer brought on board rejected 3/4e playstyles and design goals.  Seems as though he's found the old school love just as many of us have.

Now, just to be clear, there are 4e innovations embedded within 5e's DNA... there's just hard to see.  My guess is about 5%.  5e is mostly an amalgamation of OD&D, AD&D, 2e, and 3e (without much 3.5).  I'm calling it the "compromise edition", as are many others.  It's a little bit of this and that from the past 40 years.

You'd think, OK, this guy's had a change of heart and prefers one thing over another now.  Like he helped invent Chicago deep-dish pizza and then years later was asked to help create the ultimate pizza only to realize that deep-dish ain't so great after all.  Fair enough.  No biggie.  Let's move on.

Nope.  Shit's gone crazy in the wake of this "revelation" that 4th edition wasn't awesome for a lot of D&D fans.  Chances are, you've read some of the fallout / rejoicing (depending on which side your on).  This probably doesn't come as actual news.  Although, if it does, then... you're welcome, I guess.  Just remember one thing - you'll never got those hours of your life back.  Ever!


VS


p.s.  From GnomeWorks on TheRPGsite:  Originally Posted by Mike Mearls, commenting on Schwalb's blog post (commenting on the hateful comments, actually).

"Revolutions are never painless. Sorry you're on the frontline catching flack, but I can't think of a single RPG designer I've talked to in the past year who wants to design games for the faction hassling you over this blog post. That crowd has managed to burn their own house down, and nobody is coming to rebuild it. Turns out when you treat designers like crap, they stop wanting to court your business."