D&D 4th Edition
According to Slashdot, Wizards will be releasing D&D 4th edition in the next year or so. Described as “evolutionary,” it promises to be the most interactive version of the game yet, with online and offline content tied together as well as online versions of the no-longer-printed Dragon and Dungeon magazines. It’s an interesting development, although not entirely unexpected.
I’ve played Dungeons & Dragons for the past 15 years. In that time, I’ve loved every edition of the game. I read almost every supplement, I put together incredibly complex characters, and I still DM at least a few times a month.
That being said, I have mixed feelings about a new edition. It feels to me like version 3.5 hasn’t had enough time to mature. I remember getting my 3.5 core book set in early 2005, so it’s only been out for about two-and-a-half years. In that time, I’ve had some grand campaigns, and I think the system is pretty solid as-is.
Is there room for improvement? Yes, in as much as there’s always room for improvement. Still, I have to ask whether or not 3.5 is worth messing with. It isn’t just Wizards of the Coast; thousands of players and DMs have put a lot of work into their 3.5 games. Do we want to throw that all away and start from scratch, especially considering the current game isn’t that bad?
I honestly don’t know. I like my 3.5 campaigns and characters. When 4th edition comes out, I know I’ll spring for it, and I’ll probably like the changes that have been made.
I guess it just seems too soon…