D&D Next release this summer!... and fall

Who's excited? :)

The "big three" core books are staggered to come out between August and November, which is kind of hard to take, but at least we've got the (relatively cheap) Starter Box to hold us over, starting in mid-July...

It's interesting that WotC has admitted that the art for the PH and the DMG are inspired by content native to Greyhawk, despite the fact that Forgotten Realms is the only "official" setting for 5e so far. (That's King Snurre Ironbelly from the Hall of the Fire Giant King on the PH, and Acererak himself on the DMG.) Maybe a renaissance for Greyhawk is in the works. :)

And I'm pleased to see they've stopped printing edition numbers.

It's just "D&D" :)

You certainly sound excited MarvinGardens. You'll have to report back as you get them.

Very cool. I've already (pre-)ordered the Starter Set on Amazon. I sincerely hope they manage to turn it around in this version. The playtest stuff looked mostly promising, from what I saw - but I think there are still a few surprises left in store...

Somewhat unrelated: Whenever I see a picture featuring a dragon + one or more adventurers, it always strikes me how there should really be a much higher incidence of Total Party Kills when those scenes actually transpire in the game... :)

And in a related story... "Basic D&D" 5E will be available for immediate download from WotC for... FREE.

http://wizards.com/dnd/Article.aspx?x=dnd/4ll/20140527

And this isn't like the old Basic from the days of AD&D 1.0; it's not a different game or rule-set. It's the core rules for the new D&D, allowing you to run simple campaigns for human/dwarf/elf/halflings who are fighters/clerics/rogues/wizards up to level 20.

Want more races or classes? They are in the full PHB. More guidance on creating detailed campaigns? That's in the new DMG. More fearsome beasts? You guessed it. But it's pretty cool if this quotation is accurate:

Basic D&D is the true heart of the game and could easily provide a lifetime of gaming.

...for free.

EDIT: By "immediate download" I meant that a initial version will be available in June, with the Starter Set. (I can't figure out if it requires the Starter Set, but it does seem like they are meant to be companions.) The "full" version of Basic D&D will be available in August, when the new Player's Handbook is published... Sorry if I got anyone excited. ;)

Sounds like you are excited Mike too Mike, I'll expect some feedback once you get the starter set. I agree with you about the dragons and Total Party Kills, I've beefed them up for my campaign and there's no way anyone is going to kill one unless they are really well prepared.

I actually cancelled my preorder for the Starter Set once it became clear what it actually was... i.e. a "tutorial"-style adventure module with pre-gen characters (+ dice).

Seems like until the PHB and "full" Basic edition is published in August, the only way to play is by combining the Starter Set with the partial Basic document they are publishing next month - but then (again) you're playing a pre-fab adventure, not making your own.

I can wait for August. :) My group has Dungeon World and 13th Age to hold us over.

Ok, I lied. I couldn't wait for August at all. :D

The first version of the Basic Rules landed yesterday (for free), and will be updated in August (with monsters & more DM resources). It looks fantastic. Really recaptures the feel of being introduced to RPGs in the first place - and it's super-friendly for new or occasional/casual players.

http://www.wizards.com/dnd/Article.aspx?x=dnd/basicrules

A variety of good-looking 5th-edition character sheets are also available for download.

http://www.wizards.com/dnd/Tool.aspx?x=dnd/4new/tool/charactersheet

AND I succumbed to temptation and purchased the Starter Set too... Basically, a pared-down set of rules and a BIG starter adventure module + some pre-gen characters & a set of dice. (Can't have too many dice.) ;)

I want that Monster Manual.

I've read through the Starter Set and Basic rules, and although I'm trying to be pumped about it, I have "critical" observations so far...

1. Compared to the Pathfinder Beginner Box that Paizo put out 2-3 years ago, this Starter Set is pretty sad. Paizo had BETTER booklets (glossy, art-filled, and FAR better suited to getting new players on their feet), better dice, a wet-/dry-erase battle-mat, and dozens of their cool little monster and PC pawns! The D&D thing doesn't even come close! It's a bunch of text that's clearly been copy/pasted out of the forthcoming Player's Handbook and an adventure module for Levels 1-3.

Other than that it's a box full of air! Seriously.

Now, maybe a set of dice and an a decent adventure are not bad for $20, but again, it's embarrassingly slim pickings compared to the competitor's starter set.

2. I've played my share of other games in the last couple of years — interesting games that have brought new stuff to the table, including creative ways to set a lot of the drudgery and book-keeping aspects of old-school D&D aside. Dungeon World & 13th Age prove that we don't really gain anything by accounting for 100s or 1000s of XP... Meanwhile, Monte Cook's Numenera gets rid of hit points in a way that not only gets rid of hit points, but does it in a way that makes the characters more powerful, the players more empowered, and the whole system simpler AND more realistic.

I'm not saying I expected D&D to get rid of hit points... But here I am reading the rules to the world's newest fantasy RPG, and I feel like I just took it down off my grandpappy's gaming shelf and blew off the dust. Where's the innovation, "Wizards"?!

/rant

I hear you. WotC is too big to think very far out of the box, I'm afraid. And yes, Paizo puts out AMAZING quality consistently. Almost makes me wish I wanted to play Pathfinder. :D

But yeah, apart from the adventure itself, they "phoned in" this Starter Set, for sure. :\

Trying to keep an open mind about D&D (which also means being "open" to sticking with 13th Age for the long run. I #$%$ing LOVE 13th Age).

For one thing, I'm intrigued by the digital toolset that's currently in development...

http://www.codenamemorningstar.com/

I was just about to buy that starter set. 12 bucks on Amazon.

Go for it. Just realize that you're buying an adventure module for 1st-level characters, six dice, and a shortened version of the Basic Rules, all in a weirdly oversized, mostly empty cardboard box.

I mean, just dice can cost $8-10 bucks or more, so at $12 you mostly can't go wrong. From what I've heard so far, the module itself is pretty good, and I've heard it estimated that it probably weighs in at about 20 hours of gaming time.

(Full version of the Basic Rules is here: http://www.wizards.com/dnd/Article.aspx?x=dnd/basicrules )

Mike, When you play the module let us know what you think. Or anyone else who plays it.

And when August comes keep us updated. Who knows I might be tempted............