To use 5e or not use 5e?

[Hammerhand]

I recently purchased Fantasy Grounds and I also purchased the Pro fantasy mapping software bundle which includes CC3, DD3 and CD3. There is a learning curve for Pro-Fantasy but there is also a large set of tutorials videos available on the net. I have already made a relatively complex dungeon level and two battle maps and I am pretty happy with the results. I have used all editions of D&D since 1e up to 4e, but I have not used 5e. I have a couple of small campaigns and several larger ones that would like to convert to with Fantasy Grounds but they range from 2e up to 4e.

I would be willing to convert them to 5e if its worthwhile ( I am also planning to purchase the Core Monster and Core Character Class modules if I decide on 5e). With 5e out it is doubtful if the earlier editions will grow any longer and I do like the convenience of the using the 5e modules. If any of the wiser and more experience users out there have an opinion I would appreciate it. Thanks for replying.

Hammerhand

[damned]

who are you planning on playing with? If you have an extablished group and you are very comfortale with 3.5 or 4e you dont lose much by staying with them. Both have either included source material or the ability using your DDI subscription to get a good chunk of modules for use.
most people who have tried 5e have really enjoyed it and the 5e content available here - while some may feel is expensive - it makes your gaming so much easier - almost everything you need is right there at your fingertips.
if you go the 5e route and you are wanting to make some adventures for redistribution (either sale or free) you might want to grab LMoP and look at the work they have put into that.

have fun!

[Nylanfs]

Well 35e and Pathfinder will continue to be supported. :)

[Griogre]

One of the interesting things about 5E is that older AD&D adventure modules convert over easier than 3rd or 4th edition modules. They really went back towards their roots while trying to streamline and keep what people like most about 3rd and 4th editions.

The cost to try 5E is fairly low, just get the basic rules pack and either make an adventure or try the Lost Mines of Phandlever. Personally I ran a couple of the Goodman games 5E modules: Fey Sister's Fate and Glitterdoom as my try out of 5E. The Goodman Games stuff is not licensed so you are going to have to input some the monsters by hand. The modules are smaller than Lost Mines with Fey Sister being for like 1st and 2nd and Glitterdoom for 3rd, 4th. The Fey Sister one is an outdoor wilderness adventure for a nice change of pace for 1st level adventures and Glitterdoom being pretty good as well. I ran them back to back but I added enough wilderness encounters on the way to Glitterdoom to make sure they were 3rd by the time they got there.

Goodman Games is running a kickstarter for their next two 5E modules and I think you can get the older modules cheaper than normal.

[Nylanfs]

Rite publishing has a 5e module out too.

[JohnD]

If you run it, players will play it or so I've found.

DMs are in short supply everywhere.

[Xorn]

/agree JohnD

We were playing 4EE (essentials) when I was reading about 13th Age. There was a TPK at like 2nd level, and I proposed rolling up 13A guys for fun. Next thing you know we're continuing the same campaign in 13A. Then 5E finally came out (release, not beta) and I was so turned on by the return to the old-school feel that now we're playing 5E.

As far as 5E goes--I love it. My favorite edition besides 5E was probably BECMI/1E. 5E feels like a perfect blend of the previous editions, even taking the really good parts of 4E. Bounded accuracy is the ****, too.

[JeffKnight]

If you run it, players will play it or so I've found.

DMs are in short supply everywhere.

Definitely agreed here.

3.5 and Pathfinder will still have players who refuse to move beyond that, as all gaming systems do. I do think that you are right, Hammerhand, that any growth in their playerbase will be minimal, if they can even replace their losses for players and DMs going to 5E. As more books and adventures are made available for 5E, we will see more people gravitate that way. I anticipate that when the currently unreleased DLC is released, we will see a lot of people move over to it, especially Princes of the Apocalypse - that adventure looks amazing. The DMG will also lower the time requirement to setup a "polished" 5E game. I know that many are in the same boat as me to where $50 for a core book is cheaper than the cost of the time it would take me to plug it all in.

[Art Wendorf]

If you run it, players will play it or so I've found.

DMs are in short supply everywhere.Have to agree, John. I've only begun the planning/implementing phase of my ArtWend Greyhawk 5e campaign and I already have more players wanting to play than I can deal with (though I wish I could help them ALL!)

[Dracones]

If you loved 1e and 2e D&D, you'll love 5e. It's very much liked a cleaned up version of 2e with some cherry picked mechanics from 3e/4e to make it feel more modern and balanced.

If you loved 3e I'd recommend Pathfinder. Everything you need for it is included in the base FG license and there's wonderful support for it with an active community.

If you loved 4e, well, I dunno what to tell you. Looks like 4e players have been sort of left out in the cold. I personally think 13th Age is a pretty good replacement for 4e. 13th Age has an OGL SRD so there aren't any barriers for getting it in FG, I just think the current ruleset is in beta at the moment.

[Trenloe]

If you loved 4e, well, I dunno what to tell you. Looks like 4e players have been sort of left out in the cold. I personally think 13th Age is a pretty good replacement for 4e. 13th Age has an OGL SRD so there aren't any barriers for getting it in FG, I just think the current ruleset is in beta at the moment.
The 4E ruleset is still present in FG, and if you get a one month DDI subscription you can use Valeros's excellent 4E parser to make FG modules from all of the entries in the 4E rules compendium.

[Karykzen]

For someone who grew up on D&D 2nd Edition and some pathfinder 3.5, What I like about 5E is that your race and mainly your class are the core of your character. When it comes to skill, everyone is somewhat equal (being proficient can add a few points to your roll). In 2nd Edition when you leveled, you gained a lot of +X bonuses. In 5E, it's more class features/feat based vs. just additional modifiers. Add to that the features the monsters can do, combat becomes a lot more strategic vs. just hack & slash.