New Penny Arcade podcast is up.

Not much in the way of new mechanical information. The biggest thing was probably just a reaffirmation that WotC is trying to stay away from Encounter-based resources. Which isn't a good sign for my personal enthusiasm for 5e; I like Tome of Battle-style resource management.

But what actually struck me about the podcast was a non-mechanical element that makes me like 5e MUCH MUCH more than 4e: the frank admission that there's nothing wrong with you if a previous edition of D&D already works perfectly for you. You're not "dooin it rawng!" You're free to keep playing that edition rather than buying into 5e, and some of you will actually do so!

After 4e-previews' bashing of 3e and everyone who loved it, this approach is EXTREMELY REFRESHING. Up until now, while 5e previews have refrained from insulting previous editions, they've also made somewhat ridiculous claims about how 5e will be the best edition for any player, any playstyle. Now Mearls is putting a more realistic vision forward. I'm not sure what my opinion of Mearls as a game designer is, but he just won major points in my book as a marketer and as a human being.