Is it possible that the Order of the Stick might convert to 5th Edition?

[GM_3826]

Now, I've been wondering this for a while, but I haven't really had the will in order to really ask but everyone's thoughts on this. Some analysis:
-It's been implied by places such as "the pit of monsters from previous editions" that the webcomic has converted between editions before.
-4th Edition could very well be an exception (can someone dig up that bonus comic in Snips, Snails and Dragon Tales and give me opinions?)
-The comic has converted between half-editions
-Recurring characyers such as those things with the eye sockets as well as Varsuuviu's barred spell list confirms that these things are still in continiuity.
...Of course, this could just be the major difference between early OOTS and later OOTS speaking. And it's not like the same thing probably hasn't been suggested for 4th Edition. Again, thoughts are appreciated.

[Zyzzyva]

Not going to happen. There will probably be the odd joke about 5e concepts, but everything about editions is from the early (pre 100) comic, which was kinda a different place.

[Emperor Ing]

It's not going to happen. Maybe some elements from 5e will be incorporated into the comic at one or two points, maybe. But Rich tends to play fast and loose even with the 3.5e rules depending on whatever is most convenient for the narrative.

[GM_3826]

Not going to happen. There will probably be the odd joke about 5e concepts, but everything about editions is from the early (pre 100) comic, which was kinda a different place.

Actually, not even pre-100. The whole "monsters from earlier editions" thing started far after that, nearly 5 years after the comic was made.

It's not going to happen. Maybe some elements from 5e will be incorporated into the comic at one or two points, maybe. But Rich tends to play fast and loose even with the 3.5e rules depending on whatever is most convenient for the narrative.

OK. Worth noting was that I was expecting this kind of reaction from at least a few people, if not most of them. It's just an interesting concept. This is not one of those threads where impossible ideas are beaten to death and back.

[goodpeople25]

Actually, not even pre-100. The whole "monsters from earlier editions" thing started far after that, nearly 5 years after the comic was made.



OK. Worth noting was that I was expecting this kind of reaction from at least a few people, if not most of them. It's just an interesting concept. This is not one of those threads where impossible ideas are beaten to death and back.

Worth noting is that this idea has been beaten to death and back since 4th was announced or at least a month before it was released since rich wrote a news update then saying he wont convert the comic.

[Jasdoif]

Now, I've been wondering this for a while, but I haven't really had the will in order to really ask but everyone's thoughts on this.

Well, here's the authoritative answer:

So, Wizards of the Coast announced on Monday that they are working on a new edition of D&D which will almost certainly not be titled "5th Edition," but is functionally 5th Edition. (Actually, I guess it's really like 9th or 10th Edition, if you count the original boxed set and the "basic" line and 3.5 and Essentials and...) And almost immediately, I started getting emails asking me whether I was going to switch the OOTS story to this new edition when it comes out. Just so I can get ahead of this thing and not be dodging this question for a year and a half like I did when 4th Edition was announced: No, I won't.

The reason I can say that with confidence is that my decision has nothing to do with the content of that still-unwritten ruleset. Everything I said about my decision not to make a wholesale switch to 4th Edition still stands: It would be an enormous amount of exposition for very little benefit, and it would likely change some of the characters in ways that would be difficult to reconcile with the story I've been planning. Further, this story is now three and a half years closer to its conclusion than it was when 4E was released, and it will be yet another year and a half before these new rules are widely available. The halfway point of OOTS is in the rearview mirror, and at a certain point, it just becomes an issue of not changing horses midstream (or at the very least, dancing with who brought you).

Plus I barely even reference the 3.5 rules anymore, using them just to determine what sort of spells or class abilities a character might have and then ignoring them the rest of the time. I'm certainly not looking to drive this narrative backwards to a point where I'm more chained to a ruleset over which I have no control. No, as an author, I'm more interested in deciding what happens in my world than I am in ceding that power to others.

Of course, the issue of whether or not I use any new rules in the comic is wholly separate from the issue of whether or not I use any new rules at the gaming table. If anything, I am encouraged by a lot of the language in the press release. Trying to bring gamers together again after the divisions of the last few years is a worthy goal, one I hope they can accomplish (but is fraught with certain pitfalls). Listening to their fans is probably a good start, though if I've learned anything here on my site, it's that there are always fans who have diametrically opposed views from each other. Their best bet would be to forge some sort of consensus on what all D&D must be, and then build a simple well-designed game that allows that core experience but can then be seasoned to taste by each gaming group. What they shouldn't do is attempt to craft One Game to Rule Them All in the hopes of co-opting/exterminating all previous editions. Because if you make that game, and the fans throw it in the volcano anyway, where do you go next?

[Jaxzan Proditor]

No. Absolutely not. It didn't convert to 4th and it certainly will not come to 5th. Source: The Banana.

[Zyzzyva]

That said: fun thought, what would the SS&DT-style fight be like? Probably pretty embarrassing, actually, given that 5e is a lot like 3.5e only with, you know, bounded accuracy. So yeah.

Also, the Giant's call on what 5e would be like was pretty on-target.

[GM_3826]

Alright, thank you for answering.

...How do we close this thread?

[Goosefarble]

...How do we close this thread?

We start derailing it until the mods close it for being off topic, same as all threads.

[goodpeople25]

We start derailing it until the mods close it for being off topic, same as all threads.

does a silly run to hide in the corner, away from pointed sticks.

[Onyavar]

Well, here's the authoritative answer:

Spoiler: The Giant himself

Show

whether I was going to switch the OOTS story to this new edition when it comes out. Just so I can get ahead of this thing and not be dodging this question for a year and a half like I did when 4th Edition was announced: No, I won't.

Makes me wonder only one thing... Will he eventually convert to 6th edition?

*runs*

[ti'esar]

That said: fun thought, what would the SS&DT-style fight be like? Probably pretty embarrassing, actually, given that 5e is a lot like 3.5e only with, you know, bounded accuracy.

Yeah, there was a discussion a while back speculating on what a hypothetical "Invaders from the Fifth Dimension" story would look like, and the general conclusion was that there wouldn't be much of a point to it since 5e doesn't have the same drastic difference in design philosophy from 3.5e that the original story ran off of.

[Rogar Demonblud]

Actually, not even pre-100. The whole "monsters from earlier editions" thing started far after that, nearly 5 years after the comic was made.

The pit of outdated monsters was introduced in #55, which is pretty definitely pre-100.

[GM_3826]

...Huh...?

[kivzirrum]

Yeah, by the time the comic was five years in, Azure City was occupied and Roy was dead and the party was splintered. So definitely had moved somewhat beyond the monster pit in Dorukan's Dungeon.

[GM_3826]

Yeah, by the time the comic was five years in, Azure City was occupied and Roy was dead and the party was splintered. So definitely had moved somewhat beyond the monster pit in Dorukan's Dungeon.

I meant about. Somewhere around 2004-2005.
...But either way, my memory fails me.

[D.One]

How do we close this thread?

We stop posting and it "starves to death"...

[Zyzzyva]

Yeah, there was a discussion a while back speculating on what a hypothetical "Invaders from the Fifth Dimension" story would look like, and the general conclusion was that there wouldn't be much of a point to it since 5e doesn't have the same drastic difference in design philosophy from 3.5e that the original story ran off of.

That's cool, but I couldn't find it with the search tools... do you have a link?