One D&D - to Rule them All?

So what was supposed to be a semi-regular blog has turned to the occasional blog. Having typed that - there is some news in the TTRPG world!

On 8-18-22 Wizards of the Coast (WotC) announced the next version ...uh ....edition ....hmmm ... iteration? of Dungeons and Dragons. Instead of going with a version number (1st, 2nd, 3rd, 3.5, 4th, 5th, etc) they are going with One D&D. I can only assume this is a TIP - title in progress. One D&D is set to drop sometime in 2024.

Between now and then, WotC will be releasing some rules changes/updates to their Unearthed Arcana website. What's even better - it's all free. You just have to sign up. They plan to release these rules, let players playtest them, and then provide feedback. I think this is great, as the more data that is provided, the more WotC can get the flavor and feel of the new system across. WotC has stated that they will be making One D&D backwards compatible with 5E, but we'll see. 

My thoughts? I'll be honest. I have only played a little of 5E. My gaming group played a lot of other systems, and I've only played 5e a handful of times, all virtually. I like it, and it certainly has the flavor and feel that I like. This is all to say I don't have strong feelings about changes, because I don't have a lot invested in 5E. I am looking forward to this, however. While I have played going back to the original AD&D, I've enjoyed all editions, yes even 4th. I'm cautiously optimistic because we're at least 2 years out, and they are wanting feedback. From what I've read, between the beta playtest rules for 5th, and the final product, there were a lot of changes. We'll see how this goes.

At first blush, I'm liking the rules for Character Creation provided on their website.  Some things I can tell are different - your race does not provide ability score increases, it's your background. This means that just because you pick an Elf for your race, you don't get the bonuses from 5E. I like this because it makes the races less rigid. Your background is more influential for the character than just "I'm a Soldier, or I'm an Acolyte." 

You also have the ability to mix races, instead of just the Half-Elf or Half-Orc - you could make an Elf/dwarf blending. This helps add more flavor and potential conflict, so I find it interesting. 

All 1st level characters get a Feat. This is pretty groovy. Feats will now be tailored to level, and 1st level Feats while nice won't boost your ability scores.

The races are all more or less the same, but a few changes.

There are no more Dwarf subraces, it's all the Dwarfiest Dwarfs you can find. Half-Orcs are gone, replaced with full Orcs. And Tieflings now have 3 lineage options, each from the different Lower Planes, namely Abyssal, Chthonic, and Infernal. This again gives more customization and player options.

There is a new race, the Ardling. Ardlings have ancestors from the upper planes, and have the heads of animals. That's - uh - interesting. Their big thing is they can sprout magical wings, giving them limited flight. This is an interesting race, but I'll need to see more.

I think one of the biggest, and certainly most controversial, rules changes is the rule of 20. On a roll of a 20, the roll succeeds, regardless of Modifiers. A rule of 1 automatically fails, also regardless of modifiers. From what I've read, this is a house rule in a lot of gaming groups. At first glance it's not a big deal, to me. If something is not possible, don't ask for a roll. The king will not abdicate their throne just because you rolled 20 on your persuasion. It will be the DM's job to determine the DC of the roll, and whether it's possible. We've all seen, or been THAT player, someone who browbeats the DM into letting them roll for something so impossible, and then declare "Nat 20!" Don't be that player. Wait for the DM to call for a roll, don't just roll it preemptively. 

The other big change is monsters no longer crit on a Nat 20. Yes, as of right now, monsters won't get that sweet extra dice damage when the DM rolls a Nat 20. This one I'm on the fence about. I'm always in favor of 'what's good for the goose is good for the gander', so until WotC reveals what mechanic they plan to give the monster's to compensate for this. I foresee a lot of DM's chucking this one to the wayside. 

I'm liking a lot of what I've seen, but again, this is the first document. It's designed to be dropped into an existing campaign to be tested. As with all rules, you can use, or not, to your discretion. WotC isn't going to come and make sure that you play by their rules.

So what are your thoughts on this One D&D? I know it's been pretty divicine, but I'm curious for your opinions. Let me know!