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What the Hell does "Backwards Compatible"Mean? (Extended) (Patreon)

Published:
2024-08-30 13:00:10
Imported:
2026-06
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Content

D&D 2024 is supposed to be "backwards compatible." Is it? And what does that term even mean? PDM weighs in. Even if you do not like 5E, you want to watch this--it's really about compatibility between ALL editions.

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Comments

Kristen Solindas

The various editions were always seen by my group as an opportunity for more options, but they never delivered. Sure there were more feats, spells, classes, ad nauseum, but the game was, as you said, d20+x and a bag of hit points. What has driven me away from d20 systems are the rigidness of classes, the jarring advancement of levels, and the lack of fluidity that doesn't allow for the characters I have in my head to come out in the game. I've been writing and running my game for years now, and I have come to love the idea of a nonbinary resolution, no class restrictions, and making exactly the characters I envision without having 357 books and supplements. I want a game that fosters creativity without getting a masters degree in 5e or PF2e or whatever. I mean honestly, the pathfinder 2e character sheet looks like an IRS tax form. Why? So I can pretend to smack a goblin with a sword? I know D&D and it's clones will always be king, but for my time and effort, I'd rather spend time playing than filling out complicated insurance forms.

Ron F.

I love Shadowdark because I can run those old modules with it! I just adjust treasure on the fly and I'm good. I feel like this is a call back to your "It's All D&D to Me" video.

Timothy S Wattigny

I laughed at Mr. Welch's description of the new version as "Fifther" edition.

Adrian Webster

The settings and setting specific options/classes are a big part of what made 2nd edition interesting. Started in 1st but seemed to really pick up in 2nd. Monster manuals can be good idea generators, 3rd party publisher monster manuals in particular.

Drago Russo

Let's be honest. In order to run a game you only need a few ideas, some encounters, and a group of people whether friends or strangers. Deathbringer, for example, could be played using any and all published adventures from all editions. Strip down the rules and the story will come. Of course the people looking to "break the game" won't like stripped down versions. I prefer story over max/min obsessions. But that's just me. Now I will go back to whatever I pretend to do everyday.

Rod Thomson

Thanks to the other RPGs I've learned about from the Prof and others, I now see D&D as just one of many options. Some folks like greater complexity and the illusion of more choice, but for me, I want a game I can play without bogging down. I also want one where there is less temptation for players to gimmick their way out of situations with game mechanics. So bring on Deathbringer already! :)

Bill Carroll

Future video - why you should play each edition of dnd. Eg- play redbox for the history and simplicity Play ad&d for access to lots of 80s modules Play 3rd edition for character builds Play 4th for balanced encounters and challenge ratings that actually work. Play 5th for all the third party content and access to online resources Play 5.5 for new VTT and, like you said, the newest stuff

Firstspear

On of the things I have found, for myself, is that more does not equal more. Applies to DnD and life in general. Start with a basic foundation and add/delete as YOU see fit.

MrGunn

Personally DB, I prefer pies to tarts, both savory and sweet, nothing like a good pork pie and a slice of rhubarb pie with one's tea.

MrGunn

Dear PDM, Great video, I hear you about the different versions and playing rules as written. Even though we have heard your Tracy Hickman story, it is still great. I agree, leave all the deep dive reviews and all the breakdowns of the new edition of D&D to others (also correct, your audience is not all that interested in the new D&D). As to playing rules as written, you taught me that rules were simply guidelines, playing any TTRPG RAW is not the goal, having fun is. Keep doing what you are doing, giving us a different perspective and raising the visibility of independent RPGS. Great to have you back. Best regards, MrGunn

MrGunn
>>148002226

@Kristen Solindas Great points! IRS tax form 🤣🤣🤣

MrGunn
>>148008668

@Rod Thomson YES! If it takes hours to resolve one small encounter the rules are too complicated!

Bagel-Man

Great video as always Professor!

Craig Sutherland

Great video PDM! This one really resonated with me. I have in recent years broken free from relying on edition boundaries and run my games very open since they are all mostly the same regardless. It also really resonated with me about your comments in a prior video about no grid and I can completely understand and imagine the agitation you stirred up from the masses! It really is quite freeing once you make this realization about the game.

jnlsn family

Glad that your back safe and I'm curious what your thoughts were when they released WFRP 3rd edition.

Enishi X

Did you say hoe chart and what edition was that?

Scott

I would get the new edition DMG if they brought back the hoe chart! lol

Jeff Jones

This reminds me of what they said in Star Trek III, "The more they overthink the plumbing, the easier it is to stop up the drain."

Frank Mitchell
>>148026492

AD&D 1st Edition DMG had a "courtesan" random chart, which was basically synonyms for prostitute with a descriptive adjective.

Frank Mitchell
>>148017119

Good advice, although some of us have trouble finding that "basic foundation". Honestly I never really liked the D&D class-and-level mechanics at all, which is why I've ventured further afield: _Traveller_, _RuneQuest_, WFRP, even GURPS at one point. Modern inheritors like Cepheus and OpenQuest and innovators like Fate, Cypher, and Nomad capture my interest more. Unfortunately for me, d20s, classes, and levels have captured the market and the popular imagination, so I'm looking once again what to me is D&D All Over Again: the OSR, DCC, ICRPG, Shadowdark, the recent _Tales of Argosa_ (formerly _Low Fantasy Gaming_), and briefly even 5e. (_Pathfinder_ is just a tome too far.) At the moment I'm leaning toward DCC, ICRPG, or Shadowdark, but I've yet to find a basic foundation upon which I can build.

John Doe

Hahaha oh man I'm gonna need a full video on Deathbringer's hoe game. That outro was awesome. And yea excellent vid. I don't really care how the players build their characters. I care about the system and the monsters. Mostly monsters.

Frederic Schmitt

I unsubscribed the DDudes channel tbph. Too much of the same at the moment.

Ian Butterworth

I remember the good professor talking about a year he went through without access to his D&D books so he just made up all the rules and the monster stats and ran D&D. It all worked out okay.

The Blind Bard

I know that D&D is supposed to be backwards compatible, and it might be for a little while. But I’m afraid someday the physical books will be gone, which will kill it for our table because my husband likes the physical books. D&D Beyond will be the only option left And eventually, we won’t be able to make characters with the 2014 version. once that happens we won’t be able to play anymore which makes me sad cause I do appreciate the game even though it’s two math heavy for my liking. please forgive any typos because I am using voiceover for this comment.

Terra Jones

Some ideas are simply edition proof or virtually edition proof. Maps of dungeons are probably all fine regardless of edition. You could use them in Pathfinder. You could use them in cyberpunk with reskinning and some security cameras added in. Monster stat blocks aren't but the concept of a monster is edition proof and with a little bit of math you can rebuild it for the new edition. Plots are virtually edition proof, particularly if NPCs don't have to follow the same rules as players.

samurguybri

Another good video! I finally read a comment on Reddit that summed up the 3.0 and beyond DnD experience: these editions are much more fun for PLAYERS in that the builds, backgrounds, crafting and all that are good kinds of’ lonely fun’ for players, whereas before this was the area of fun and work for the DM. It’s much harder to run DnD and there’s just less support and so many more exacting details to keep track of for the DM.

Jeff Boggs
>>148026492

I had to look it up. It is page 192 in the 1979 DMG. Holy cow that was tiny font. It's a wonder I didn't go blind reading that as a kid.

Richard Maddalon

I can run a 5e module with 1e rules. Why couldn't anybody. Minimal conversion if you have a monster book and a brain.

MrGunn
>>148318711

@Richard Maddalon Probably the same folks who cannot figure out Google search or ask the time with their phone in one hand and Apple Watch on their wrist 🫤🙄😬🤣🤣🤣

orrin white

I finally got my players turned on to the "We don't need no stinking books" style I have been working on for a long time. No set races / Classes, Abilities etc... the player describes what kind of character they want and I afford some appropriate bonuses and features then we just start playing.

MrGunn
>>148449095

@orrin white. Well done, are they having equal or greater fun?

Randall Case

I got my copy a few weeks ago and have been pouring over it. I have to say that I like it for the most part. It's great having all of that information in one place. Example, I play a fighter in a Dragonlance Campaign. The full rules for my fighter were scattered across at least two different books, so it was really annoying to flip back and forth between books (well, an actual book and a PDF). Getting everything in one place is pretty nice. They did some tweeks here and there and made a better organized and tighter product. It's a must get if you're getting into 5E and want all of the character creation rules. Established players? It's shiny and nice, but not actually needed. If you have the old books then you're just missing out on the tweeks here and there. My 5E group isn't going to 2024! We're sticking with 2014 and I'm good with that.

Randall Case
>>148318711

IDK about minimal convesions. 5E characters and monsters are SERIOUSLY overpowered compared to AD&D. 5e Magic-users REALLY stick out here as a 1st level magic user can toss magic around like a 3-5th level 1e magic user, and they have some seriously powerful spells like the cantrips Fire Bolt, Toll of the Dead, and Thunderclap (5e cantrips aren't the silly little spells from the Unearth Arcana! They can be nasty spells that a MU can toss around EVERY ROUND without spending a 'spell slot'. And firebolt does 1d10 damage!). Monsters are buffed to match, so you have to scale down 5e stuff, a LOT, or else your 1e characters are in some deep serious!