6e ultra-basic, world-hopping, worldbuilding

Twelve actions for an even fresher 6th edition, or for an ultra-basic retooling of 5e

Action 1: Keep it Simple. Boil down the rules to the very barest minimum, with the very least bookkeeping...basically "5e Basic Rules meets the OD&D White Box". Much more succinct than 5E Basic. Take the most streamlined options from all editions. Four races. Four classes. Only "coins" (no GP, SP, CP). No skills...only ability checks. No feats. Level up after each adventure (no XP). Reach level 20 in twenty sessions.

Action 2: Core D&D is D&D. Make this Core D&D set...simple as it is...the baseline for all further products and Organized Play. It's not just a "lead in" to the "real" game. The Core D&D text...I'd call it a booklet, rather than a book...is available at various price-points: as a free PDF, as a super-low-cost black-and-white “poor-boy’s” paperback, and as a deluxe hardcover with original, full-color art. But the text is the same.

Action 3: A Cultural Community of Authors. Offer a simple “D&D Compatible” license from the start. So that gamers take up the role of stakeholders, instead of just "customers" and “fans/fanatics.” This is a requisite for evoking a long-term culture. Craft the license so that (like Pathfinder Compatible) these Third Party offerings may not be standalone, and must refer back to the Core D&D book. Other than that, keep it simple. Promise up front to keep this Core D&D edition stable for exactly 10 years. (No 3.5E rupture of the community substance.)

Action 4: World-Hopping is D&D. Make an extradimensional nexus the "Core Setting"...either the World Serpent Inn, or the City of Doors. The D&D version of Monte Cook's "The Strange." Write and publicize D&D in such a way that world-hopping is an “expected” way to play D&D. (In Gygax’s day, it was!) Retool the D&D Multiverse to be viewed as a single "mega-setting". 5E is already going in that direction; for example, by listing all the worlds (even Mystara and Birthright) in the DMG, and by how in the newest APs, there are suggested placement notes for each world. (Despite my griping about the state of D&D, this is a good move -- thanks Mearls!)

Action 5: All Genres are D&D. For 6E, “D&D” just means “RPG”, in a similar way that “Kleenex” means “facial tissue.” This is already happening: during the 4E era, Gamma World was branded "D&D.” For 6E, incorporate every single RPG IP which is owned by WotC into the D&D Multiverse. Not only FR, GH, DL, EB, DS, BM, MY, BR, RL, PS, and SJ...but also Nerath, Jakandor, Pelinore, Thunder Rift, Ghostwalk...every d20 Modern/Future/Past campaign model...every Alternity setting...every Amazing Engine setting...the old TSR IPs: Dawn Patrol, Boot Hill, Top Secret, Gangbusters...the worlds of standalone TSR novels such as "Jewels of the Elvish"...WotC’s former peripheral lines: Dreamblade, Mirrorstone Books...everything. It's all in the D&D Multiverse. The various Earth-based campaign models (Urban Arcana, Boot Hill, Dark.Matter) are parallel timelines of “D&D Earth.”

Action 6: In the Business of Excursions. This is the business model: churn out stand-alone, high-quality, but relatively short, one-shot Excursions (=adventures or adventure paths) to each of these worlds. The Excursions double as a succinct world sourcebook. As far as genre: mostly Fantasy Excursions, but some SF, some Modern and Past (set on D&D Earth), some Superhero. Include in the Excursion what new, specific rules modules are necessary for that particular setting. But make sure it’s all 100% compatible rules-wise...to the extent that a PC could really multiclass in Fighter/Star Pilot/Gunslinger/Wheelman/Superhero Brick. Beyond the one-shots, only continue those lines which sell best. But with the one-shots themselves, take risks...experiment. Try one Magic: The Gathering excursion.

Action 7: Appendices for Localizing and Scaling. At least within the same genre, each Excursion has an appendix containing notes for placing it in any of the other D&D worlds of that genre. In regard to Fantasy Excursions, if it turns out that Forgotten Realms really is far and away the bestseller, then “cynically” brand most of the fantasy Excursions as FR; as long as there are good conversion notes included for each world, it’s fine by me! Furthermore, each Excursion has a second appendix for scaling the challenge level...anywhere from level 1 to 20! Instead of a 1st-level stirge, there’s the 20th-level “legendary stirge”. Instead of the ancient red dragon, there’s a red wyrmling, okay? I’m serious. Totally modular. Zany? Maybe. Doable? Yes.

Action 8: Mastery and Renewal of Worlds. Really make it possible for newbies to master the old campaign settings. Connect the newcomer with the rich depths and intricacies of the D&D Mulitverse, instead of treating the consumer like we're amnesiacs. Like this:

• The D&D Classics PDFs are a great start. Keep them coming and low-priced. Connect them with a print-on-demand service.

• But more importantly, hire some freelancers to gradually, over the course of five years or so, convert each and every D&D Adventure from previous editions into a Core D&D Excursion, by offering a free PDF web-enhancement which contains updated 6E statblocks, along with the two appendices (Localizations and Scaling), so that the Classic adventures are “officially” modular for any setting and any challenge level! Officially place every fantasy adventure in every fantasy world (except for ones which don’t fit at all, such as underwater adventures in Dark Sun.) Once all the Classic PDFs are available and placed in each world, make a map which shows where all the adventure sites are (at least in WotC’s version of that world).

• Also in the new 6e Excursion to those worlds, include a complete product guide along with the URL for the D&D Classics website, and the URL for the official “aficionado (fan) website”, such as the Vaults of Pandius for Mystara.

• Promote these old official aficionado websiites. If they’re inactive, designate another. This connects the newcomer with the existing cultural communities.

• Offer a Community Use License for each setting IP (not only the rules system), which allows individuals to publish world-specific resources, as long as they refer back to one of the WotC-published Excursions. This would basically be a “Greyhawk Compatible” license (and “Mystara Compatible”, “Dragonlance Compatible”, and so forth). Maybe call it something like: the “My Own Greyhawk” license, since it would a legitimate way of publishing our own parallel versions of those worlds. Again, they couldn’t be standalone, but you could say exactly how your own world is the same or different than the WotC-published version...and even sell it as a game product in stores. This would really get the community’s cultural juices flowing.

• Expand the Community Use License to allow for arts and crafts, costumes, props, coins, artifacts, music, films, and cultural events. Try this with one of the “lesser used” worlds first, as an experiment, to see if anything blossoms.

Action 9: A Cross-Platform Effort. To get the Core D&D movement rolling from the get-go, negotiate deals with several other RPG publishers...from large to small... for them to produce a one-shot Excursion which converts one of their worlds to Core D&D...it could be a just-released setting or a classic “old school” world: Titansgrave, Freeport, Aquaria, Glorantha, Golarion, Call of Cthulhu, Conan, Deadlands, DC Adventures, Dr. Who, World of Darkness, MnM/Earth-Prime, RIFTS, Pendragon, Tunnels & Trolls, Talislanta, The One Ring, Tekumel, Zeitgeist. As an appendix, include an official conversion guide to and from Core D&D and their house system, and a complete product listing for their world. This would be a tremendous act of goodwill, which would cross-fertilize interest in the offerings of both publishers, while invigorating the TTRPG culture as a whole. From a commercial perspective, the "D&D Compatible" license is crafted to inspire any and all TTRPG publishers to offer Excursion Worldbooks and other resources which synergistically fuel sales of WotC's Core D&D booklet (which is required to play any D&D Excursion). But all publishers are lifted by the cross-fertilization.

Action 10: Forays into Strange Waters. Beyond the TTRPG scene, actively seek out one-shot deals with a whole slew of fantasy and SF novel IPs, video game IPs, action figure IPs, trading card game IPs, children's book IPs, comic books IPs, cartoon IPs, television and film IPs, boardgame IPs...even unexpected genres: the worlds of Stephen King, Barsoom, Pro Wrestling, Soap Operas, Sitcoms, Major League fantasy sports leagues, the worlds of Cartoon Network, Capcom Fighters, the Wizard of Oz, Sesame Street, Tom Clancy, mystery authors, Final Fantasy, Legend of Zelda, Mario World, Looney Toons, Harlequin Romance, Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew, the Wonderful Worlds of Disney, Settlers of Catan...if it’s a story...it can be a D&D game. Really stretch the limits of what the six attributes can do. (In some cases, the attributes could be renamed to more flavorfully fit the genre...such as Perception or Willpower for Wisdom.) Advertise these Excursion/Worldbooks in non-RPG venues. Toy lines Hasbro already owns could be a place to start: Candy Land, Transformers, GI Joe, Duel Masters, Monopoly (there is actually an in-world story which has been developed through various offshoots), Risk, Zoids, M.A.S.K., Pound Puppies...and My Little Pony. Some of these would use the “Kid's D&D" rules module...even more streamlined than Core D&D...like WotC’s “Monster Hunters” or “Pokemon Junior Adventure Game” or Monte Cook’s “No Thank You, Evil!"

Action 11: Advanced is Unearthed. What we now call D&D, with its massive, gearheady PHB and DMG, in 6E is called “Advanced D&D”. The AD&D book is a gigantic Ptolus-sized tome which serves as a combined Advanced PHB, Advanced DMG, and Unearthed Arcana rolled into one. The AD&D book contains comprehensive rules and guidelines for crafting one’s own Excursions and for Worldbuilding. The goal is to really provide the aficionado with the tools and resources necessary to write and self-publish nigh-professional-quality Excursions. The AD&D book isn’t even released until a year or two after Core D&D and a whole bunch of Excursions.

Action 12: Plastic is Chintzy. Use wooden tokens instead of plastic figurines!