One D&D is not a new edition of Dungeons and Dragons, influencers and content creators were told at a recent summit. Instead, it was “framed as a revision to the fifth edition ruleset with an emphasis on compatibility/conversion”. According to game designer and cultural consultant Daniel Kwan, who wrote about the experience of attending on Substack, “They are effectively revising the current game that is in place.”
It’s always been a little unclear just how much of a departure from the game as it stands One D&D would be. First revealed in August 2022 and introduced as “a new generation of Dungeons and Dragons” we were told One D&D would be compatible with 5e, and even that the designers no longer thought about the game in terms of editions.
At the Content Creator DnD summit on Monday, it was made clear that One D&D is not DnD 6e, or even DnD 5.5e. It sounds like it’s more of a rules update than a brand new version of the game, so those anticipating sweeping changes will perhaps be disappointed (or relieved).
That said, with the slow release of new rules for One D&D, we’ve already seen some rather significant tweaks. For instance, Wizards of the Coast introduced (and then promptly axed) a new reverse-Tiefling DnD race. It also split all the DnD classes into class groups, and placed an emphasis on background over race – especially when it comes to determining DnD stats.
According to Kwan, the presentation explained that “You will be able to run 5th edition adventures using the new rules and the new core books will provide guidance on how to interpret retired terms and rules with the new ruleset. These new books will effectively function as conversion tools.”
Wargamer has reached out to Wizards of the Coast for comment.