D&D creators shouldn't take deals from Hasbro/WOTC. Plus: Thoughts on other RPGs, hostile comments!

My recent video about boycotting Hasbro/WOTC:
"D&D 5.5e: More of the Same for DMs"

0:00 Intro
0:46 Creators shouldn't take offers
6:41 Correction
7:24 Thoughts on other RPGs!
13:07 Hostile comments!
33:22 Final Thought
34:04 Help with my next video!

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[TheRulesLawyerRPG]

-As I think is apparent, I wanted to be critical while simultaneously respectful to other creators. My hope is that some will change their decisions, but I won't be hurt or hold a grudge against anyone, either. The Big Bad is WOTC!
-This video got some more hostile comments that say things that, as far as I can tell, are already addressed in the video. I repeat what I say in the video: "We have more in common with each other than any of us does with the suits at Hasbro and WOTC."
-I think it's useful to refer to the Society of Professional Journalists' Code of Ethics. YouTubers are not traditional journalists, but we wield considerable influence (as shown by the positive impact we had during the OGL crisis!) EDIT: As I make clear in the video, my objection to taking deals is limited to Hasbro/WOTC due to its behavior prompting a boycott and that it's an $8 billion dollar corporation. It is in these specific circumstances, where there is more danger of undue influence having negative consequences, that I think the ethics professional journalists follow are a useful guidepost.
ACT INDEPENDENTLY
The highest and primary obligation of ethical journalism is to serve the public.
Journalists should:
-Avoid conflicts of interest, real or perceived. Disclose unavoidable conflicts.
-Refuse gifts, favors, fees, free travel and special treatment, and avoid political and other outside activities that may compromise integrity or impartiality, or may damage credibility.
-Be wary of sources offering information for favors or money; do not pay for access to news. Identify content provided by outside sources, whether paid or not.
-Deny favored treatment to advertisers, donors or any other special interests, and resist internal and external pressure to influence coverage.
-Distinguish news from advertising and shun hybrids that blur the lines between the two. Prominently label sponsored content.

[Rage_Templar]

"We can not trust Wizards" Glad we can agree. The union approves of this statement.

[Oneydjak]

Don’t forget that Wizards/Hasbro laid off the team literally writing these rules 6 months ago, just weeks before Christmas! They’ve shown time and again that they only care about your dollar, and if thats the only thing they care about, then that’s what they least deserve!

[MalzraAirwynn]

The whole 'playing 5E puts you in a minority where you're being brave and people stigmatize you for it' thing while being the market leader by a massive margin and the overwhelming majority sadly reminds me of some similar attitudes people have on things less trivial than gaming hobbies. Some people really like trying to play the victim even when the deck is stacked in their favor.

[SlinkyTWF]

We cancelled distribution and 3E development of our OGL-adjacent Pangenre RPG system largely because of that WotC power-grab. You're correct: the effect of that corporate mess was seismic.

[FlareBinar]

One of the main reasons I don't enjoy 5e is because of how much work it puts on me as a DM. Usually, in other systems, I just have to worry about the things I actually really enjoy. Dungeon design, encounter design, world design, and story design. 5e has rules so vague that I've had players try to start fights over how to rule them! I don't want to throw game design and play testing onto my already very full plate as a DM! I want clear, well-written rules that can be read at face value, so I can more easily shut down rules lawyers who want to bend the rules in their favor. 5e has too many rules that people can really argue about, just look at the vague (and optional) rules about horseback combat in 5e compared to D&D3.5e's and PF2e's well-written and very clear rules on the matter.

[lotrotk]

I finally was able to host the Pathfinder 2e Beginner Box to some folks who normally only play d&d5e! They were interested for more. I may do more in the future

[marioaf]

I know you know this, but remember most times people commenting are the minority, the "yeah, makes sense" viewers (me!) aren't as emotionally invested to say so.

Also, and I found this very curious, a friend messaged me to chat about the existence of your video he had decided not to watch because he would get angry. He had assumed the content from the title and description and started complaining to me about you haha. After a while he did end up watching it and understood where you were coming from.

[maorofl]

Wizerds can't be trusted we moved to pathfinder

[QuezBT]

I love all the people getting mad at you for talking about Wizards whilst boycotting them and I'm just imagining them trying to apply that to other boycotts in history. Like-
"Today the Bus Line laid off half of their drivers due to lack of income from our boyc-"
"WHY ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT THIS? YOU'RE BOYCOTTING THEM!"

[harrisc]

I lost faith with WOTC back before 4th edition. They pulled all previously paid for PDFs off of Drive thru RPG. Mind you they eventually returned them after all the outcry that eventually lead to 5e. I realized who they were by their actions back then, and last year’s bad actions only further strengthened my views against them. D&D is not the only TTRPG out there, and in my opinion it is definitely not the best, and it is most definitely not a great choice for a “every game system”. I have always said that folks should play more games, and with the apparent increased popularity with other systems like dagger heart, MCDM, or DC20 I’m happy that many people are at least willing to branch out into other systems. My favorite game is pathfinder, but that does not prevent me from trying new games. Just because I love me some pizza, it doesn’t mean that I am going to eat it every single day of my life. Keep on banging on that drum to promote pathfinder, as long as it still speaks to you. And I will keep on watching them. (Also stay dry and interesting, I particularly love it!)

[Subject_Keter]

I love how these companies forget... paper and pencils made their rules and can make new rules. 😂

[hypotheticalhippo]

33:15 This dude literally became the a-hole in that one comic:
"We should improve society somewhat."
"Yet you participate in society. Curious! I am very intelligent."

[merlumina]

I can understand why some 5e defenders feel like they are in the minority if they spend so much time in spaces where all this discourse is happening. They probably need to step outside of their usual spaces a bit to see that not everyone is engaging in these discussions - hell, not everyone even knows that they are happening. RPG fans aren’t a monolith, even D&D fans aren’t a monolith. D&D’s brand recognition is so strong (as you say, it’s the default first system for most people) that you can enjoy it in lots of ways and might not hear about the most up to date news and controversies.

[joshuachapman]

I agree, your critique is valid. From a consumer perspective I have never a video game or a ttrpg update/dlc take away content such an entire class the or subclasses and hide it behind future content/dlc/books. Why would I use this new system if I am going to lose soo much and have to pay for things I already have? This is not a new edition it is an update.

[blackbeing]

And now i need to decide what take is funnier: "You can't criticize what you are boycotting" or "You can't cover other TTRPG-systems if you already taken PF2".

[MrEzioCraft]

15:30 oh, they actually mention this. It is true, you can have old characters and new character on the same table, kinda unbalancely so, of course, but they did point out that if you wanna use old rules for a new campaign, it HAS to be all the way. if you're using old feats, you gotta use old classes, old background and old races as well. if you're using a new class, it's gotta be with the new feats and new backgrounds. you can't mix and match a frankenstein of a character sheet from old and new stuff. I mean, you can, but they're not making the new changes with that in mind, you do you at your own table

[benjaminjane]

I play with my RPG group a third party book named “Adventures in Rokugan” that uses the 5th edition ruleset but set the game in the world of Legend of the Five Rings.

We’ve been playing for like a year and enjoy it a lot. And I will never spend money on a Hasbro product again.

[kendrajade]

Sadly I cannot join the boycott because I am simply a lost customer; my purchasing power can't be used as a threat because it is not coming back to WOTC.

[AdamX]

That last comment there just boggles my mind, like, "preventing rpg creators from eating"? Yeah, gosh darn, I hate it when those big mean YouTubers bully local small indie company *Wizards of the Freaking Coast.* They'll definitely go bankrupt and all lose their jobs and D&D will burn to the ground because of *your* criticism, Ronald. And definitely not because Hasbro decides they need to do another round of mass layoffs to cut costs. (/sarcasm)