Nov 22, 2009 -- 9:12PM, GMforPowergamers wrote:

I have had a though for the last few days that 4e is just the practice run at this point... like they have all the work on a giant database, as they update the problems, they are also working on new whole system changes that go with them... and all of that is leading to the aanouncment in 2012-2013 of a new 5e that will be mostly just modfied 4e (ala 1e-2e) with them needing very little 'new' work on it (maybe cutting to half the staff) and still keep putting out new books...

I wouldn't call an edition that lasts from 2008 to 2013 "a practice run", but I think this unfounded theory is at least plausible. 

I also agree that at some point, when the errata becomes sufficiently voluminous, people will start declaring that we have a 4.5, but I doubt Wizards is ever going to announce an official 4.5.  Since the Digitial Initiative automatically incorporates errata, for many people, it's a seamless update.

I have a feeling that, just as PHB 2 had a section for rules changes, so will PHB 3 and PHB 4, etc.  Maybe some set of changes will be so massive that people will consider it an 4.5, just as some people think of Unearthed Arcana (1985) as 1.5, and some people see the Powers & Options Books (1997) as 2.5.  Heck, I've heard people call Book of Nine Swords 3.75... and others call Pathfinder that as well.

The x.5 is a third edition phenomenon and one that was caused by factors unique to that game, specifically Wizards' need to get out a product quickly after purchasing D&D from TSR.  They didn't have years to get a game prepped, so they did the best they could in the short time they had and then made a massive revision once they had time to breathe.  That's not the case with 4e, as far as I can tell.

Personally I havent seen enough changes to require a 4.5.  There are changes, but the only true mechanical change that effects everyone in the stealth change.  which was already reprinted in the PHB2 because it was big enough to actually make it into a book.

The main thing I see here is that 4e is still playable right out of the box, with no errata or changes at all.  Its better with the errata (or for xun who got nerfed: not better) but still playable.

Nov 23, 2009 -- 6:40AM, The_SHAZAMAZON wrote:

Would errata have made 3.5 needless?
I'm curious as to your answer.
Someone who cares more than I could compare the changes from 3.0 to 3.5 with the original 4e books and the issued errata, to try to determine how they compare.

I say either one could go either way, or both.

No.  The changes made in the transition from 3E to 3.5E were much more comprehensive in scope, hence the reason for the change in the first place.  We have seen nothing on that scale at this time which would show us that we need a change of edition on the scale of 3.5E.  The majority of the errata are clarifications which can certainly make it into a future printing (thus making it an attractive purchase for those of us who already purchased the books).