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Against the Cult of Chaos: Two Ways to Play
By D&D Team

The current D&D Encounters season, War of Everlasting Darkness, is now underway—but we're looking ahead to next year, and an exciting new way to play D&D Encounters. Our next D&D Encounters season premieres on February 6, 2013. Entitled Against the Cult of Chaos, this new adventure takes inspiration from classics such as Village of Hommlet and Against the Cult of the Reptile God. Not only does this new story feature characters and locations from beloved past adventures, but there's another compelling reason to participate.

Talk about this article here.

Anyone willing to take bets that the next season of Encounters will be "playtest only?" If so, screw it, I'm done. I've been with Encounters since the beginning, and taught a lot of people how to play D&D using 4e rules, and had a blast doing so. I have only so much time on my hands for gaming, and I will not spend it trying to teach new people a system that is in flux or may not work as well as what we have now. At this point, WotC has a long way to go before they convince to switch to D&D Next. I think Encounters is the wrong venue for this. 

The next Season will have two ways to play, 4th editions and D&D Next as detailed in the article.

I actually meant the season after that. And yes, I am being cynical.  I just think Encounters should follow a set format, rather than become divisive, which is what I can see incorporating the playtest material doing. This is one of my beefs with D&D Next and the whole concept of organized play. Having a modular system means that either all options are viable at the same table or that the DM and players have to choose which modules are or not allowed on a per-table basis. I really don't see how the former will work without alienating some large faction of the fanbase, and the latter can't be supported in a formal (either convention or in-store program) manner. There has to be a standardized set of rules, or else it doesn't work. 

Personally I'm hoping that a Pathfinder-esque thing happens with 4e.  4e could use a lot of restructuring.  Taking out old useless crap, a huge overhaul of the compiled monsters manual, taking out of feat taxes etc etc.  I've played a good bit of Next (about 15 games so far) and everything I've seen has made me not want to touch it at all.  I imagine if, when next comes out, if encounters is played via next and they pull the plug on the Character Builder and Compendium I'll stop buying anything WotC.  Not forever, as thats a silly thing to say, but most likely for a few years.  Considering how much WotC stuff I buy (and the fact that I pay for 3 DDI accounts) by the time that new system gets up and running (or if they somehow fix Next to not be disgustingly bad) I'll be able to buy everything as soon as it comes out.

So, is there a month-long break between this season and the start of Cult?  By my score, my store has 3 weeks left in War of Everlasting Darkness which takes us to mid-December.
I can guarantee not playing the Next rules for this one, as my son is <13 and cannot even sign up with my permission.

On the bright side, it looks like Lair Assault will sticking to the 4e rules (thank you!). The next season features aerial combat on flying mounts and should be incredible. These just keep getting better and better.

Nov 26, 2012 -- 8:49AM, Erreth wrote:

So, is there a month-long break between this season and the start of Cult? By my score, my store has 3 weeks left in War of Everlasting Darkness which takes us to mid-December. I can guarantee not playing the Next rules for this one, as my son is < 13 and cannot even sign up with my permission

I was thinking the same thing, there's not enough of the current season left to last until Feb 6. Anyone think the new Lair Assault could be finished in 2 hours? I might use that to fill the weeks in between.

Nov 26, 2012 -- 9:07AM, Style75 wrote:

On the bright side, it looks like Lair Assault will sticking to the 4e rules (thank you!). The next season features aerial combat on flying mounts and should be incredible. These just keep getting better and better.

Truly I'm actually torn between reading more of the new LA or simply waiting for it to be available... It'll take a while before I can access it though no WotC stores where I come from.

I don't see a real large issue at all with Next. Although the DM who organised the previous events, has ran games of next at home. Now seeing as he couldn't do Next, Lair Assault and Encounters ( a bit of a tall order ) he handed the "Encounters" reigns to a new player, who struggled, but got the job done. I have more experience so I've taken over organising ( I love DMing ) and thus will get our store ready again for Lair Assault and D&D Encounters - Against the Cult of Chaos. But then I suppose it's a bit of a gamble again, either he returns and we have two DMs and not enough players, forcing me to play again, or we might have two games running. 

I am looking forward to running a game season of encounters for my first time. But if it's  D&D Encounters - Against the Cult of Chaos, then I'll probably find it best running the game in 4ed rules.

I am looking forward to Lair Assault, any which way. It's a lot more flexible !

Just got Against the Cult of Choas.  I was looking to run in in D&D Next.  I haven't been able to find the conversion notes in the playtest.  Have they been posted yet?

No

New Playtest Content today, which included the conversion details.  Now if only my Against the Cult of Choas kit would show up so I could proceed with said conversion...

Got my copy yesterday.  The conversion looks pretty simple.  New/old school module with the new/old school rules.  I'm pretty stoked to run this one.