I noticed recently that 5e doesn’t include an arcane half caster. Was this deliberate? I’d like to know more about the design decision and if you see it as a niche to fill as the game grows or if you’d rather avoid it.

mikemearls24 points20 days ago
I think we have enough casters that we’re not necessarily seeking to fill that gap. The bard was probably the most likely candidate for that treatment, but worked out much better as a full caster. from discussion AMA: Mike Mearls, D&D Creative Director.

http://slyflourish.com/fronts_in_dnd.htmlComment from discussion AMA: Mike Mearls, D&D Creative Director.

Dark Sun is a good example – D&D in a world where rampant abuse of magic has wrought an ecological catastrophe. Everything flows from that. Comment from discussion AMA: Mike Mearls, D&D Creative Director.

mikemearls8 points21 days ago
Something a bit different, a product that let you make the setting your own, that showed you how to really dive deep into the things that make the setting unique. Comment from discussion AMA: Mike Mearls, D&D Creative Director.

mikemearls261 points19 days ago
The hiring process has been interesting, because it forced us to really look at what we value and require. Here are the big picture ones.

You really need to know how to write, and must have an excellent grasp of grammar. For tabletop gaming, the written word is your programming language. You have to be an expert with it and capable of handling complex language and concepts with precise language.

Game design is a little overrated. We do a lot of iteration, so having the ability to come up with lots of interesting ideas and polish the best ones to perfect is better than having a few, big ideas.

Mind set is important. Working on D&D is about supporting the community and growing the game. Some designers want to make a mark or make a name for themselves, and that doesn’t really work well with what D&D needs.

Your best bet is to start self-publishing, look at getting a certificate in editing or a degree in English, and run D&D as often as you can. I can’t oversell self-publishing enough. In today’s environment, it’s the best way to get RPG experience.Comment from discussion AMA: Mike Mearls, D&D Creative Director.

Comment Hey Mike, how has twitch changed the way the D&D team goes about its business, whether it is planning for the next book, or doing promotions? It’s been amazing seeing D&D’s presence on twitch go from zero to sixty in just a few years in this post-Critical Role era, with D&D signing on Satine and Ruty to do streams and whatnot. I don’t know how at liberty you are to comment on the marketing side of things, but I figure I would ask.

mikemearls10 points21 days ago
We definitely think of it as an extension of the hobby and what we do overall. I think we’ll be doing more streams ourselves. They keep threatening to put me in front of the camera on a weekly basis…

But it’s really awesome, and a great way for D&D DMs and players to connect in a much more meaningful way. from discussion AMA: Mike Mearls, D&D Creative Director.

mikemearls10 points21 days ago
Kind of. The issue is that doing that makes combat slower, which is one of the really big reasons why 4e struggled so mightily. We’re doing some stuff to push the envelope a bit, but a tabletop RPG has a fairly low ceiling for complexity before you start losing players and DMs. Comment from discussion AMA: Mike Mearls, D&D Creative Director.