D&D free?

[vulpinoid]

Is anyone else excited by the idea that a major chunk of the new D&D release will be free? Apparently enough to be a fully playable game, and certain rumours are stating that it will work for characters anywhere up to level 20.

It's got me intrigued.

[Chainsaw Aardvark]

I have always respected D&D for its staged content delivery. Should I be selling my own games, I would have a basic and enhanced edition available to let people chose their price entry point. (Though in my case, it would be more B&W basic vs hardcover with color plates and an extra chapter - but they would be more compatible than basic vs advanced.)

That said, I see some reasons to be wary. Plenty of war games operate on the King Gillette principle - making the rules free and charging for models. If Fifth edition is anything like Fourth, then status tokens, power cards, models, and grid maps could be where the actual money is at. Make a character up to level twenty is different from make a viable character up to level 20 - does this version have feats/special abilities like the two prior? What won't be in the free version - monsters, setting, images? Sure we have the internet and that TV thing, but artwork is a big inspiration in a game.

Hopefully my misgivings are wrong. I certainly wish the authors luck with this new edition of a stalwart fixture in our hobby.