3 ms·

This is why I'm moving to different systems. Rules-as-written D&D is essentially a power fantasy.

ticviking 4y ago
The rules of the game have evolved to push things that direction. If you buy the reprints of 1st edition and play them you’ll find that for the first several levels characters are basically normal people, or a bit stronger fighting against overwhelming odds to seek glory and treasure. The power fantasy comes as a reward for those early phases of the game where characters build their careers up in those editions.
- jpmoral 4y ago
  Sure, that's fine if you want to tell a (nearly)zero-to-(overpowered)hero story. Which I did for some time (played a bit of 1e, 2e, and DMed a lot of 5e). But, genre aside, for any other kind of story you're better off finding something else. e.g. trying to do https://bullypulpitgames.com/games/grey-ranks/ https://bullypulpitgames.com/games/grey-ranks/ in any edition of D&D won't work well.
thisjustintime 4y ago
Which system are you moving to? I've been enjoying Savage Worlds and Call of Cthulhu.
- Multicomp 4y ago
  Not OP but Genesys helps me emphasize narrative play over just battles fwiw
- jpmoral 4y ago
  I've GMed one-shots of Spire: The City Must Fall, Night's Black Agents, and Lady Blackbird, and Honey Heist (Lasers and Feelings hack). Running one-shots of Trophy Dark and Night Witches soon. Haven't decided on a system for the next campaign, maybe Spire, Night's Black Agents (or other Gumshoe system), or one of the many excellent PbtA games.
dsr_ 4y ago
All RPGs, to a first approximation, are fantasies of agency. That is: your character can make a difference. (If your character can't make a difference, it really isn't much fun.) The strangest thing I see in today's young roleplayers is how they stick to a single system -- D&D 5e -- obsessively. Different systems are good at different aspects of storytelling, and the occasional attempts at universally-applicable rules (GURPS, I'm looking at you) tend to be mediocre at everything. A really good GM can overcome this, but you shouldn't need to depend on having a really good GM in order to have a successful game. On the other hand, every lesson learned from this article is applicable across games and genres and media types.
- jpmoral 4y ago
  For sure! System definitely matters, running tactical combat in PbtA won't work, just like trying to shoehorn relationships and inner turmoil into 5e.
buscoquadnary 4y ago
I'm struggling with 5e being that way right now any suggestion for alternative systems that aren't as heavy as GRUPs, that still don't break once the characters get to level 10?
- jpmoral 4y ago
  I've heard good things about Savage Worlds but have no experience with it.

The rules of the game have evolved to push things that direction. If you buy the reprints of 1st edition and play them you’ll find that for the first several levels characters are basically normal people, or a bit stronger fighting against overwhelming odds to seek glory and treasure. The power fantasy comes as a reward for those early phases of the game where characters build their careers up in those editions.

jpmoral 4y ago
Sure, that's fine if you want to tell a (nearly)zero-to-(overpowered)hero story. Which I did for some time (played a bit of 1e, 2e, and DMed a lot of 5e). But, genre aside, for any other kind of story you're better off finding something else. e.g. trying to do https://bullypulpitgames.com/games/grey-ranks/ https://bullypulpitgames.com/games/grey-ranks/ in any edition of D&D won't work well.

thisjustintime 4y ago

Which system are you moving to? I've been enjoying Savage Worlds and Call of Cthulhu.

Multicomp 4y ago
Not OP but Genesys helps me emphasize narrative play over just battles fwiw
jpmoral 4y ago
I've GMed one-shots of Spire: The City Must Fall, Night's Black Agents, and Lady Blackbird, and Honey Heist (Lasers and Feelings hack). Running one-shots of Trophy Dark and Night Witches soon. Haven't decided on a system for the next campaign, maybe Spire, Night's Black Agents (or other Gumshoe system), or one of the many excellent PbtA games.

dsr_ 4y ago

All RPGs, to a first approximation, are fantasies of agency. That is: your character can make a difference. (If your character can't make a difference, it really isn't much fun.) The strangest thing I see in today's young roleplayers is how they stick to a single system -- D&D 5e -- obsessively. Different systems are good at different aspects of storytelling, and the occasional attempts at universally-applicable rules (GURPS, I'm looking at you) tend to be mediocre at everything. A really good GM can overcome this, but you shouldn't need to depend on having a really good GM in order to have a successful game. On the other hand, every lesson learned from this article is applicable across games and genres and media types.

jpmoral 4y ago
For sure! System definitely matters, running tactical combat in PbtA won't work, just like trying to shoehorn relationships and inner turmoil into 5e.

buscoquadnary 4y ago

I'm struggling with 5e being that way right now any suggestion for alternative systems that aren't as heavy as GRUPs, that still don't break once the characters get to level 10?

jpmoral 4y ago
I've heard good things about Savage Worlds but have no experience with it.