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Tuesday, May 1, 2012

Dungeons & Dragons Next--What Wishing Made me Realize

So as just about everyone else in gameland I've been following 5e developments from WoTC. Not religiously mind you, but now and then, when my OS surfing would take me there. Yes, I got the news Monte left--all sorts of wild speculations there. But, though I admire Monte as a creative designer, he doesn't really design the kinds of games I like. So consequently I wasn't to moved by the announcement. Other than to wonder what it meant for 5e.

I will also admit to being somewhat hopeful that WoTC would make a lighter and more old school amenable game. I am keeping my eyes and mind open as much as I can. But I'm not really expecting to rely on WoTC or their new rendition of their game to capture my interest. That being said I will run a playtest game this summer if I can and try the game on for size.

No, what 5e has helped realize is in my wishing what it could be in a perfect world.

First of all I am not a d20 fan. As this post will clearly show. I mean I admire the system as lite and fast, but beyond that it is not the D&D system as originally designed. But I have played d20 systems, and been okay with how they drive. So laying that aside, what would I like to see as a base system for 5e. Well, this realization came about while bantering back and forth online, in fora, on blogs and in emails with my brother. This was in my last email I sent:

"Then again ... I've been thinking a lot about Basic D&D. The appeal of the game and how close it is to the original ethos. And the 5e designers thoughts that such a game can be achieved as a base type of D&D experience.


In this case you keep things _very simple_ for the core game.

Base game is:

3d6 in order

Fighter = d10 HD / fights best / advances moderately


Cleric = d8 HD / fights well / divine spells / advances moderately slow


Magic User = d4 HD / little fighting / arcane spells / advances slowest


Thief = d6 HD / little fighting / skill based class / advances quickest


Dwarf = d8 HD / essentially a fighter-cleric / Good underground / Advances very slow


Elf = d6 HD / essentially a fighter-magic user / Good in woods / Advances very slow


Halfling = D6 HD / essentially a fighter-thief / Nimble and sneaky / Advances very slow

Alignment Lawful / Neutral / Chaotic

Roll money & Buy equipment / pick spells

You're ready to go

Module expansion could include separating race and class, expanding alignment, adding skills, multiclassing, feats, and on and on."

And it hit me that that game already existed! Well, I don;t need to guide you by the hand to realize what came next. I promptly went to my favorite online gaming store and and ordered the Moldvay/Marsh & Cook Basic & Expert sets. And man am I ever excited to get my hands on them again. I got rid of mine so long ago I don't even recall when. Being the pompous AD&D-only snob I was back in the day.

I'll post more on B/X play, and what I'm thinking when they come in. And I still need to finish up my why not Hackmaster when you love it so much post. Til then, game on friends!


8 comments:

  1. Ha! The Delvers switched to Labyrinth Lord as well. For all intents and purposes we are also now playing with B/X.

    Finding used copies of B/X did occur to me in the beginning, but I wanted to use a game that was currently being produced and that the girls would have access to without me.

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  2. Thing is the OSR provides a multitude of optional rules and styles. You really don't need 5e. from 3e lite to bare bones fantasy one page games. It's all here and a vast majority for free!

    Eric!

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  3. My new Labyrinth Lord game streets tomorrow night! How's that for a slice of fried gold?! Seriously, my B/X live forever, in all it's forms!

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  4. @Drance your auto-correct conjured images of you playing LL on a fold out table placed on a sidewalk, while passersby looked on.

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  5. Lol! I did exactly the same thing. My copies of BX rules from 1981 arrived last week and I love 'em! I'm still going to run Pathfinder Beginner's Box for my players though, cause I'm nice and I don't want them all to die straight away!

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  6. Yeah--I just got the email that both my copies shipped today! I am stoked!!

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  7. I don't think the dwarf is very cleric-like though. More like another another take on the fighter-thief: mechanical skill + fighting compared to the halfling's sneak skill + fighting.

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