D&D 1E Just got done running some 1e

[Pentegarn]

After trying 4e, my groups and I went back to 2eAD&D for awhile, then decided to try some of the clones out there like OSRIC, For Gold & Glory, Labyrinth Lord, Swords and Wizardry, etc. Then we tried some systems with newer mechanics, but with the old school feel, such as the Castles and Crusades RPG or the Dungeon Crawl Classics RPG. We really loved DCC, and I think that it's probably still my favorite RPG book.

However, lately, we've been really enjoying Dungeon World. I remember watching a PAZ Prime panel in 2012 on "old school RPGs with modern design". Guests on the panel included lead creators/designers from both the 13th Age and Dungeon World RPGs. My home table top group and I ended up choosing to try 13th Age, but too much in the mechanics felt like 4e, but it was definitely 4e done right (as many have phrased it). It just wasn't for us. Now that we're playing Dungeon World, several of us, including myself, have remarked about how we could kick ourselves, and one another, for not choosing DW the first time. Much as we used to talk about kicking ourselves for ever leaving AD&D for 3e and 4e, once we had returned to it. Live and learn. I just wish the learning didn't take so long sometimes, and was less painful.

Anyway, DW feels pretty much the way I used to play and DM OD&D, and AD&D back when I first started the RPG. It feels like the way I've tried to play 3e, PF, and 4e, along with the other systems I've tried since. But DW rules support the way I like to play instead of getting in the way of it. I still love DCC and don't plan on giving it up. I'll return to it, and possibly other systems I've found that I liked, from time to time. But it'll be hard to go back to the initiative, rounds, and turns based combat. In DW, combat flows the same as exploration. It doesn't "switch modes" when a sword is drawn, and change to a different system of play.

If you haven't tried it, you might look into it.

It's only $10 for the pdf here:
http://rpg.drivethrustuff.com/product/108028/Dungeon-World

$25 for the print+pdf here:
http://www.indiepressrevolution.com/xcart/product.php?productid=18774&cat=0&featured=Y

There's a nice series of 6 video's that explain much of how DW works, starting with the first video here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IRCE8_Gkdc0

And you can find a sort of SRD here if you wish to look into it:
http://book.dwgazetteer.com/introduction.html

Finally, there's a fan made pdf that is free to download which explains and clarifies the way moves work in DW for those that might be having a little trouble understanding them. In some of cases, DW's moves might be a little confusing for veteran players of most common RPGs. It can be found here:
http://apocalypse-world.com/forums/index.php?PHPSESSID=5a8f7236cmidl8rfmd1fn29e0vd6gvht&topic=4996.0

Dungeon World definitely isn't for everyone. But my groups seem to love it. And I'm really liking it. If you're anything like me, and find yourself at a point where you're sick of rule bloated systems with a lot of mathchanics which often require a lot of page flipping that slows play; if you want a system that is easy to play or DM, and designed to focus on the story using mechanics that support and drive the story instead of getting in the way of it and slowing it's progress; if you're not only able, but prefer to play/DM without needing a detailed rule on everything down to, and including, wiping your arse; if you have always been more of a TotM, story, and role play oriented RPG gamer; if you enjoy improv between player and DM which encourages and often leads to more open, sandbox style adventures; then you might want to at least give DW a look.

Looking at what I've typed here, this post looks like an advertisement. That's not intentional. For the reasons I mentioned just above, I'm just glad I finally tried this system. After so many years (since around 2001, when we began playing 3eD&D), DW is just a breath of fresh air to an older RPG gamer like myself. So I feel I should share it with those out there that might be like myself, but are still looking around for a lighter system with rules that support a story oriented style of play, and that drive the game and story forward, instead of getting in the way of the story and progress.

 

[the Jester]

...However, lately, we've been really enjoying Dungeon World.

I keep hearing great things about it, and would love to try it one of these days, that's for sure! But I have an irrational attachment to D&D. I doubt whether any other game will ever replace it as my alpha game, even if I like it as much.

Nonetheless, DW is on my list of games to try.

 

[Pentegarn]

I keep hearing great things about it, and would love to try it one of these days, that's for sure! But I have an irrational attachment to D&D. I doubt whether any other game will ever replace it as my alpha game, even if I like it as much.

Nonetheless, DW is on my list of games to try.

I know exactly what you mean. I was the same. Other than some Gamma World and Shadowrun back when I was in college, and a little Star Wars (d6 version) since, I pretty much stuck with D&D.

After leaving 1st and 2nd editions of AD&D, we spent 10 years playing 3x and PF. Even after some houseruled streamlining, there was just too much distraction in the rules, and too many nights where progress through a dungeon amounted to exploring two rooms, or making it from one end of the hall to another.

We tried 4e out of desperation. I had hoped that it's streamlined core might play faster. But there was even more dependency on the battlegrid, and the focus on classes and their roles just felt completely different. I'm going to refrain from going into detail and simply say, it was definitely not for us.

D&D Next was announced, and the first playtest packet gave us some hope. But we'd already went back to AD&D and were also experimenting with the other games mentioned in my previous post.

It basically took realizing that 5e wasn't going to be what we thought it might be for us to finally accept we weren't D&D brand players any more, and never truly have been since WotC took the reigns.

All I know, is when one of the players from my online groups or one of those from my home table top group call/email me about getting together, even though we're actually playing DW, or DCC, the question is, "You want to get together and play some D&D?" At one point or another, I just realized that what was the D&D brand, and what was D&D (at least to us) were two different things.

But I clung to the brand name for a long time before I finally gave it up for what my groups and I found what we thought was fun and felt like D&D to us.