D&D 5E What else to I need to consider for a 5e realism hard mode?

[DeJoker]

Its not sad at all. We've been going on 3 years with the same core books and only small mechanical expansions. Unlike say 2e, 3e, 4e, and Pathfinder which gave us new books all the time, this edition is about making our own way. Wanting to try new things and new settings with the 5e rules is perfectly natural for both DMs and players.

That is not the point of what I said at all -- so all I can actually say to that is -- whatever trips your trigger or floats your boat and as long as you are good with your rationalization of why then more power to you -- knock yourself out at rewriting the entire thing to your hearts content.

 

[dave2008]

How on earth did you manage that? 1e is rife with save-or-dies, either immediately (finger of death, slay living, medusa gaze, etc.) or within a very short time if your party doesn't bail you out (hold person, ghoul paralysis, all sorts of poisons, etc.) never mind the die-soon effects that don't even get a save (sleep).

Lanefan

I don't really remember - that was 25-30 years ago! We never got very high level and played with heavy homebrew and only tried one published adventure. I don't think I ever used undead (didn't like them at the time) and rarely used spells at all. My PCs only had one spellcaster (magic-user)