D&D 5E Group Rule Deal-Breakers

[Lanefan]

Here are my deal-breakers.
-Re-writing the rules extensively. There's no reason to rewrite every page of the book. I'd much rather a DM pitch playtesting a pure homebrew rule system then pitch D&D with 90% of the existing rules modified.

Fair enough, though most of the time what looks at first glance like an almost completely homebrew system is in fact just the current stage in a long evolution of that DM's rules from a basis in one particular edition of D&D.

-Not allowing character creation. Pre-gens are fine for one shots, but if this is a long term campaign, I want control over who I am playing.

This one's a first. There's DMs out there who don't allow character creation for ongoing home play?

Lanefan

 

[Satyrn]

There's DMs out there who don't allow character creation for ongoing home play?

Aye, every one of them who uses the Standard Array.

 

[Sunseeker]

-Must remain in character. This is more an issue with me. 100% in-character? I just can't do it. I'm going to make the Monty Python reference every time.

As a spin-off of this, I found I do not like playing with DMs who reward role-play without some kind of "once per session" limit or "spread the love" sort of like the timer on XP on this forum. This is often exacerbated by your final point, as these DMs will often have a buddy who is a theater major or just really comfortable with and will role-play like there's no tomorrow.

 

[iserith]

As a spin-off of this, I found I do not like playing with DMs who reward role-play without some kind of "once per session" limit or "spread the love" sort of like the timer on XP on this forum. This is often exacerbated by your final point, as these DMs will often have a buddy who is a theater major or just really comfortable with and will role-play like there's no tomorrow.

That's really more acting which is a separate thing from roleplaying. And not worth rewarding in my view.

 

[Lanefan]

That's really more acting which is a separate thing from roleplaying.

This is a statement that I've seen various times before, and I just don't get it.

How is - in this case unscripted - acting defined as anything other than playing a role? And how is table-top in-character role-playing any different, other than (usually) staying in one's seat and not moving about?

And not worth rewarding in my view.

Not worth rewarding with xp, true; but always worth encouraging.

Lanefan

 

[iserith]

This is a statement that I've seen various times before, and I just don't get it.

Imagine that roleplaying is just making decisions that your character might conceivably make, whereas acting is how you communicate that decision.

 

[Sunseeker]

Imagine that roleplaying is just making decisions that your character might conceivably make, whereas acting is how you communicate that decision.

I don't see the distinction. Role-playing is more than just making in-character decisions. Otherwise people wouldn't get in a tizzy over out-of-character commentary (like Monty Python jokes). Not everyone is an actor, but talking in-character, thinking in-character, doesn't matter if dice are thrown down or not, that's all role-playing.

 

[iserith]

I don't see the distinction. Role-playing is more than just making in-character decisions.

Nope.

Otherwise people wouldn't get in a tizzy over out-of-character commentary (like Monty Python jokes).

People get into tizzies about all sorts of things. It doesn't make them right (or wrong) necessarily.

 

[Sunseeker]

Nope.

People get into tizzies about all sorts of things. It doesn't make them right (or wrong) necessarily.

Yes, it just seems that people getting upset over OOC comments is far more common than your suggestion that role-playing and acting are somehow distinct because dice are involved.

 

[iserith]

Yes, it just seems that people getting upset over OOC comments is far more common than your suggestion that role-playing and acting are somehow distinct because dice are involved.

Yeah maybe, except I didn't say it mattered if dice are involved, right?