The Thread In Which We Rant

[Reynard]

I've played 1e, 2e, 3x, 5e, PF1 & now PF2 - some of them on alternating weeks/days (there was a span where I was involved in a bi-weekly 1e game on Tue, 5e on Thur, & PF1 on Sunday).
Rather than shift gears terminology wise I'd just ask for whatever type of save or skill check rolled of the tongue 1st & leave it to the players to decipher. Still do.
It throws some of the younger players (or those who only know one system) for a loop. But my fellow veteran players know exactly what's going on: If you could see inside our heads? It's just a soup of 30some years & 5-6 editions of very similar rules.... But at least with D&D, pick one & odds are you'll know easily enough how to apply it no matter what the edition.

I don't know exactrly how often I ask for a Fortitude save when running 5E, but it has to be greater than 50% of the time I should be asking for a Constitution save. I have never inadvertently called for a Save vs Wands, though I probably have asked for a Save vs Paralysis or Poison once or twice. For reference, I started in 1985 with Mentzer and moved on to AD&D relatively shortly.

 

[prabe]

I don't know exactrly how often I ask for a Fortitude save when running 5E, but it has to be greater than 50% of the time I should be asking for a Constitution save. I have never inadvertently called for a Save vs Wands, though I probably have asked for a Save vs Paralysis or Poison once or twice. For reference, I started in 1985 with Mentzer and moved on to AD&D relatively shortly.

I devoted a lot of time and brainspace to 3.x, and even after running 5E for almost two years, I tend to call for Will Saves (the others don't trip me up as much because they sound different). It's something of a running joke at the table.

 

[ccs]

In my experience, as a bit of a rat bastard DM, that works up to about 3rd level and then you have to change tactics. 5E characters just aren't squishy enough for 1E methods to work.

Oh their squishy enough.
Granted,the old d4 HD types have gotten fatter, everyones Con bonus starts lower on the chart, & Barbarians take some extra effort.... But they can be squished.

It's just the default healing that's a bit different. You can't squish them over a period of days anymore. You have to concentrate it a bit.

 

[Reynard]

Oh their squishy enough.
Granted,the old d4 HD types have gotten fatter, everyones Con bonus starts lower on the chart, & Barbarians take some extra effort.... But they can be squished.

It's just the default healing that's a bit different. You can't squish them over a period of days anymore. You have to concentrate it a bit.

Right, so you have to switch up tactics.

 

[Sacrosanct]

Oh their squishy enough.
Granted,the old d4 HD types have gotten fatter, everyones Con bonus starts lower on the chart, & Barbarians take some extra effort.... But they can be squished.

It's just the default healing that's a bit different. You can't squish them over a period of days anymore. You have to concentrate it a bit.

That is one aspect of play that simply does not exist in 5e: the long wearing down of the PCs over the course of the adventure. When you don't heal back to max after every long rest, you have more decisions to make. Do you press on? Do you think a little bit more about planning? Maybe the entire last half of the adventure is everyone between 25-50% hit points. And to me, when you finally succeed, it feels more like an accomplishment because you overcame more.

But I suppose it comes down to this. In AD&D, the entire adventure from start to finish felt connected and organic. In 5e, with healing back to max after every rest, feels like it's just a series of adventuring days that aren't really connected nearly as firmly or organically. I.e., when you regen all of your resources between days, nothing in the previous day combat wise matters in the next day; there is no carryover.

 

[jasper]

Dear GM. " I bought the handbook you told too. WHY IN BEEEEP! Didn't you tell me about your 6 inch binder of house rules which we will use because your are smarter than the game designers!"
um I mean to say
Dear GM, "Please limit your house rules to one sheet of paper. In no less than 12 point font. That does not include the back side."

 

[jasper]

Dear Players, " I bought adventure path you want me to run. WHY IN THE SAM HILL are you not following the plot hooks."
Dear Players, " I am tired of your whiny bumming personalites. We are playing UNO forevermore!"
DEAR PLAYERS, " IT IS NOW 2300 HRS GO HOME. " SIGN THE SPOUSE.

 

[CleverNickName]

Oh yes, please tell me the story of your character, Broody Specialman, again. It's so clever and unique, especially the part about how everyone you love was brutally murdered in front of you. The villain is a powerful and wealthy authority figure, you say? Gosh, someone should write a book about this guy.

OH WAIT.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

Dear fellow players:

No, you may NOT touch my dice, books or other stuff with your greasy/Cheetos-dust covered fingers without wiping your hsnds. Nose-pickers & down the pants junk scratchers must wash or use sanitary wipes.*





* yes. I am thinking of actual players of my personal acquaintance.

 

[generic]

preach it. Even worse in video games. Last week my three buddies playing ghost recon, all went their different directions in the fortress, and when they inevitably went down, complained I wasn’t nearby to revive them.

"Need Healing!"

"Need Healing!"

"Need Healing!"

"Need Healing!"

"Need Healing!"