D&D 5E Casual player responses to DMs planning to avoid WotC 5e/1DnD rules

[AdmundfortGeographer]

It looks like the 1.1 OGL leak is inspiring DMs to run future games with different system rules.

How are casual players responding to DMs who are moved about what’s going on in the community?

Are casual players pushing back against DMs making changes due to all this?

 

[Maxperson]

It looks like the 1.1 OGL leak is inspiring DMs to run future games with different system rules.

How are casual players responding to DMs who are moved about what’s going on in the community?

Are casual players pushing back against DMs making changes due to all this?

I have one player who has been wanting to go back to 3e since we moved to 5e. Two who really like 5e, but also really like 3e and would make that move. My last player will go whichever way the group goes. He just wants to have fun and doesn't give a rats behind what system is used.

If the OGL 1.1 leak becomes a reality, we go back to 3e and WotC never gets another dime from me.

 

[payn]

Im finding this to land as it usually does with groups I'm in, and I'm familiar with. That being one or two members really have their ear to ground. These folks are up on news and make decisions that largely effect the entire group. So, for edition changes, new bespoke systems, adventure module/paths etc.. These folks largely make all those decisions. The casual gamer typically relies on them to bring the news and convince them to care or not. Completely anecdotal, but no I dont see much hullabaloo from causal gamers.

 

[James Gasik]

All the gamers I know are aware of the OGL issue; it's everywhere online, including a great video I just saw which pointed out that Matt Colville predicted this last year. So you'd have to be living under a rock not to know about it.

Whether or not you care, well...

 

[Ralif Redhammer]

I'll find out when my one group convenes tomorrow night, but I suspect that the drama will barely have registered with them, nor have changed their gaming preferences much if it has. Critical Role weighing in (which they haven't yet, as far as I can tell) might change that.

My other group, since my brother's in that, I obviously already know his thoughts (not because of a creepy twin thing, but because, you know, we talk to each other all the time). He's of a mind with me, of waiting until Wizards gives official word on the OGL1.1 one way or another. We spent the better part of last year with me running DCC RPG and everyone enjoyed that, but I've no idea how people would respond if I were to suggest moving away from D&D permanently.

 

[dave2008]

It looks like the 1.1 OGL leak is inspiring DMs to run future games with different system rules.

How are casual players responding to DMs who are moved about what’s going on in the community?

Are casual players pushing back against DMs making changes due to all this?

I wouldn't play a different game if the DM moved to a new one. I don't need to support WotC to play D&D and I have little to no desire to learn / play another system at the moment.

 

[Seramus]

Most of my players don't care. There's a general acceptance that the OGL and D&D thriving is good for the hobby as a whole, and that should be encouraged and protected, but we play many different systems and the personal impact would be small to non-existent.

 

[Weiley31]

Well, I can technically play 2nd Edition via For Gold and Glory. Plus, I found a VERY HANDY conversion guide that shows how to change descending ac to ascending ac and THAC0 to Attack Bonuses. So that would help with the conversions there in that case.

 

[Dausuul]

Im finding this to land as it usually does with groups I'm in, and I'm familiar with. That being one or two members really have their ear to ground. These folks are up on news and make decisions that largely effect the entire group. So, for edition changes, new bespoke systems, adventure module/paths etc.. These folks largely make all those decisions. The casual gamer typically relies on them to bring the news and convince them to care or not. Completely anecdotal, but no I dont see much hullabaloo from causal gamers.

This, of course, is a critical flaw in the assumption that this is no big deal for Hasbro because most gamers are totally unaware of what's going on. True, most gamers are unaware... but those are precisely the gamers most likely to go along with what their more engaged and plugged-in tablemates want.

As for my group, we haven't played since all this blew up, so there's been no real discussion of it yet. I did let them know that my Master sub to D&D Beyond might be going away -- in fact, I've already canceled it, but it doesn't expire for months yet -- but that's about it. I figure we'll discuss long-term plans on Saturday. I am next in rotation to GM; I'm thinking I will go hunt up some alternative systems, put the most promising ones to the group, and we'll pick one and give it a go.

(This is, of course, assuming Wizards does not walk this debacle back. I'm undecided on exactly how far that walkback would have to go before I'd change my mind and come back; we shall see where things land.)

 

[RoughCoronet0]

I’m currently Dming a D&D 5e game that only started late September but honestly, I don’t really have the time or the desire to tackle learning another game system whether it be to play in or run. It was hard enough switching between 3.5, 4th, and 5th edition for me, and it tends to take me time to wrap my head around things.

I will be most likely be continuing to play 5e regardless of what happens and will see what OneD&D offers, and if I can’t find people to play with (my group has shown no signs of wanting to stop anytime soon), I’ll just stop playing altogether. Give me time to hop into more video games that way.