D&D General Why is "OSR style" D&D Fun For You?

[Malmuria]

Ok, that has a lot of information, but I don’t really see the answer I was looking for. What do “you” consider OSR style?

I'd highly recommend reading the whole thing, but just to quote this one section.

What is old school style play?

A concise definition is quite difficult and subjective, but I like how Ben Milton characterizes it here:

“The more of the following a campaign has, the more Old School it is: high lethality, an open world, a lack of pre-written plot, an emphasis on creative problem solving, an exploration-centered reward system (usually XP for treasure), a disregard for "encounter balance", and the use of random tables to generate world elements that surprise both players and referees. Also, a strong do-it-yourself attitude and a willingness to share your work and use the creativity of others in your game.”

These elements were present in the early years of the hobby. At first, they may seem crude, cumbersome, or outdated. But many players find the kind of gameplay that emerges from these elements very compelling. They can invoke creativity, engagement, wonder, and a sense of accomplishment.

The appreciation of old school style play shouldn’t be misconstrued as chasing a sense of nostalgia. That can be true for some, but an increasing number of players who enjoy this style weren’t alive when these rules were popular. And beyond simple retro-clone and rehash rulesets, there are many elegant modernizations, reinterpretations, and entirely new and innovative rulesets that foster this style of play, and even more that permit it.

 

[Lanefan]

I can’t speak for 3e, but my 5e character is level 15 now and I started playing with it in the beginning of 2015.

Nice.

I'm not sure 5e cares about wealth-by-level as a guiderail, though, or at least nowhere near as much as did 3e. That, and from what I can tell wealth in 5e isn't as central to anything as in 0-1-2-3e (not sure about 4e).

 

[Thomas Shey]

Nice.

I'm not sure 5e cares about wealth-by-level as a guiderail, though, or at least nowhere near as much as did 3e. That, and from what I can tell wealth in 5e isn't as central to anything as in 0-1-2-3e (not sure about 4e).

Wealth, per se, isn't in 4e but barring optional rules, magic items certainly are.

 

[Voadam]

Wealth, per se, isn't in 4e but barring optional rules, magic items certainly are.

4e WBL is represented by the escalating treadmill costs of higher level magic items as you progress from +1 to +5 weapons from level 1 to level 30. Everyone is generally expected to have a level appropriate weapon, armor, and non-armor (fortitude, reflex, and will defense boosting) protective item. This level appropriate magic item combat set, which have costs for buying or making, is baked into the baseline math of 4e's tight combat balance.

Unless you use the DMG2 or Dark Sun inherent bonus rules in which case you can be a penniless barbarian in a loincloth with a nonmagical stone axe and kick as much butt as anybody kitted out in level appropriate adamantine plate with a flaming sword and magic cloak.

 

[Uni-the-Unicorn!]

I'd highly recommend reading the whole thing, but just to quote this one section.

Ok, that sounds just like our 5e game. Since this the most fun we have had playing D&D, I guess we like OSR?

 

[Uni-the-Unicorn!]

I'm not sure what I would personally define as "OSR" play specifically matter for what you enjoy about it. I linked the Principia to you so you could see what OSR is to "most" people, which should allow you to answer the question in the thread title - even if that is "I don't." Which is doesn't sound like you do from the rest of your response (which, to be clear, is totally cool).

Actually from what I can glean from the link, other posts, and my 1e/BECMI experience, I think I do like OSR. Our 5e game sounds very much like what people describe as OSR.

 

[Uni-the-Unicorn!]

Nice.

I'm not sure 5e cares about wealth-by-level as a guiderail, though, or at least nowhere near as much as did 3e. That, and from what I can tell wealth in 5e isn't as central to anything as in 0-1-2-3e (not sure about 4e).

It is important for our 5e game. You need to spend money during downtime to train / research in order to level up.

 

[Thomas Shey]

4e WBL is represented by the escalating treadmill costs of higher level magic items as you progress from +1 to +5 weapons from level 1 to level 30. Everyone is generally expected to have a level appropriate weapon, armor, and non-armor (fortitude, reflex, and will defense boosting) protective item. This level appropriate magic item combat set, which have costs for buying or making, is baked into the baseline math of 4e's tight combat balance.

That's why I said "wealth per se" wasn't.

Unless you use the DMG2 or Dark Sun inherent bonus rules in which case you can be a penniless barbarian in a loincloth with a nonmagical stone axe and kick as much butt as anybody kitted out in level appropriate adamantine plate with a flaming sword and magic cloak.

I'd expected they probably had something like that somewhere, but didn't like D&D4e enough to look into it (which doesn't mean I don't respect the 4e design, just that for reasons I can't quite put my finger on, it left me cold).

 

[Malmuria]

Ok, that sounds just like our 5e game. Since this the most fun we have had playing D&D, I guess we like OSR?

Then yes! Many people find that 5e's mechanics get in the way of at least some of these principles, and that in many cases the best answer is on your character sheet rather than something that emerges in play. But given that 5e was in part inspired by the OSR, I see no reason why a 5e game couldn't veer in that direction.

Here's a good post about it

The New School, the Old School, and 5th Edition D&D

This was easily the funniest picture I found for "Edition Wars" People have short memories. Actually, that's only part of it. People also ne...

knightattheopera.blogspot.com

 

[Uni-the-Unicorn!]

Then yes! Many people find that 5e's mechanics get in the way of at least some of these principles, and that in many cases the best answer is on your character sheet rather than something that emerges in play. But given that 5e was in part inspired by the OSR, I see no reason why a 5e game couldn't veer in that direction.

Here's a good post about it

The New School, the Old School, and 5th Edition D&D

This was easily the funniest picture I found for "Edition Wars" People have short memories. Actually, that's only part of it. People also ne...

knightattheopera.blogspot.com

Well we learned to play in 1e/BECMI, so we play that way regardless of edition really