D&D General 5e D&D to OSR pipeline or circle?

[EthanSental]

So I’ve only have the shadow dark quick start rules for players and gm but quick question…for the fighter, for 10 levels do I only get 1 attack per turn in the combat round? If so, has anyone played all the way to level 10 and still think after 9 sessions to get to level 4 and still only attack once…has that lost the nostalgic but new game osr feel? I’ve tried 3 times to play becmi and the os game of treasure for xp, tracking rations, going in and out of the same dungeon area and all 3 times our group quits as the players get tired of that style, the dm gets tired of it, so we’ve pined for that old school feel but burn that candle out pretty quickly every time. For us we just can’t stay interested in it anymore like we thought we did in the 80s.

 

[Micah Sweet]

When the goal isn't "see a story" & creating a new character is purposefully made painless with the expectation that you discover who your character really is through challenge & play vs backstory, very different expectation set.

Agreed. Having the goal be, "see a story" actively works against my preferred playstyle.

 

[Remathilis]

When the goal isn't "see a story" & creating a new character is purposefully made painless with the expectation that you discover who your character really is through challenge & play vs backstory, very different expectation set.

Yup. Those characters I call "toons". Occasionally, they get names and backstories, but most spring out of the ground fully equipped and ready to open the next door...

 

[Minigiant]

So your phrasing, while biased against this sort of play, is nonetheless accurate to your understanding of it.

It is not bias

The purpose of OSR is to remake the old styles that are are different from modern gaming styles.

I understand OSR and old school play. It's heavily based on not having a lot of the background periphery that makes 5e function.

 

[Micah Sweet]

It is not bias

The purpose of OSR is to remake the old styles that are are different from modern gaming styles.

I understand OSR and old school play. It's heavily based on not having a lot of the background periphery that makes 5e function.

What do you mean by, "background periphery"?

 

[Minigiant]

What do you mean by, "background periphery"?

Feats and ASI
Skills
Death saves.
10 point DC spread
Easy healing
HP Tough monsters.

 

[Aldarc]

Yup. Those characters I call "toons". Occasionally, they get names and backstories, but most spring out of the ground fully equipped and ready to open the next door...

So like D&D Adventurer's League?

 

[pemerton]

Having a paltry amount of HP isn't my idea of fun, and I've been playing since 1989.

<snip>

For me, old school play isn't disposable characters and hoping you roll a better one next time. We had lengthy campaigns, heroes who became lords of the realm and faced epic challenges.

What you're describing here is not "old school" play. It's completely standard post-DL play, which AD&D 2nd ed consolidated as the norm. You yourself seemed to recognise these points when you started this thread: TSR - How Did I Survive AD&D? Fudging and Railroads, Apparently

 

[Remathilis]

So like D&D Adventurer's League?

I mean, any organized play where you don't have a consistent group of players and DMs creates similar experiences, but it's more an emotional connection I'm speaking about. I don't get warm memories of Col Mustard. I don't write backstory for the Scottie Dog. Why invest in a character who is equally as disposable?

But that's a different topic.

 

[zakael19]

I mean, any organized play where you don't have a consistent group of players and DMs creates similar experiences, but it's more an emotional connection I'm speaking about. I don't get warm memories of Col Mustard. I don't write backstory for the Scottie Dog. Why invest in a character who is equally as disposable?

But that's a different topic.

The OSR folks say that by discovering your character during play you get an attachment for them as you see them overcome odds and grow into a more seasoned adventurer that showing up with a backstory and arc in your head can’t match. It’s a different perspective for sure!

To give an example using Dolmenwood again: you have a ton of random tables for each kindred (its spin on ye old race), which give you backgrounds (jobs, really), trinkets, desires, demeanors, beliefs, all sorts of stuff that you can grab and start portraying a compelling character right away - and then see where that leads.