OSR Why does OSR Design Draw You In?

[Micah Sweet]

Haha, this was my first guess since I'm in the same boat. Luckily, I have a very patient wife who will play cooperatively with me time to time when I can't get a normal group together.


Agree here too. I shower the players with XP when I'm running OSR games, especially the lower levels. My attention span for any given campaign is about a year - two years if things are going really good.

I have a similar issue with players who prefer more narrative-focused, character-primacy games. It's frustrating, because that's just not the way I enjoy the hobby.

 

[Micah Sweet]

Speaking for me here. Although sandbox style can be ran in 5e, it's a lot more work on the DM since the core books lack the world building tools and built in exploration mechanics that other OSR games have. Also, creating monsters/items/NPCs/etc... on the fly is more involved and harder to balance in 5E.

Same goes with PF2, but exponentially more so thanks to level bonuses, more complex stat blocks, and tighter math.

That's why I play Level Up instead of WotC 5e. It's not missing those tools you mentioned.

 

[Xenolith234]

Fair enough. Good points.

The PCs in 5e also get exploration-negating spells/skills at a fairly low level that make the challenges of wilderness exploration moot. Then, if you ban or alter those spells, skills, or rules, you run into a player-culture issue.

 

[Micah Sweet]

The PCs in 5e also get exploration-negating spells/skills at a fairly low level that make the challenges of wilderness exploration moot. Then, if you ban or alter those spells, skills, or rules, you run into a player-culture issue.

See my message above. Not playing WotC's version of 5e fixes this problem.

 

[Jahydin]

That's why I play Level Up instead of WotC 5e. It's not missing those tools you mentioned.

Agree. Level Up is one of the only 5e products that felt like it was made by gamers for gamers. Happy to report everyone in my little hobby circle is still using it in lieu of D&D 2024.

 

[Xenolith234]

See my message above. Not playing WotC's version of 5e fixes this problem.

How do you feel about a5e in comparison to AD&D?

 

[Micah Sweet]

How do you feel about a5e in comparison to AD&D?

Very different games. I played 1e for about 25 years off and on, and it's my favorite iteration on the official rules (assuming you're using all of AD&D, 1e and 2e).

 

[Xenolith234]

Very different games. I played 1e for about 25 years off and on, and it's my favorite iteration on the official rules (assuming you're using all of AD&D, 1e and 2e).

a5e is your favorite iteration on the official rules?

 

[Micah Sweet]

a5e is your favorite iteration on the official rules?

Yes, absolutely, although I am also very fond of ACKS (an iteration on the B/X rules, but with a lot of additions and much better math). Basically, I value world modeling and depth very highly. My A5e compiled rules document includes many integrated additions from 3pp and homebrew, with the ultimate unachievable goal to create a comprehensive system capable of simulating just about anything you might want in a historical, fantasy, or science fiction game to a fair degree of granularity. I've been working on it for years.

 

[Xenolith234]

Yes, absolutely, although I am also very fond of ACKS (an iteration on the B/X rules, but with a lot of additions and much better math). Basically, I value world modeling and depth very highly. My A5e compiled rules document includes many integrated additions from 3pp and homebrew, with the ultimate unachievable goal to create a comprehensive system capable of simulating just about anything you might want in a historical, fantasy, or science fiction game to a fair degree of granularity. I've been working on it for years.

That's the only thing I idealize about 3e - not the class builds and theorycrafting, but the breadth of the simulationist toolbox that it provided DMs (and simpler mechanics). AD&D was similar in many regards, but the rules are not as smooth for those who are only used to 5e. Maybe a5e is my best option for that - I've been wishing that there was a simulationist 5e. I'm curious what your rules doc looks like.