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Personally, I wouldn't introduce a puzzle or trick or other that would completely stop progress of the players in the game. I use puzzles to block access to secret rooms, sub levels, side areas, treasure vaults, and so on. Figuring out the puzzle reveals a 'bonus' area that may open up...

The last B/X game I played in we explored a dungeon in the elemental plane of water. Encountered a strange cult who mutated as they studied magic. Defeated a water adapted cultist monster by luring it out into the outside (which was in the plane of air). Fought our way out of being surrounded...

Why would you assume people didn't have fun? I find it odd that people, you among others, choose create this narrative that classic edition games are just dirt farmers and drudgery and death. Actually, I'm not sure now if things have really changed that much. I've had fun playing Basic D&D...

Character skill/ability is optional, arbitrary, and subject to player buy-in. If a player has a character with a low Int or Cha or skill, that player MAY choose to role-play their character as inhibited by that value, but ONLY if and when they wish to. That player at any time can still solve...

One of the more striking differences in how the game has changed is in where the majority of the game play exists in the game. In older editions (pre-WoTC),the majority of the game play is at the table. You roll up your character and you are thrust into the dungeon or the environment. The game...

This is one of the biggest changes I've noticed. Modern D&D has basically blown up the power level of spell casters to such a degree that the designers have basically given up, and the only solution they have to improving the balance of non-spellcasters is to make them spellcasters.

I'm not actually if videogames have really ruined anything for me. I mean unless the situation has changed in the last two years. For about two years (before the pandemic) I hosted an open table public D&D game at the local brewery. It was old school D&D via Basic Fantasy. Straight up old...

I’ve played in a game where 80% of the session was the DM talking to himself in different funny voices as he was acting out all his NPCs. it was a little too much for me.

Fair enough we like different things and I'll concede the point that if you don't like exploration then breaking it down to a single roll would be a way to go for you. I find most social interaction with NPCs to be tedious and unfun. I'd be happy to just roll a Cha check and be done with it.

During the sum course of the game, mechanical elements and choices will have plenty affect on the outcomes. But I'm not going to negate a person sitting at my table from being able to engage with the game just because they have a -1 on their character sheet. (same thing with players with low...

Engaging with the environment is the fun stuff. Figuring out traps or tricks or room features is 90% of the game, But to carry on... they roll their 16 in perception. What if there's a trap in the room? Where are they standing and do they set it off? Are they in range of the effect of the trap...

In feel the opposite. the player who put the thought and consideration into being specific form a role playing approach will always succeed over someone some one who just rolls the dice. The game is played by the people sitting at the table, not by the numbers and words on a piece of paper...

For me as a DM. there is a practical difference to this. "I look for the halfling" or "I search the pedestal for a secret compartment" tells me exactly what the player is doing and provides me with context in order to frame a ruling or a roll. "I made a 16 Perception, do I notice anything?"...

Sure it is. Because the numbers associated with the character are only part of the story. My point is a CHA 3 fighter can be fine as a ruler because the number isn’t what makes the character feel real or alive. The choices and actions of the player more into what makes a character what it is...

A character is more than just the stats and mechanics. A D&D character is as much the player playing the character as it is the numbers on the page. If your character becomes a ruler in game and situations are presented by the DM then the player gets to deal with them. No need for mechanics or...

Then mi Then definitely the issue is too many spells per day. High level wizards get enough spell slots to nova every encounter unless careful attention to adventuring day is made. But from my experiences it is almost impossible to play the game in compliance with the expected adventuring...

I don’t know where this is coming from. I never made any indication of this being desirable. you do know that 5E does not have any critical failure rules, nor would I want there to be any.

cantrips like mage hand, light, message really impinge on other classes… making rogues less necessary. Why do you need a rogue to handle traps when you can just safely mage hand everything? You don’t need to scout and report when you just have cellphones. Light makes any kind of resource stress...

There’s too much magic in 5E which is why the problem is so apparent. WoTC continues the mistake of making magic more and more powerful, easy, and lacking in consequence and as a result classes based on mundane power are diminished. Fighter is fine as it is (except for how broken saving throws...

Remove all at will cantrips. Reduce spells per day by one across all levels. 1st level Wizards get 1 spell per day. Require an Arcana Check to cast a spell - failure means the cast suffers some calamity or detriment Ritual spells require expenditure in gold or coast hit points/hit dice. Grant...