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Another thought: thinking of Ron Edwards in that 4e thread, he has described some games as "incoherent," meaning that they not designed for a particular purpose. D&D is incoherent, at least the later editions that moved beyond strict dungeoncrawlers. That incoherence is detrimental from a design...

D&D has a je ne sais quoi that creates longevity in a way that other games don't. There's the combination of the reward loop, incremental advancement, the de facto campaign structure, the emphasis (especially in early editions) on exploration of a fictitious world teeming with life. Secrets...

I don't calibrate skill check DCs based on the player characters; I calibrate them on what seems reasonable within the fiction. Usually I set the DCs around 13-18 and will increase them higher based on what a player is trying to accomplish. If a player wants to accomplish more with a single...

Familiarity with non-D&D systems (particularly narrative-oriented systems) aids in the execution and structuring of skill challenges, in the same way that familiarity with wargames aids in those processes with regards to AD&D. However, the systems were lackluster in terms of mathematical...

Skill challenges were dismal in both explanation and implementation.

4e is a very well-designed game for its purpose. I am actually envious of its functionality and wish its design competence had been translated to 5e; the relative sloppiness of 5e mechanics is something of an embarrassment for a game developed on the heels of 4e with a considerable playtest...

Gonna be brutally honest: anecdotes about how epic awesome your particular games were don't disprove the anecdotes the people whose games fell flat. Some games "click" for some groups, some games are a big miss. 4e was a miss for my group (I was a player and did not find it engaging). Had the GM...

D&D needs fewer skills. I'd be happy with a simple proficiency check based on ability score, not unlike Castles & Crusades. Give classes special abilities that make them better at doing class-related things.

Very well. In the future, I'd recommend not asking a question if you are unwilling to hear the answers.

Mmmkay, and I suppose the other players refuse to use their class features to support the party: the rogue doesn't find traps, the fighter doesn't protect anyone but himself, and the wizard refuses to cast anything other than magic missile. Regardless, the game is designed to function with...

Yes. The default expectation of a cleric in D&D is a character who supports the party via healing spells, the same way the default expectation of a fighter is an armored guy who defends the party in combat. It's part of D&D. If you upturn that expectation with a "I'm just roleplaying my...

As a recovering 3e player, Ron isn't entirely wrong. Over a decade later and still sober! But damn if there ain't the temptation to crack open that sweet, sweet rulebook. Just a glimpse of fighter bonus feats. A whiff of Mialee's gargoyle beauty. Just a hint of quadruple skill points at first level.

People are still arguing about what hit points represent? What is this, 1978?

@Faolyn: Betwixt you and @Ovinomancer, there is a fundamental miscommunication about the terminology. Prime example is the disconnect between your conception of GM authority and his conception. Even in your examples where the players are "leading the story" and you're improvising, you, as GM...

"I've only played D&D and D&D-alikes, I don't plan to play RPGs outside of D&D and D&D-alikes, and I have certainly never played this particular RPG but am going to critique it anyway." @Ovinomancer, why do you do this to yourself?

3d6 down the line, no rerolls, human fighter only, final destination.

"We decided Always Chaotic Evil orcs were problematic, so we're assigning orcs the humanoid race so they can be Sometimes Lawful Good. Fortunately, these Always Chaotic Evil gnolls are monstrosities, so you can murder with abandon."

Nine dentists out of ten recommend not using 4e's skill challenge system. I wasn't speaking literally in terms of statistics, but my experience has been similarly frustrating in regards to skill challenges, and I have heard like sentiments shared from other gamers. Anecdotally. The overall...

Snark is unseemly. If 90% of people implement the rules improperly, I'd say there's a problem with the rules. 4e's conceptual design of skill challenges was workable; the presentation was deeply flawed; the numerical balance was iffy. Trying to implement narrative mechanics into D&D has always...

I think 5e combat is incredibly boring with how non-lethal it is outside of low levels, and I'm looking forward to the monster redesigns come 2024. If I had my druthers, monsters would die faster and hit harder.