D&D General 5E, A5E, or ToV?

[Clint_L]

I already think 5e is a bit too crunchy. So while I love the ideas in A5e, the trade off and lack of DDB make it not an option (though I’d love to see some of the settings on DDB). To be honest, ToV seems like it’s mostly there as a manifesto.

 

[jayoungr]

I've long since wanted an OSR but for 5E where there is a culture about hacking your game from the available options to get what's best for your table; however, for a long time, everyone just used core WotC books.

No offense meant, but why do you care so much about what other people do at their tables?

 

[Shardstone]

No offense meant, but why do you care so much about what other people do at their tables?

The more people that buy-in to this idea, the more people create content and post it online, the more content I can play with or study and deconstruct. I don't care what you do at your table, I care about the feedback into the greater 5E ecosystem this leads to for many (not all) DMs.

 

[jayoungr]

The more people that buy-in to this idea, the more people create content and post it online, the more content I can play with or study and deconstruct. I don't care what you do at your table, I care about the feedback into the greater 5E ecosystem this leads to for many (not all) DMs.

But you're talking about fan-made content there, right? Don't we already have that without multiple companies publishing their own 5E almost-clones?

 

[Micah Sweet]

But you're talking about fan-made content there, right? Don't we already have that without multiple companies publishing their own 5E almost-clones?

I don't have an informed opinion about ToV yet, but largely compatible or not Level Up is not a 5e almost-clone.

 

[JerichoPenumbra]

The group that I'm in is A5e and it's what I prefer out of all of them, though I'll admit that I'm more a player and occasionally one of our Forever GMs living rulebook references. That said, we're also a continual kitbash of all three, though it's more using A5e as base, with O5e to (and for) supplement, with a very small sprinkling of ToV ( for the luck mechanic).

Thinking of O5e as the baseline, I like ToV and A5e foremost because of the customization they afford, and for that reason it's one of the reasons I like A5e most. I enjoy customization aspects and trying things out to see what works, mostly cause I grew up playing 3.5 and most groups I would find myself in had shift to Pathfinder so it's the most natural way to play for me. The lack of such options is one of the things that annoyed me the most with O5e. Similarly to the note of customization, one of the things that irked me the most about ToV (and A5e to a lesser extent) is how neither really seemed to push the envelope of the 5e game system chassis to really feel new or really refreshing (the seemingly obsession with being backwards compatible didn't help with that either). Both patched up leaks in the metaphorical boat but either missed some or wound up creating new ones.

ToV feels an in-between a new-ish game from different mechanics and a refinement of existing ones (or at least changing the language a little to make things be more straightforward)

 

[Shardstone]

But you're talking about fan-made content there, right? Don't we already have that without multiple companies publishing their own 5E almost-clones?

You somehow completely missed the point of my original comment only to arrive there again. Good job. Yes, I'm happy multiple companies are doing this, and I'm happy they're being embraced by consumers, some of which will go on to add back into the ecosystem, either through actual content or through blogs, advice posts, etc. Why are you taking an issue with anything I'm saying? What's confusing here?

 

[jayoungr]

Yes, I'm happy multiple companies are doing this, and I'm happy they're being embraced by consumers, some of which will go on to add back into the ecosystem, either through actual content or through blogs, advice posts, etc. Why are you taking an issue with anything I'm saying? What's confusing here?

I apologize. I actually have complicated feelings about this whole upcoming era of D&D that I can't entirely parse, and I'm both self-questioning and feeling isolated for being the only one at my main table who isn't excited about it. I guess hearing you say you wanted to see everybody doing things the way I don't want to do them* set me off. I was trying to phrase the questions neutrally, but I guess some of that turmoil came through. Not your fault.

*This doesn't quite capture how I feel about it, but it's the closest I seem to be able to get in formulating my thoughts right now.

 

[Shardstone]

I apologize. I actually have complicated feelings about this whole upcoming era of D&D that I can't entirely parse, and I'm both self-questioning and feeling isolated for being the only one at my main table who isn't excited about it. I guess hearing you say you wanted to see everybody doing things the way I don't want to do them set me off. I was trying to phrase the questions neutrally, but I guess some of that turmoil came through. Not your fault.

No problem man.

I don't want everyone doing this, just more people. I'm a big believer that there are many different ways to interact with TTRPG, and wouldn't want everyone to have my mindset.