D&D 5E Casual player responses to DMs planning to avoid WotC 5e/1DnD rules

[Nebulous]

I have two groups, one is casual (Strahd), the other is far more advanced (Margreve) and the latter we have discussed internally the OGL 1.1 and its implications. I had already for a long while been planning to incorporate Level Up material into my next campaign, whenever that might be, sometime in 2023 but it will still be a long while. I was getting bored with 5e and wanted some more grit. My plan initially was to run Spelljammer in Roll20 (which I will still likely do), but honestly, if the OGL 1.1 goes forward as planned, it really disgusts me how Hasbro is treating the content creators, even though I am not one personally. I have LOVED third party content though even more than WotC content (for the most part; Strahd and Tomb were fantastic, but I haven't run anything else from WotC since then, so I am years behind their product line).
So, hearing that Kobold and MCDM and others are going to create their own proprietary fantasy systems, well, that greatly intrigues me. I KNOW they can make a D&D-esque game that kicks ass. At the same time I am concerned because the industry cannot handle 20 different brand new fantasy games as "replacements" for D&D. A crapload of players and DMs are still going to want the comfort zone of 6e and DNDBeyond. And if the new WotC VTT is truly amazeballs, well, that could convert me too. It's too soon to tell.

Bottom line I don't know what I'm going to do, but I wish some of the major players could pool their resources rather than make competing systems. That probably won't happen, but that's what I would like to see. Just my 2 cents.

 

[BrassDragon]

I think this is the flip-side of the GM shortage: most casual players are probably happy to have a table at all and if the GM says that they're moving to a different but effectively similar system (provided character creation/progress seems fun and not overwhelming with choices, technicalities and underpowered 'traps') they'll follow along and do so happily.

Yeah, ideally it should be a group decision but in real-world practice, if the GM is not willing/invested, it just won't happen. From my experience, GMs tend to be non-casual about this hobby and their reaction seems key to me.

 

[Charles Lowry]

Right before this OGL blew up, I managed to convince my group (casuals) to try Castles and Crusades for ease play as a justification. Had fun on our first session and our next session this weekend. Familiar enough to D&D and was not a jarring change.

 

[DarkCrisis]

Seconded. I'm honestly a bit surprised and confused that people care so much.

What’s confusing? Less options (adventures, sourcebooks, campaign worlds, etc) is an over all negative.

I’ve run a lot of official 5E adventures. The best one Ive run is a third party adventure.

Much like if you ONLY play D&D, you are missing out on a wealth of good stuff out there.

 

[Laurefindel]

What’s confusing? Less options (adventures, sourcebooks, campaign worlds, etc) is an over all negative.

I’ve run a lot of official 5E adventures. The best one Ive run is a third party adventure.

Much like if you ONLY play D&D, you are missing out on a wealth of good stuff out there.

True, but I know that many casual players don’t really care about missing out; they’re having good fun with what they have now and that’s enough for them. I’d go as far as saying that this is for me the definition of what a casual D&D player is: little interest in exploring further beyond D&D and the big franchise games (e.g. Star Wars).

Im a casual xBox gamer. I have my games and sometimes try a new one, but I’m not aware of any big Microsoft or Bethesda scandal they might be having right now of have had in the past (heck, I even had to google how to spell Bethesda). If all else fails, I still have my games and will continue to play them occasionally and be contented.

I imagine casual D&D players are similar.

 

[DarkCrisis]

True, but I know that many casual players don’t really care about missing out; they’re having good fun with what they have now and that’s enough for them. I’d go as far as saying that this is for me the definition of what a casual D&D player is: little interest in exploring further beyond D&D and the big franchise games (e.g. Star Wars).

Im a casual xBox gamer. I have my games and sometimes try a new one, but I’m not aware of any big Microsoft or Bethesda scandal they might be having right now of have had in the past (heck, I even had to google how to spell Bethesda). If all else fails, I still have my games and will continue to play them occasionally and be contented.

I imagine casual D&D players are similar.

Ignorance, as they say, is bliss. You don't know if you are missing out on anything if it isn't on your radar. Back in the day my whole gaming life was tied to just 3rd ed D&D and I never wanted to play anything else much to my groups chagrin (as they liked Vampire tM and other games). It wasn't until I read the core VtM book and actually gave it a shot that I branched out to it and other games

But yes, as long as your having fun, that's what is important. There is just MORE fun out there. Different types of fun. Sticking with your local western themed amusement park is great, but also Disney World and Universal Studios and Six Flags not to mention Water Parks etc exists.

One thing I try to express to any and all new D&D players is: Branch out. There are so many cool games out there that use systems that compliment them. D&D is great fun and the D20 system does D&D very very well, but branch out. It's very worth it.

By the by, just picked up The Terminator RPG and can't wait to run it. My Avatar TLB RPG stuff should be coming in today. 2 totally different genres with 2 totally different systems. Can't wait to play them....

 

[toucanbuzz]

Others have said it, but I also don't have to buy WOTC product to DM D&D games.

1. I have my 5E books and the LevelUp books. I've got all the rules I'll ever need. If I find rules that stink, I'll homebrew them, no WOTC needed.
2. My group doesn't want to DM and they like each other, so no one wants to split and run because they love a particular ruleset over friendships.
3. My gamers might be a bit leery about learning a new ruleset, but if I'm cooking it up (and I tend to be a good cook), they'll be game. We might actually find some fun trying out Wild West, Sci Fi, the joy of 0-level funnels for DCC, or a trip to the setting of Dragon Age. Heck, we might even go back to AD&D days and let my gamers see what all the buzz was about.
4. I've got a crapton of Paizo, 3E and AD&D books that will inspire years of campaigns. For DMs who aren't excited about converting material, it's actually good practice to getting a feel as to what's fair in combat and treasure.
5. I've got local game stores who have a ton of old product if my current stash goes dry.

I loved D&D even with the misfunction of TSR back in the 90s. I'll keep loving it even if WOTC screws it up.

 

[Ralif Redhammer]

I ran my usual Thursday night game last night and not a single person mentioned the current hullabaloo. About the most exciting thing that happened other than the game itself was when the one player's cat apparently got mad and knocked over her glass of water.

 

[Bagpuss]

Honestly, unless you have a 3PP business or such 3PP material matters to you, I really don't see what the big deal is. 99% of gamers I know this won't make a difference at all.

I think it will. D&D has grown in popularity because of the support it gets from streaming, YouTubers, and being able to be played online, through things like Roll20, etc. They were content creators and advertisers that WotC didn't have to pay to sing the praises of their game.

If those supporters disappear, and it is looking like most of them will at the moment, worse they switch to publicising competitors systems because they join the ORC Paizo is producing, then I would expect the popularity of OneDnD to take a dive. Without that buzz new players won't be looking to play DnD they will want to play whatever system their favourite streamer is pushing.

Sure you can keep on playing DnD, 5E and even switch to OneDnD, but lots of people won't and new players won't, so I'd expect DnD to lose significant market share long term.

So immediately most groups won't notice the effect I agree, and you can keep on as normal, but long term I think you are going to see a change in what folks play.

 

[Velderan]

I’ve run a lot of official 5E adventures. The best one Ive run is a third party adventure.

Which adventure was that?