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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Guest&nbsp; 85555" data-source="post: 5742445">I don't think the issue is his approach as a GM, it is simply that his preferences don't really line up well with 3E or 4E. He could certainly do many of the things you suggest but I believe there are a lot of deep systemic issues here (which isn't to attack either edition, since they both pretty much do what they set out to do). The powers, even if you reskin them, still have an impact on the feel of the game.  He is much better off finding a game that was designed with grit in mind (and there are plenty out there both old and new). People sometimes get locked into the "it has to be D&D" mentality. Dungeons and Dragons is a great game, but the two most recent editions have a much more focused approach than 1e or 2e. But even the first editions, while more general, don't do a great job of grit (IMO).  Another one that is great: Harn Master (for the setting alone). Hear good things about Dark Heresy (but haven't played it so don't know if it fits the bill). MERP was also a pretty lethal and gritty one (I think it used rolemaster but can't recall owned the book but only played it a couple of times many years ago---seem to remember it had those crazy critical hit charts). A few years ago a friend of mine ran a GURPS fantasy campaign and that felt pretty gritty to me.</blockquote>