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Message: <blockquote data-quote="schneeland" data-source="post: 9311571" data-attributes="member: 6900337">I think I have two default modes: modern trad and OSR.Characteristics of modern trad would be:<ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">GM controls the world, players control their characters; however players can contribute to world building either through the lens of their characters background (e.g. recounting stories from their place of origin, the religious order they were part of, etc.) or through suggestions, typically in the form of leading question, influencing the current scene (e.g. "there most have been trade between this town and the now-derelict dwarven strong hold back then - do we find any traces of an old trade route we could follow?")</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">There is a overarching story/plot that players follow, though there might be branches and also side plots relating to the PCs' backgrounds</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Pre-written campaigns exist and contain such stories</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">The game is typically not very deadly and the focus is on experiencing the story, not overcoming challenge (as a player)</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Challenges are typically resolved based on character stats and dice rolls, though the GM might grant bonuses based on player ideas or decisions</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Mechanics-wise, dice rolls are used for task resolution; however, there is often a meta currency or luck mechanic that allows players to influence the results or do re-rolls</li> </ul>Examples for this sort of game would be Savage Worlds or Call of Cthulhu 7e and a larger number of Free League games. D&D 5e would be a border case here and would probably fall into the classic trad bucket for me, since it doesn't have any meta currency or luck mechanic by default.Characteristics of OSR would be:<ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">GM controls the world, players control their character as well as a number of retainers; players can contribute to world building through in-game decisions and their outcomes</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">There is typically no overarching plot, though smaller plot lines might exist; emergent stories based on random tables play a larger role as do changes in the world brought about by the players</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Pre-written modules ex</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">The game is typically deadly, at least early one, and overcoming challenges as a player is part of the motivation to play</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">While challenges are resolved with dice rolls, overcoming them through cautiousness and clever tactics is part of the motivation to play</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Mechanics-wise, dice rolls are used for task resolution; dice rolls are typically not adjusted afterwards</li> </ul>Examples for this sort of game would be Old-School Essentials/ B/X D&D, but also newer OSR titles like Into the Odd, Mausritter, Knave or Cairn. Dungeon Crawl Classics would probably also fit despite having a luck mechanic.I sometime deliberately seek out games beyond these default modes, which works better if they are really distinct from said two. E.g. Trophy Dark made it easier for me to get into a different mindset than Dungeon World or The Sprawl (both PbtA games).</blockquote>

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