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General Tabletop Discussion
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Do you need mechanical choices after 1st level to be D&D?
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<blockquote data-quote="TwoSix" data-source="post: 6707500" data-attributes="member: 205"><p>So I'm kicking together some ideas for an OSR-inspired 5e game I may run next year. Basically, I'm contemplating developing a new set of backgrounds, that are more mechanically rich than standard 5e backgrounds. Much closer to what you would get from picking a class at 1st level. PCs would pick race and background, and that's it. After that, there's no class development. When you level, you get more hit points (Hit Dice are either decided by the background, or will be a standard d10, I haven't decided) and proficiency bonus when indicated, but that's it. None of the backgrounds will have any sort of Vancian casting, some will have cantrips, some will have the ability to use 1 or 2 1st level spells at-will (much like Warlock Invocations, and not player choice.) The background abilities will, in general, scale with level (more damage, more inspiration or superiority dice, broader effect) but won't suddenly become drastically more powerful, change in function, or have new options open up.</p><p></p><p>The goal is to make character growth more organic to the story by tying in your mechanical advancement to the narrative. The PCs gain powers by finding items in lost dungeons, meeting and befriending mysterious swordsmen, or training with masters of their craft.</p><p></p><p>So, basic question, is there something fundamental to D&D that would be lost in such a scenario? Am I inviting my players to tie me up and kick me in the crotch for proposing such a terrible idea? Am I missing anything? (I have a bunch of supporting house rules for this idea, but I haven't posted them.)</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="TwoSix, post: 6707500, member: 205"] So I'm kicking together some ideas for an OSR-inspired 5e game I may run next year. Basically, I'm contemplating developing a new set of backgrounds, that are more mechanically rich than standard 5e backgrounds. Much closer to what you would get from picking a class at 1st level. PCs would pick race and background, and that's it. After that, there's no class development. When you level, you get more hit points (Hit Dice are either decided by the background, or will be a standard d10, I haven't decided) and proficiency bonus when indicated, but that's it. None of the backgrounds will have any sort of Vancian casting, some will have cantrips, some will have the ability to use 1 or 2 1st level spells at-will (much like Warlock Invocations, and not player choice.) The background abilities will, in general, scale with level (more damage, more inspiration or superiority dice, broader effect) but won't suddenly become drastically more powerful, change in function, or have new options open up. The goal is to make character growth more organic to the story by tying in your mechanical advancement to the narrative. The PCs gain powers by finding items in lost dungeons, meeting and befriending mysterious swordsmen, or training with masters of their craft. So, basic question, is there something fundamental to D&D that would be lost in such a scenario? Am I inviting my players to tie me up and kick me in the crotch for proposing such a terrible idea? Am I missing anything? (I have a bunch of supporting house rules for this idea, but I haven't posted them.) [/QUOTE]
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