Dungeons & Dragons Lite: Am I the Only One?

[wingsandsword]

I suppose there's two ways of keeping the game fresh. One can buy countless new books, or one can use one's imagination. I prefer the latter.

There are words of truth here.

You mentioned six books. I could happily run a D&D game with just six books:
Players Handbook
Dungeon Masters Guide
Monster Manual

Maybe the following depending on the setting and genre:
Expanded Psionics Handbook
Epic Level Handbook
Oriental Adventures
Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting
Players Guide to Faerun

I'd be tempted to add the following, but I think I could resist that temptation:
Complete *
Bo?D

I stopped buying new D&D books a while back, the Races and Environments books I couldn't justify to myself, Incarnum and Legacy were things I just couldn't ever really see using in a game.

So yeah, I'd rather run with a smaller, finite library of books and have a more creatively run and played game, than try and keep things spiced up with an endless supply of newer books.

D&D is not like it was back in the "Bad Old Days" though, they are still only releasing one or two books in a month, and they aren't supporting a half-dozen settings (only two), they aren't presuming players always have access to older and out-of-print books. Some books have had Psionic, or Vile/Exalted material, but those have been rare, and it's always been optional, while in 2e many books you could buy would have large sections which outright required some obscure product from years before which was never produced in large quantities.

 

[Perun]

Between us, my group has the majority of D&D books. I like reading through them, looking at the new options. However, we rarely stray from the core books (in the current group, the only non-core characters are psychic warrior and scout (who is a very recent addition)). And so far, we haven't had any character with a PrC (however, very soon our wizard (level 12) is going to take the level in Loremaster -- our first PrC! How precious )

I really don't have problems with options offered by the new books, with the notable exception of spells for divine spellcasters. Between the various accessories and supplements, there's about a million new cleric and/or druid spells, and while some of them have (a somewhat) limited or specific use (such as the various environment-related spells in Frostburn, Sandstorm, and Stormwrack), there's a huge number of them that make sence, and make sence for the character to have access to them. For the druid, at least, there's a large number of non-core spells, and some of them make more sence for an adventuring character than certain PH spells (which in turn make excellent sence for a general druid spending his time in the forest). And it's really difficult to keep track of those additional spells.

Regards.

 

[Ranes]

I only have a modest collection of gaming books (of which my D&D collection forms the greater part) but I stick fairly closely to core rules. I plan on buying more books (the environment series, for example), because they save me time.

If I had a little more time to spend on my D&D, I'd buy yet more books and use them. If I had a lot more time, I wouldn't buy any books; I'd write the extra material myself.

 

[The_Universe]

I have an "avalanche" of stuff, but I only ever allow spells, feats, and classes into the game on a case-by-case basis, anyway. That kind of strategy has always seemed more useful to me than simply banning everything not in a specific book or set of books. D&D *is* about options, and its foolish not to avail yourself of them. On the other hand, there is a point where one should remember that options are not obligations. I tend to think you might have reacted a little strongly to that feeling of obligation, but as long as you're happy....

 

[Reynard]

I suppose there's two ways of keeping the game fresh. One can buy countless new books, or one can use one's imagination. I prefer the latter.

Of course, these things are not mutually exclusive. New books can spur your imagination, and imaginitive ideas can drive you to seek out a book that might help you implement it.

 

[DMH]

That isn't Lite, this is: http://www.enworld.org/reviews.php?do=review&reviewid=2011366

ST Cooley's OGL Fantasy Lite: Basic Player's Handbook

 

[Arashi Ravenblade]

I use all the books i own. Part of the fun is collecting all the books and if i get even one cool idea for a game its all worth it.
I dont really see why so many people have such a hard time using all the rules. Maybe its just personal likes rather than complications over the ruleset.
My total gaming collection must consist of about 500 books, about 126 of that are actively used, the rest where old books bought for possible resale.

 

[Aus_Snow]

I thought True20 was kind of 'D&D Lite'. Or OD&D. Or even the D&D RC. Hmph, even 1st ed. AD&D. :\ But yeah, C&C sounds similar in that the same description might fit it too.

Anyway, I think this:

I'd add a third way that makes the best of both worlds: Buy countless new books, and use one's imagination.

sums up my preference remarkably well.

 

[Psion]

I suppose there's two ways of keeping the game fresh. One can buy countless new books, or one can use one's imagination. I prefer the latter.

Ever hear "two heads are better than one"? That applies to imaginations too. I think I am pretty creative, but there are folks out there churning out imaginitive things of their own that are worthy of inclusion in my game.

 

[Olgar Shiverstone]

I allow four books in my campaign:

PHB
DMG
MM
FRCS ('cause it's an FR campaign, though I've disallowed elements that don't fit my particular take on the Realms).

KISS. Now, that said, I do use monsters and magic items from other sources from time to time, and I have a mechanism to allow new feats, spells & prestige classes into the game. Players must nominate a new element (a single item, not a whole book or section of the book), write it up, and submit it to me for approval. If approved, it goes into a master document that everyone can use. That keeps me from having to wade through tons of stuff to figure out what fits and what doesn't, and generally means players only ask to approve things they're going to use. The list is still fairly small after three years of play.