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Message: <blockquote data-quote="DMZ2112" data-source="post: 8939815" data-attributes="member: 78752">Oh, thanks.  I've always played multiple TTRPGs, so I've got a frame of reference for what I'm looking for, but the search is long, and I'm always happy to hear others' perspectives and opinions.I'd begun this D&D5 campaign at 3rd level, and as soon as 5th level I was having to modify the kind of story I wanted to be telling with the group, to accommodate PCs that had simply moved beyond a compatible threat level.  A lot of baggage I'd been carefully packing away suddenly burst its straps, and I realized how hard I'd been subconsciously fighting D&D's poor support of my preferred narrative-first playstyle for 30 years.  Had a crisis of identity; didn't run again for close to 18 months.[SPOILER="I'm going to spoiler tag the rest of the explanation because it isn't really on topic.  I'd certainly appreciate feedback, but it might be best to take it to PMs."]The core mechanical issue seems to be how tightly progression and power are tied together.  If you're using XP advancement, every encounter (just the act of playing the game) brings the PCs inevitably closer to the next power spike, which will necessitate an equivalent spike in threat.  With milestone advancement, you acknowledge that in conjunction with a major campaign success, the threat of the whole setting simply moves up a tier.  I need to be able to at least stall that climb until the narrative is ready to move on, without the players feeling like they are not progressing or receiving just rewards.But the core philosophical issue is that this is the whole point of D&D.  All of the game's systems feed into this core conceit in some way, including its treatment of narrative.  D&D stories involve a steep, steady power climb.  Trying to keep PCs at a static or even slowly increasing threat level defeats the entire purpose of the game.  Sure, a patient table may be willing to play at 3rd level for years, but why bother?This is clearly a matter of personal preference.  I'm not trying to make statements about D&D in general, just how D&D works for me.  I also don't want to give the impression that by 'narrative-first' I mean I prefer to railroad players -- how these stories proceed and ultimately end is in the hands of the table as a whole.  I just prefer to run a table that collectively focuses on PC development, the PCs' narrative choices, and how the setting reacts to those choices, rather than on gameplay elements.[/SPOILER]</blockquote>

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