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<blockquote data-quote="CapnZapp" data-source="post: 9289030" data-attributes="member: 12731">I can only speak for myself, but a large part of the appeal of S&amp;S for me is the over-the-top visuals, the fleshy steamy visceralness of life worth living. <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f642.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":)" title="Smile&nbsp; &nbsp; :)"&nbsp; data-smilie="1"data-shortname=":)" /> I find that with the cheesecake (and beefcake, let's allow for equal opportunities here!) removed, all you end up with is bog-standard D&amp;D fantasy but with all the high fantasy hijinks toned down. As has been discussed before, 5e does some things that really help for a S&amp;S campaign, removing what in previous editions would have been obstacles. So let it be said that 5e is probably the best non-OSR edition of D&amp;D to use. Especially with the great genre-appropriate setting info you get from the player's guide discussed here!As for levels, well, high level magics pretty much removes every challenge appropriate for a barbarian in a loincloth. Fighting monsters can still be challenging, of course - but S&amp;S monsters are particularly grounded, so even that isn't really a good match.That is to say I agree with previous posters. Don't assume a Sword &amp; Sorcery campaign goes on all the way up to level 20!Instead, simply throw in all the demigods and epic monsters already when the heroes are single-digit level! Maybe not all of them needs to be bested in combat - they can also be fooled, bargained with... or simply groveled to, or you chuck them the odd virgin once in a while to keep them satiated!&nbsp; That's only honoring the cosmic horror aspect that is very much adjacent to Sword &amp; Sorcery! <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f642.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":)" title="Smile&nbsp; &nbsp; :)"&nbsp; data-smilie="1"data-shortname=":)" />Take any random level 17-20 scenario and... just stop assuming the heroes are supposed to fight this thing, let alone win - and voilá, you have yourself a half-decent half-gonzo level 8 S&amp;S scenario. Splash some mud, gore and supple flesh over the pristine four-color disneyfied presentation of modern D&amp;D and you're good to go <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f609.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=";)" title="Wink&nbsp; &nbsp; ;)"&nbsp; data-smilie="2"data-shortname=";)" /></blockquote>

[QUOTE="CapnZapp, post: 9289030, member: 12731"] I can only speak for myself, but a large part of the appeal of S&S for me is the over-the-top visuals, the fleshy steamy visceralness of life worth living. :) I find that with the cheesecake (and beefcake, let's allow for equal opportunities here!) removed, all you end up with is bog-standard D&D fantasy but with all the high fantasy hijinks toned down. As has been discussed before, 5e does some things that really help for a S&S campaign, removing what in previous editions would have been obstacles. So let it be said that 5e is probably the best non-OSR edition of D&D to use. Especially with the great genre-appropriate setting info you get from the player's guide discussed here! As for levels, well, high level magics pretty much removes every challenge appropriate for a barbarian in a loincloth. Fighting monsters can still be challenging, of course - but S&S monsters are particularly grounded, so even that isn't really a good match. That is to say I agree with previous posters. Don't assume a Sword & Sorcery campaign goes on all the way up to level 20! Instead, simply throw in all the demigods and epic monsters already when the heroes are single-digit level! Maybe not all of them needs to be bested in combat - they can also be fooled, bargained with... or simply groveled to, or you chuck them the odd virgin once in a while to keep them satiated! That's only honoring the cosmic horror aspect that is very much adjacent to Sword & Sorcery! :) Take any random level 17-20 scenario and... just stop assuming the heroes are supposed to fight this thing, let alone win - and voilá, you have yourself a half-decent half-gonzo level 8 S&S scenario. Splash some mud, gore and supple flesh over the pristine four-color disneyfied presentation of modern D&D and you're good to go ;) [/QUOTE]

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