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<blockquote data-quote="Lanefan" data-source="post: 8092006" data-attributes="member: 29398">The concept of NPCs using the same rules as PCs isn't anti-DM at all.The 3e system makes it anti-DM by overcomplicating everything, but that's a system problem rather than a conceptual one.Which is fine if you don't care about internal setting consistency, or about players like me who look at an NPC's funky ability and ask &quot;Why can't my just-as-competent-in-every-way PC do that?&quot;, or about DMs like me who think what's good for the goose is good for the gander and thus if a PC can do it an equally-qualified NPC can do it right back.Having everyone work on the same foundation was something 3e got 100% right.&nbsp; Making that foundation stupidly complicated, however, was not.There's tons of very simple ways to make it both swingier and faster (though it won't be RAW any more): put save-or-dies back in, reduce everyone's hit points, add in more combat options that bypass hit points, de-nerf various combat spells, etc.However, ironically enough, you just did: while many people seem to find 5e runs great for them, you just pointed out a list of issues you have with it (&quot;bullet-sponge, enemies, minimised tactics, etc.) that the designers ain't gonna fix for you; you have to fix 'em yourself.They're not locked out at all - nothing's stopping them from running the game as written.And if the game as written doesn't satisfy them they have two options: find a game that does, or - and far easier - kitbash the game to suit their and their tables' specific tastes and desires.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="Lanefan, post: 8092006, member: 29398"] The concept of NPCs using the same rules as PCs isn't anti-DM at all. The 3e system makes it anti-DM by overcomplicating everything, but that's a system problem rather than a conceptual one. Which is fine if you don't care about internal setting consistency, or about players like me who look at an NPC's funky ability and ask "Why can't my just-as-competent-in-every-way PC do that?", or about DMs like me who think what's good for the goose is good for the gander and thus if a PC can do it an equally-qualified NPC can do it right back. Having everyone work on the same foundation was something 3e got 100% right. Making that foundation stupidly complicated, however, was not. There's tons of very simple ways to make it both swingier and faster (though it won't be RAW any more): put save-or-dies back in, reduce everyone's hit points, add in more combat options that bypass hit points, de-nerf various combat spells, etc. However, ironically enough, you just did: while many people seem to find 5e runs great for them, you just pointed out a list of issues you have with it ("bullet-sponge, enemies, minimised tactics, etc.) that the designers ain't gonna fix for you; you have to fix 'em yourself. They're not locked out at all - nothing's stopping them from running the game as written. And if the game as written doesn't satisfy them they have two options: find a game that does, or - and far easier - kitbash the game to suit their and their tables' specific tastes and desires. [/QUOTE]

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