Have you decided to change systems?

[theemrys]

I change systems almost as often as I change my underwear.

I hope that means frequently...

 

[theemrys]

Bingo. DMing 3.5 is like having an office job. Playing it is cool, though.

Well, for me the prep is part of the fun. I use DMGenie though so after I get it initially setup it's pretty easy to do the bookkeeping part and let me focus on the creative.

 

[timbannock]

I like hearing what other people have either moved away from D&D for, or use as a goldmine of ideas to make D&D (3.5) even better.

Personally, I love playing 3.5 for the most part, and some of the great adventures that have come out for it make me want to keep DMing. My problem -- as others have stated -- is the prep time. It's literally dragging me down recently (to the point that I'm planning on totally winging a few sessions just to see if I can do it and not make it obvious that I didn't spend 10 hours on micro-managing the encounters) and that's a problem.

This may sound odd (maybe not), but I've tried bringing in house rules to make 3.5 smoother to prep for, but my players HATE them. They don't want anything to be any simpler or made more generic or etc. etc. They LOVE micromanagement, and I LOVE concentrating on the story. Any advice on how to break it to them that I need to just get away from 3.5 as a DM? They love my campaigns, they hate my emphasis on story over rules. Bit of a quandry if you ask me...

 

[Son_of_Thunder]

THAT is the key issue here, friends. We need to clarify:

Do you mean change systems that we *GM*?

Or change systems that we *play*?

Playing an RPG is easy. Just show up and roll dice when the other players tell you to.

GMing, on the other hand, is an enormous committment. Just leafing through the corebook of most systems gives me a hernia if I imagine *GMing* them.

To a degree you're correct. But my player's also prefer the switch as well. Like I said we know it well. They are happy to play what I run. But then again it's what I prefer to run. So you are correct.

 

[timbannock]

Btw, my group has played many other games in past incarnations. We've hit World of Darkness, Tribe 8, Shadowrun, Star Wars (d6, thank god!), PARANOIA (my favorite to run), Heavy Gear, Jovian Chronicles, GURPS, other editions of D&D, Earthdawn, and many, many more.

But they love 3.5, love it like it's the sweet nectar of the gods.

 

[RFisher]

I only get to play for a few hours one night a week these days (if that), but my group still manages to not be dedicated to a single system. Though it was the 3e release that brought us together. Since our last 3e campaign (if memory serves)...

• I'm currently running classic D&D (Moldvay/Cook/Marsh vintage)
• We've been doing Toon on special occasions
• We did a bit of Shadowrun on special occasions as well
• I ran classic Traveller for a while
• We've been off-&-on playtesting a homebrew horror system

Before the last 3e campaign, we played Decipher's Lord of the Rings, Marvel Superheroes, Star Wars d20, & more.

& I did play a one-off 3e game just a few months ago.

 

[theemrys]

I like hearing what other people have either moved away from D&D for, or use as a goldmine of ideas to make D&D (3.5) even better.

Personally, I love playing 3.5 for the most part, and some of the great adventures that have come out for it make me want to keep DMing. My problem -- as others have stated -- is the prep time. It's literally dragging me down recently (to the point that I'm planning on totally winging a few sessions just to see if I can do it and not make it obvious that I didn't spend 10 hours on micro-managing the encounters) and that's a problem.

This may sound odd (maybe not), but I've tried bringing in house rules to make 3.5 smoother to prep for, but my players HATE them. They don't want anything to be any simpler or made more generic or etc. etc. They LOVE micromanagement, and I LOVE concentrating on the story. Any advice on how to break it to them that I need to just get away from 3.5 as a DM? They love my campaigns, they hate my emphasis on story over rules. Bit of a quandry if you ask me...

You may want to consider some ways to "abstract the rules" away from you as a DM. I started using DMGenie to keep track of initiative, but after getting used to it, I found it great for things like encumbrance, bull rush, grappling... etc... all the stuff I don't want to remember the rules for but need to be able to do when needed. Helps me focus on the DMing and less on the "regulating".

 

[DungeonMaester]

I am trying to get players to try new systems (Throwing Stones, AD&D) But no one wants to leave 3.5

---Rusty

 

[Psion]

You realize, of course, this is the sort of query that is mostly going to be answered by people who answer in the affirmative.

As for me, 3.5 is still my choice for fantasy gaming, but I am actually playing non-fantasy stuff right now. I'll eventually get back to it.

 

[Son_of_Thunder]

You realize, of course, this is the sort of query that is mostly going to be answered by people who answer in the affirmative.

As for me, 3.5 is still my choice for fantasy gaming, but I am actually playing non-fantasy stuff right now. I'll eventually get back to it.

I do realize that. That's mainly what I'm trying to find out. It's also been eye opening to see how many have changed and yet still come to ENWorld. I'm not leaving 3.5 in a huff or anything and it's good to see others aren't as well.