On the DM-side of things, I might rate the complexity higher. The encounter-building guidelines are somewhat convoluted.
5e is IMO right at the light end of rules heavy. It's very hard for a game with three core 320 page rulebooks not to qualify as rules heavy, but 5e is one of the lighter versions.On a scale which runs from 1 (improv with no mechanics) to 9 (the crunchiest game around) where would you place D&D?
Ha! I didn't even consider stuff like that because I see it as optional and ignore it! But part of why I ignore it is because I trust my gut when it comes to running D&D than I do any crunchy system, which may be a flaw - but it has worked for me so far.
Heh... this is why we have games like Twilight Imperium or Terraforming Mars to play. All the crunch without that dreaded "character-work" to deal with.Not rules heavy enough. The rules should preclude players deciding that Rule of Cool or how their char "feels" is more important than the actual game.
Can I introduce you to Campaign For North Africa?Heh... this is why we have games like Twilight Imperium or Terraforming Mars to play. All the crunch without that dreaded "character-work" to deal with.![]()
Actually, that is why we have games like Dungeon World. All character work without all that dreaded crunch of D&D.Heh... this is why we have games like Twilight Imperium or Terraforming Mars to play. All the crunch without that dreaded "character-work" to deal with.![]()
I don't mind the crunch of D&D. I just don't consider it the end-all-be-all of the game.Actually, that is why we have games like Dungeon World. All character work without all that dreaded crunch of D&D.
No thank you. I heard about it. I don't think we'd get along that well.Can I introduce you to Campaign For North Africa?
True. But more content can mean more rules and more things to remember and numbers to crunch.IMO content and complexity aren't the same thing. There are three books, but a lot of that is just content -- spells, magic items, monsters. And a system with 5 spells isn't less complex than one with 5000 spells (you do the same process), it's just less supported.
I don't think so. If you take one spell from a list of 5 or a list of 5000 or a lot of 5,000,000, you still only have to know how one spell works.True. But more content can mean more rules and more things to remember and numbers to crunch.
Hm. That's a good point. When the dice hit the table, you only need to be familiar with the few things on your character sheet. Everything else will languish in the books, unread and unused.I don't think so. If you take one spell from a list of 5 or a list of 5000 or a lot of 5,000,000, you still only have to know how one spell works.
That's true. But when you sit down with a player to have them choose a spell, they still face 5, 5000 or 5000000 options that they, theorically, have to go through to make a well-informed decision. It doesn't add rules, but definitely adds weight. It's a matter of perspective, but for me, if you had a very simple game with only a few rules but with 2000 different spells to choose from, I would not consider it a lite game. The complexity of your rules and the amount of information you have to parse through are both factors of crunchiness/heaviness for me.I don't think so. If you take one spell from a list of 5 or a list of 5000 or a lot of 5,000,000, you still only have to know how one spell works.