D&D 5E I don’t really care what rules the players use.

[grimmgoose]

That's a different issue, though. You can find broken builds for Core 2014 PCs. If a player brings a broken, unfair, bad faith character to the table I am still not concerned with they used the A5E or 2014 paladin to do it.

Sure - I guess my point though is that there are thousands of combinations of spells, abilities, features, classes, subclasses, that I like to be at least somewhat prepared for each. I don't have time to vet, let alone read (or even know the existence of) the latest 5E flavor-of-the-month.

If a player absolutely wants to play some third-party subclass, they can talk to me about it, but it isn't assumed that they just get to play it.

 

[overgeeked]

Sure - I guess my point though is that there are thousands of combinations of spells, abilities, features, classes, subclasses, that I like to be at least somewhat prepared for each. I don't have time to vet, let alone read (or even know the existence of) the latest 5E flavor-of-the-month.

If a player absolutely wants to play some third-party subclass, they can talk to me about it, but it isn't assumed that they just get to play it.

It’s also incredibly easy to find busted options when combining from multiple sources. This feature was never designed to work with that feat which was never designed to take that spell into account. It increases the likelihood of busted combos. Doesn’t guarantee it, of course. Just makes it more likely.

 

[Quickleaf]

Does anyone familiar with multiple versions of 5e have a "level equivalency" between PCs made under different systems.

For example, my observation of 2024 D&D5e's playtests is that a 2024 PC will roughly be +1 level of power – at least starting out – than an equivalent 2014 PC.

Similarly, based on playtest, I am pretty sure TotV is more similar to the 2024, probably +1 level of power compared to 2014 PC.

 

[overgeeked]

Does anyone familiar with multiple versions of 5e have a "level equivalency" between PCs made under different systems.

For example, my observation of 2024 D&D5e's playtests is that a 2024 PC will roughly be +1 level of power – at least starting out – than an equivalent 2014 PC.

Similarly, based on playtest, I am pretty sure TotV is more similar to the 2024, probably +1 level of power compared to 2014 PC.

We’d first need all classes from one version to be properly balanced against each other. Which they’re not. The game is inherently imbalanced.

 

[Quickleaf]

We’d first need all classes from one version to be properly balanced against each other. Which they’re not. The game is inherently imbalanced.

Two tunas approach the trap.

“I don’t know Steve, this smells like bait.”

“Have you heard about this thing called water…?”

“Help! It’s got me Jon! I couldn’t resist!”

“Oh no, this wasn’t a balanced encounter Steveeeee!”

“It’s not a trap about that kind of balance….”

 

[Reynard]

Two tunas approach the trap.

“I don’t know Steve, this smells like bait.”

“Have you heard about this thing called water…?”

“Help! It’s got me Jon! I couldn’t resist!”

“Oh no, this wasn’t a balanced encounter Steveeeee!”

“It’s not a trap about that kind of balance….”

I'll take non sequiturs for $1000...

 

[Seramus]

Yep. No amount of PC power is going to threaten the DM, the important thing is how the players feel about each other.

If the other players are cheering on the Hulk while he smashes? Good! It's when another player says they feel like they can't compete, or that their toes are getting stomped on, that you take steps.

Sometimes that step is talking it out with the Hulk (sun is getting real low). Other times you see if the upset player is willing to listen to some pointers. And once in a while someone just isn't a good fit.

 

[Deset Gled]

I'm not sure I see the connection. Can you elaborate as to how you think what I wrote in the OP means what you suggested?

Your OP basically makes the rules flexible. Players and DM can pick and choose which set they want to use.

Another big part of my inference come from this later exchange:

Your would have to decide which version of spells and feats etc you'd want to use, and let the players know

Actually the player just need to tell me which version they want to use.

Now, I may be wrong here, but I interpreted this to mean that it's the job of the players to communicate what versions of spells and feats they want to use. But you, as the DM, are under no burden to communicate what you are using.

Combining that with this from the OP:

If I run 5E, I am going to use a combination of rules from the various forms of 5E,plus some stuff from other games,plus some house rules,plus just making stuff up as I go.

Putting all this together, it sounds like you're advocating for using 5e as a loose set of rules to start from, basically a tool to give the players a baseline for creating characters. But not as a hard set of rules anyone must follow. Especially not the DM, who is not required to communicate which version of any ruleset they are using. The DM is allowed to not only pick and choose any version of a monster they want, but is free to "make stuff up as they go". From there, my inference is that the DM isn't really holding themselves to any set of rules at all; what's the value of a rule if it changes on a whim with no notice?

Admittedly, going all the way to "I don't track the HP of the BBEG, he falls when it's appropriate for the battle to end" from there is obviously taking the inference to a bit of an extreme. But it's also a completely legitimate playstyle that people advocate for, and seems very in line with the philosophy "I don't really care what rules we're following."

Alternatively, looking at this whole idea from the other end: If you don't care about what rules people are using, what do you care about?

 

[Reynard]

Putting all this together, it sounds like you're advocating for using 5e as a loose set of rules to start from, basically a tool to give the players a baseline for creating characters. But not as a hard set of rules anyone must follow. Especially not the DM, who is not required to communicate which version of any ruleset they are using. The DM is allowed to not only pick and choose any version of a monster they want, but is free to "make stuff up as they go". From there, my inference is that the DM isn't really holding themselves to any set of rules at all; what's the value of a rule if it changes on a whim with no notice?

Admittedly, going all the way to "I don't track the HP of the BBEG, he falls when it's appropriate for the battle to end" from there is obviously taking the inference to a bit of an extreme. But it's also a completely legitimate playstyle that people advocate for, and seems very in line with the philosophy "I don't really care what rules we're following."

I definitely think you are making a leap that I am not intending to imply. I don't think I ever suggested changing rules on the fly. That's not something I do. And I don't think I said I wasn't going to tell the players what the rules on my end were, at least to the extent of "I'm using A5E monsters and a kluge of the Momentum/Threat rules for Inspiration."

So to put it clearly: I don't change rules during play, and I don't fudge hit points. And, very importantly, all combat rolls open on the table (I will use the tower for perception check type stuff).

Alternatively, looking at this whole idea from the other end: If you don't care about what rules people are using, what do you care about?

Fun.

 

[Shardstone]

I also allow players to take options from other 5E-spin off games as well, namely Lord of the Rings Roleplaying (used to be AiME but I switched to stay current) and Ruins of Symbaroum, among other sources. Most of these games function on the same math, though tweaked to be weaker or stronger along predictable arcs, and is perfectly compatable with most other 5E content. Sometimes it means a character is a little better mechanically represented too; a character that uses dark magic can express themselves with Ruins of Symbaroum and suffer corruption in exchange for more frequent casting.

5E really is an ecosystem now; an ecosystem that is surprisingly easy to tweak and very fun to design new content for, in all avenues. It's a bit time-consuming but it just makes such a fun, unpredictable, but consistent experience, the act of tying all these systems together into a game.