Celebrim
Legend
Here's the thing I have to confess.
I like D&D. I've played a lot of systems, and I'm familiar with even more, but you know; time and time again, it's D&D that I end up playing.
I like hit points. I think that they are the best RPG mechanic ever invented hands down. The invention of the hit point is like the invention of fire. It allows you to invent everything else, and it never becomes obselete.
I like classes. I think the class is a great mechanic. Point buy character creation systems have their place, as do some of the more esoteric free form systems, but they don't accomplish what D&D typically is aiming for quite as well as classes do.
I like Vancian Magic. It's easy to use. It's quick in play. It's less bookkeeping, because let's face it, you average point buy makes mana harder to accurately track than ammunition for your bows - and how many people manage to accurately track that? As long as you are paying more attention to the what of magic rather than the hows and whys of its working, it allows for a pacing of how magic is used within the game that I think neatly emmulates a wide variaty of fantasy fiction. Having a few powerful effects that you must carefully conserve until the right moment is probably the best system you could have for emulating the narrative of classic fantasy fiction.
I like Alignment. I think the two axis alignment system is one of the core defining features of D&D and serves to give D&D a lot of its heft. I grant that many people don't 'get' alignment and that that has from time to time included the author's of D&D, but I get it and I know how to explain it and I've never had players have a problem with it once its explained right.
I like clerics. I like armor class. I like variable weapon damage. I dislike called shots and hit placement.
In short, I like D&D. I tweak and twiddle with D&D a lot and I think that its far from a perfect system, but I like D&D. I like every version of D&D. I like OD&D. I like 1st edition AD&D. I like 2nd edition AD&D. I like BECMI. I like 3rd edition D&D. I even admire some of the goals of 4e D&D even though I think it fell really flat upon execution of the whole. Most importantly, I understand why people who like each version the most like it, and why they admire it, and why it helps them have fun. Each version has had its distinctive problems, but each got something right and until 4e came along they all looked pretty much alike.
You see, I've always thought that my problem with 4e is that it was made for people who didn't like D&D. It was made for people frustrated with D&D's little annoyances. Heck, it may have even been made by people who had themselves become frustrated with D&D's problems - small and large.
But above all the things I wish for 5e, I would wish this: that the people who make it love it as well as I do or better, and are trying to make D&D for people who love D&D. You people who don't like hit points, classes, D20's, alignments and Vancian magic, I understand your discomfort - I've been there - but if you don't like it then go make your own game. Leave D&D alone for those that do like it.
I like D&D. I've played a lot of systems, and I'm familiar with even more, but you know; time and time again, it's D&D that I end up playing.
I like hit points. I think that they are the best RPG mechanic ever invented hands down. The invention of the hit point is like the invention of fire. It allows you to invent everything else, and it never becomes obselete.
I like classes. I think the class is a great mechanic. Point buy character creation systems have their place, as do some of the more esoteric free form systems, but they don't accomplish what D&D typically is aiming for quite as well as classes do.
I like Vancian Magic. It's easy to use. It's quick in play. It's less bookkeeping, because let's face it, you average point buy makes mana harder to accurately track than ammunition for your bows - and how many people manage to accurately track that? As long as you are paying more attention to the what of magic rather than the hows and whys of its working, it allows for a pacing of how magic is used within the game that I think neatly emmulates a wide variaty of fantasy fiction. Having a few powerful effects that you must carefully conserve until the right moment is probably the best system you could have for emulating the narrative of classic fantasy fiction.
I like Alignment. I think the two axis alignment system is one of the core defining features of D&D and serves to give D&D a lot of its heft. I grant that many people don't 'get' alignment and that that has from time to time included the author's of D&D, but I get it and I know how to explain it and I've never had players have a problem with it once its explained right.
I like clerics. I like armor class. I like variable weapon damage. I dislike called shots and hit placement.
In short, I like D&D. I tweak and twiddle with D&D a lot and I think that its far from a perfect system, but I like D&D. I like every version of D&D. I like OD&D. I like 1st edition AD&D. I like 2nd edition AD&D. I like BECMI. I like 3rd edition D&D. I even admire some of the goals of 4e D&D even though I think it fell really flat upon execution of the whole. Most importantly, I understand why people who like each version the most like it, and why they admire it, and why it helps them have fun. Each version has had its distinctive problems, but each got something right and until 4e came along they all looked pretty much alike.
You see, I've always thought that my problem with 4e is that it was made for people who didn't like D&D. It was made for people frustrated with D&D's little annoyances. Heck, it may have even been made by people who had themselves become frustrated with D&D's problems - small and large.
But above all the things I wish for 5e, I would wish this: that the people who make it love it as well as I do or better, and are trying to make D&D for people who love D&D. You people who don't like hit points, classes, D20's, alignments and Vancian magic, I understand your discomfort - I've been there - but if you don't like it then go make your own game. Leave D&D alone for those that do like it.
