I want a generic DnD game.

[drunkmoogle]

What ever happened to the four heroes with unknown ambitions and true hearts? Where is that feeling I am longing for? Where are the guts? Where is did my DnD go?

I see all these homebrew games with huge modifications to the game mechanics. Stuff like altered magic systems, huge expansive unflexible campaign settings, houserules that require more than 20KB to send as a .txt file, and high magic/low magic/gritty games.

When was that last time you played a generic, classic DnD game? Throw out the houserule tomes, the campaign settings, and everything else non-core. Just get back to the basics... good RP, memorable NPCs, and an original campaign.

When was the last time you played generic DnD?

Ranting is good for the heart and soul. I guess I'm just angsty today.

 

[hellbender]

I know what you are saying and that is the point where you need to take the iniative and run one. I run a very old school game irl and I am starting one here as well. I tweak only the background information to solidify the world itself, other than that, the game is plain, vanilla Dungeons and Dragons. And you know what, nobody ever complains much, either.

hellbender

 

[xbrokenxswordx]

I like games that are great RP and aren't too confused with complex settings and rules. However, I wouldn't consider that style of game to be 'generic DnD'. Because to me at the least, generic DnD has many connotations dealing with dungeon crawling, killing baddies and stealing their stuff. And none of those are indicators of a good RP game to me. They are fun in their own way, but generic DnD is all about smash and grab.

 

[Bendris Noulg]

When was that last time you played a generic, classic DnD game?

13 years.

Consequently, nothing in the new edition tells me going back is worth it.

 

[Dark Jezter]

Just a few months ago, my players and I took a break from our normal campaign and ran a one-shot using the random dungeon rules in the Dungeon Master's Guide. There was no deep or involving story to it, no spells or feats from outside the core rulebooks, and no special prestige classes. It was just five adventurers (a fighter, a cleric, a sorcerer, a ranger, and a rogue) hacking their their way through a dungeon while using only material from the three core rulebooks. It was D&D at its most basic and formulatic, and we all had a blast.

 

[xbrokenxswordx]

Just a few months ago, my players and I took a break from our normal campaign and ran a one-shot using the random dungeon rules in the Dungeon Master's Guide. There was no deep or involving story to it, no spells or feats from outside the core rulebooks, and no special prestige classes. It was just five adventurers (a fighter, a cleric, a sorcerer, a ranger, and a rogue) hacking their their way through a dungeon while using only material from the three core rulebooks. It was D&D at its most basic and formulatic, and we all had a blast.

Exactly the point I was trying to make, except better done and with an example. Generic, dungeon-crawling DnD makes a great break from the in-depth character RPing. It's all about the balance.

 

[dren]

There a million game designers on these boards, many of whom come across as the sole designer of the "next edition." Sometimes a bloody, dungeon-crawling, good old fashioned romp is perfect for a fun evening.

 

[Nathal]

What ever happened to the four heroes with unknown ambitions and true hearts? Where is that feeling I am longing for? Where are the guts? Where is did my DnD go?

Maybe you'll like "Castle's and Crusades" from Troll Lord Games, due out this summer. In fact, it's supposed to be all about that "old school" spirit. www.trolllord.com

 

[kiznit]

Generic D&D

You're talkin my kind of fantasy, moogle.

I just started a summer campaign with some of my friends from school, only one of which had ever played any D&D before. Therefore I haven't thrown anything complicated, and they're having a blast playing completely standard. They rolled up standard characters, and we started in a little town called GoblinRock Gulch, and nothing else was pre-determined. I made up a little goblin burrow for them to explore, and now they're hunting orcs.

It's straight-up. Basic. And a lot of fun. When you're dealing with newbies, you kind of feel like the rules by themselves are complicated enough without throwing three campaign books and a dozen prestige class splatbooks at them.

kiznit

 

[cybertalus]

I likes me some roleplaying mixed in with my dungeon crawling and baddie bashing, but I would love to play in a game where nothing (except maybe an adventure module) outside the core was used. No house rules, no variant rules, no spells, feats, magic items, mundane equipment, cleric domains, deities, or prestige classes except the ones included in the Player's Handbook, Dungeon Master's Guide, or Monster Manual. That would be wonderful.

Though I wouldn't mind all that much if the DM used some monsters from other books, so long as they didn't drag in whole rule systems or much in the way of new feats and spells with them.

As much as this is my ideal as a player, whenever I move to the DM's side of the screen I always find that I want to tweak a rule here, or offer a feat there, or run a published setting that comes with its own supply of feats, spells, etc.