D&D General It's really weird loving D&D and not loving the current rules.

[Reynard]

I've gotten so comfortable with 5E that I feel free to modify it in any way I see fit and can usually (not always, lol) get pretty close to my intended effect without too much problem. Making up the sub-systems myself is half the appeal to playing 5E for me.

In my experience if you tell players you are playing 5E they don't like it when you start slashing away their class abilities etc, which is a major thing in trying to recapture earlier edition strengths.

 

[Shardstone]

In my experience if you tell players you are playing 5E they don't like it when you start slashing away their class abilities etc, which is a major thing in trying to recapture earlier edition strengths.

I have a roster of like 15 players I can choose from at almost any given time for a game, so I don't really have to worry about dealing with randos and their likes/dislikes on my homebrew anymore.

 

[dave2008]

In my experience if you tell players you are playing 5E they don't like it when you start slashing away their class abilities etc, which is a major thing in trying to recapture earlier edition strengths.

Are you talking about playing or DMing?

 

[tetrasodium]

Are you talking about playing or DMing?

I mostly DM & have the same experience that @Reynard described. Need to "nerf" something in 5e to recover an aspect of an older edition & you've declared armageddon declaring their PC unplayable no matter what benefits you intend to include with the nerf. Players who started with past editions are probably going to be willing to hear you out & decide or even give input based on the whole even if they aren't sure if they are onboard. Players who started with 5e are likely to interrupt with a hard pass the second you start explaining what needs to be cut back or why.

 

[Shardstone]

In my experience if you tell players you are playing 5E they don't like it when you start slashing away their class abilities etc, which is a major thing in trying to recapture earlier edition strengths.

Also I don't usually slash away class abilities, etc. I streamline, enhance, expand; if I want to play a more basic game, I use survivor rules or sidekick classes.

 

[Reynard]

Also I don't usually slash away class abilities, etc. I streamline, enhance, expand; if I want to play a more basic game, I use survivor rules or sidekick classes.

My point was that it is difficult to convince players to reduce PC capability, and I would rather just play the earlier edition but that is often more difficult.

 

[overgeeked]

Over the last 10 years I have just kind of soured on 5e. I think it is a perfectly serviceable D&D game, but I just don't think there's actually a lot of "there" there. But here's the thing: Spelljammer coming out, the movie, Dragonlance, these things all tickle my D&D love and I WANT to engage D&D on its own, current terms and... just don't.

Listen. I get it. The world moves on. My GenX butt needs to get out of the way. Intellectually, I understand that. But emotionally, I just want my love for D&D "stuff" to match my love for the D&D game again.

Play an older version of the game. There are people out there playing older editions. It takes some time to find them.

 

[Reynard]

Play an older version of the game. There are people out there playing older editions. It takes some time to find them.

Absolutely. I am just lamenting the added difficulty in doing that thing.

 

[Shiroiken]

I understand, as the game is slowly moved away from my preferences. However, 5E's chassis is solid enough you can make adjustments to recapture the feel of a favorite edition. You don't necessarily have to nerf class abilities, just limit choices people have. Consider prohibiting the Sorcerer and Warlock, and most non-PHB sub-classes. Limit the party to only the original demihumans (and only the forest gnome). No feats, and multi-class characters have to stay within 1 level for each class (no dipping). Oh, and cut the xp by half or more, since old school D&D meant many adventures at the same level.

 

[overgeeked]

Well then heck, you're golden! Just tell your friends/family/gaming group that you'd like to stroll down Memory Lane with them and host an Old School D&D game. And really sell it, too. Tell everyone to dress up in 80s clothes...why wait until Halloween? Put up some blacklight posters, play some INXS and The Cure, order some pizza delivery, stock the fridge with Mountain Dew...

We don't get infinite weekends. Take one of them for yourself.

For me, for some weird reason, it's my friend's wife's chocolate chip cookies with M&Ms in. Best cookies I've ever had. Loved getting together to play for the game and the friends...but damn...those cookies.