Optimisation in PC building

[Ruin Explorer]

Well as a player I can't houserule away what I don't like so there is that. As a DM, I could try but to me it's more effort than it is worth. When I say not playable, I don't mean the rules are unintelligible or that I would have difficulty running the game. I ran 4e no problem. In fact when it came to monster stat blocks I liked 4e a lot. I loved the recharge mechanic.

I just mean that aspects of the game design just leave me cold and I wouldn't enjoy it because it would be an ever present annoyance. I hate to mention the specifics because it might derail this thread. Mostly centered around what martial characters can do in some instances and healing. I'll leave it at that.

Fair enough. As an aside, I've always felt like maybe there should have been more D&D-based RPGs that took an Ars Magica approach and recognised and engaged with the power-gap and differences in ability between casters and everyone else, rather than trying to bridge the gap. Maybe some OSR game I don't know about has done that, if not, one should give it a go imho.

 

[TwoSix]

Fair enough. As an aside, I've always felt like maybe there should have been more D&D-based RPGs that took an Ars Magica approach and recognised and engaged with the power-gap and differences in ability between casters and everyone else, rather than trying to bridge the gap. Maybe some OSR game I don't know about has done that, if not, one should give it a go imho.

Hmm. Maybe something where casting the big magic takes a long time to set up and prepare. You play a cabal of wizards during the downtime phase, where you plan your next big spell or item crafting and teleport around and do magical politics to get assistance or resources, etc. During the adventure phase, you play the wizard's familiar or boon companion or trusted "mundane" character who does the nitty-gritty stuff to help the wizard's plans.

 

[Emerikol]

Fair enough. As an aside, I've always felt like maybe there should have been more D&D-based RPGs that took an Ars Magica approach and recognised and engaged with the power-gap and differences in ability between casters and everyone else, rather than trying to bridge the gap. Maybe some OSR game I don't know about has done that, if not, one should give it a go imho.

I am not sure I am remembering Ars Magica all that well. Is that the game where wizards want to keep their magic secret? If so D&D might not be the best rules solution.

 

[Ruin Explorer]

I am not sure I am remembering Ars Magica all that well. Is that the game where wizards want to keep their magic secret? If so D&D might not be the best rules solution.

Ars Magica does have some of that but the key thing is that players play multiple different characters at different power levels, that's what I'm referring to. As casters in 1/2/3E D&D are at a different power level to non-casters (certainly increasingly so from about L5), one could build a D&D-based OSR game around a similar conceit.