So you're done with D&D but still want to play D&Dish fantasy...

[Mercurius]

If you're into X, then play Dragonbane.

If you're into Y, then play Shadowdark.

If you're into Z, then play Pathfinder.

And so on.

"X, Y, Z" can be any specific or gestalt of qualities you feel like assembling, and of course include as many games as you like. I'd even suggest being vague as to what "D&Dish" means...I mean, if you need me to define it, I'd suggest something simple like "adventure-based fantasy."

I'm mainly just curious how people would characterize the plentiful "D&D alternatives" that are out there now, many of which have stable fan bases - and specifically, how they might be characterized in reference to D&D.

And of course the reasons a person is "done with D&D" might vary - be it WotC corporatism, their recent artistic direction, tonal qualities, complexity fatigue, or just wanting a change, etc -- I don't think that part really matters, except as it relates to the alternatives and what they offer.

Have at it....

 

[AK81]

I have really become interested in Pathfinder 1e lately.

I started with 5e, and I like a lot about it. But there are some key things that I really like about PF1e.

The Skill system:
I just love the skill system of PF1e. I find the proficiency system in 5e to be way to limiting.

Tone and Classic fantasy:
The tone and feel of PF1e is much closer to my preferred sensibilities. Especially compared to post-Tasha DnD. And I know I have years of Adventure Paths that explores themes and have the tones that I'm interested in.

And I just like Paizo as a company much more than I like WotC.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

Shadowdark is, effectively, stripped-back 5E, without skills or feats, with higher lethality, a flatter power curve, roll-to-cast spellcasting and much faster play. The core book has a shocking amount of random tables, enabling a DM to create adventures and settings on the fly, along with copious monsters from the D&D SRD (along with new monsters), allowing groups to run classic D&D adventures with minimal conversion necessary.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

The last D&D I played was 4Ed. And 3.5Ed was my D&D of choice, so I bought a whole bunch of 3Ed/3.5Ed clones, like Pathfinder, ArcanaUnearthed/Evolved and so forth. Add even earlier editions and creating a Fantasy HERO D&D simulation, and I have stuff I can grab if a D&D itch strikes.

What stops me is not being in a group right now.

Realistically, though, even if/when I found another group, I’m pretty sure I wouldn’t be able to play like I’ve gotten sued to. Besides the edition march, my taste in play has evolved to a certain style that just isn’t common- tending towards exotic options without actually going into power gaming.

 

[overgeeked]

Pirate Borg. If you like newer, simpler rules but want a thoroughly piratical and lethal old-school D&D-like experience, you cannot go wrong with Pirate Borg. Set in the Golden Age of Piracy in the Dark Caribbean, Pirate Borg has ghosts, skeletons, ghost ships, skeleton ships, kraken, sea monsters, pirates, magic, and more. It's a Borg game so it drips with artistic inspiration but doesn't go so far as to be unreadable. It's got some of the best random tables you've ever seen. While the players are spending 5-10 minutes randomly generating their PCs the GM can spend those same 5-10 minutes randomly generating several sessions worth of fun. If you even like pirates a little, you should get this book. It's hands down the best pirate RPG on the market today.

 

[Aldarc]

There are way too many D&D alternatives for this exercise. But I also don't necessarily think of some of these games in terms of being "D&D alternatives." By that I mean that these games don't exist as my "alternatives" for D&D but as games in their own right.

 

[Jd Smith1]

I use Hackmaster 5e, which has little or no connection to D&D mechanically, for any pre-WW1 setting, although it is best for fantasy.

Its great Roll20 support is a strong plus in its favor.

 

[DevL]

My current fantasy RPG needs are covered by my own, yet-to-be-released RPG.
If I were to play something else my first stop would be Daggerheart. I regret backing Draw Steel instead of Daggerheart as I’m now quite certain I’ll not be playing the former though I’m sure it’ll be a fun read and a good source for ideas and inspiration.

Then there are of course niches and specific fantasies that I would pick other games for. Pendragon is high on my list and Mörk Borg is much more my flavour of scaled back gaming than Shadowdark.

 

[The Soloist]

There are way too many D&D alternatives for this exercise. But I also don't necessarily think of some of these games in terms of being "D&D alternatives." By that I mean that these games don't exist as my "alternatives" for D&D but as games in their own right.

Indeed. I don’t see Dragonbane as a D&D alternative. People who go in Dragonbane thinking it’s a simpler D&D alternative often hit a wall or they start turning it into a frankendragon hybrid. We see that all the time in the FB group.

Edit: Dragonbane is for those who are truly done with D&Disms.

 

[Nikosandros]

Indeed. I don’t see Dragonbane as a D&D alternative. People who go in Dragonbane thinking it’s a simpler D&D alternative often hit a wall or they start turning it into a frankendragon hybrid. We see that all the time in the FB group.

Yes, Dragonbane is very much is own thing, but - unless a game is explicitly a clone (OSE, OSRIC, etc.) - I view all of them as separate things. I actually consider even the different editions of D&D (the post-TSR ones) as each being a different game.