D&D General The DM Shortage

[Swarmkeeper]

Plenty of 8 years olds learnt on B/X as well it's an anecdote.

B/X is objectively easier to run what you prefer is subjective.

AD&D is alot more subjective.

Hell you can look at pagecount around 1000 for 5E core books around 100 for basic or 300 for BECMI Rules cyclopedia.

There's just less of it ergo easier. Less options as well. What you prefer is up to you.

Easiest D&D to run is the clones with ascending AC but I haven't tested out new clones like OSE more things like Basic Fantasy or Castles and Crusades.

But what about the 5e Basic Rules @ 180 pages? That's all you need to play...

 

[Cadence]

But what about the 5e Basic Rules @ 180 pages? That's all you need to play...

Imagine how short it could be with only 3 levels of features, spells, and monsters (or even 14).

 

[Reynard]

But what about the 5e Basic Rules @ 180 pages? That's all you need to play...

Which book or boxed set includes those?

 

[Cadence]

Which book or boxed set includes those?

Free download.

Basic D&D Rules | Dungeons & Dragons

The Basic Rules for Dungeons & Dragons is a free, downloadable resource to help you get started playing the world's greatest roleplaying game!

dnd.wizards.com

 

[Zardnaar]

Free download.

Basic D&D Rules | Dungeons & Dragons

The Basic Rules for Dungeons & Dragons is a free, downloadable resource to help you get started playing the world's greatest roleplaying game!

dnd.wizards.com

Not what they asked.

 

[Reynard]

Free download.

Basic D&D Rules | Dungeons & Dragons

The Basic Rules for Dungeons & Dragons is a free, downloadable resource to help you get started playing the world's greatest roleplaying game!

dnd.wizards.com

You may have noticed that WotC, at least until recently, is in the business of selling print books.

 

[Cadence]

You may have noticed that WotC, at least until recently, is in the business of selling print books.

I thought the question was if there was a simple set of rules to run stuff with and those have been online free for a while now. I must have misunderstood.

Does the fact they make money selling print books change the usefulness of a free slimmed down version of the game?

If the point is getting a print copy, would most copyshops bind one? (Is that the way most people get B/X these days for example).

 

[Zardnaar]

I thought the question was if there was a simple set of rules to run stuff with and those have been online free for a while now. I must have misunderstood.

Does the fact they make money selling print books change the usefulness of a free slimmed down version of the game?

If the point is getting a print copy, would most copyshops bind one? (Is that the way most people get B/X these days for example).

It's not readily available to new players eg they're not gonna notice it exists. You have to go looking for it or have someone tell you about it.

Key difference from it sitting on a shelf.

 

[Cadence]

It's not readily available to new players eg they're not gonna notice it exists. You have to go looking for it or have someone tell you about it.

Key difference from it sitting on a shelf.

How are they finding the PHB and DMG ex nihilo? (Googling? Asking someone who already plays? YouTube? Specialty game store? Game section of one of the few remaining big book stores?)

 

[Malmuria]

Personally, I don't think those basic 5e rules are very complicated. The actual "rules" section of the basic rules are about 25 pages, and even skimming there are a lot of things that won't really come up in play. About 60 pages are given over to spell descriptions and monsters. The game is complex because of its exception-based design. Things work one way unless you have a special ability or a spell, that then interacts with this other ability to produce this unexpected effect, etc.

But it's interesting because the "dm tools" consist in monster statblocks, a short selection of misc random items, and rules for building "balanced" encounters. For how sparse the rules are, and for how much they lean on DM adjudication, you'd expect maybe 10-20 or so pages of general dm advice plus scenario-building procedures. It's also absurd that the basic rules purport to cover levels 1-20. Is anyone playing 20th level 5e with just the basic rules?