Upgrade your account to a Community Supporter account and remove most of the site ads.

Reply to thread

Message: <blockquote data-quote="Akrasia" data-source="post: 1849808" data-attributes="member: 23012">This does a good job of explaining why some DMs (e.g. myself) are frustrated by 3E: Merric, I think that you have done a very good job here in summarizing the trade-offs between 3E and a simpler system (like C&C).Whether one feels "overwhelmed" by the options available in 3E (even just in the core rules) -- and especially the work required in order to construct NPCs, etc. -- is simply a matter of what one wants in a game.  I don't have the time to construct adequately fleshed-out NPCs and monsters for my 3E campaign, at least not once the characters pass level 5 (or so).   And even if I did have the time, I just don't enjoy it -- it feels too much like work.  In addition, I would like the option of running my campaign into the high levels (12+), but would not dream of doing this in 3E.DMs who do enjoy this 'prep work' might find this mystifying.  But different people want to focus on different things in their campaigns.  I am happy to play in a 3E campaign with a DM willing to do all this 'gearhead' work for NPCs, monsters, and so forth.  But I just don't enjoy doing it myself.A system that is more 'rules lite' requires less prep work.  Such a system also allows me to focus more on the kind of prep work that I enjoy (campaign design, plots, etc.).And while a 'rules lite' system does not give players as many "mechanical" ways to customize their characters (different feats, skills, prestige classes, etc.), it has certain other virtues.  For one, 'rules lite' game sessions generally progress more quickly -- combat is much faster, and most tasks can be resolved easily.  Another advantage: with less focus on "mechanical" matters, more attention can be devoted to the role-playing aspects of the game.  IME there are many characters in 'rules lite' games that, by virtue of how they are played, are every bit as distinctive and interesting as characters in 3E.At least this has been my experience, having run two 3E campaigns in recent years, as well as RC D&D and C&C games during that time.  With a good enough DM, I am happy to play in any of those systems.  But as a DM, I just find running 3E not enough fun.</blockquote>

Verification