What don't you like about D&D?

[Desdichado]

For people who like that many options and computations, more power to you, but for me the options actually got in the way of the game, and made it much LESS fun.

I think you're missing the point. My claim is that there's not actually any need to stat anything out at all unless you just like to do to so.

Sometimes I do. Most of the time I don't bother.

Well trying to tweak D&D to do grim & gritty low magic was a nightmare.

That's what I tend to run. Granted; it's been greatly facilitated by a number of products that are in print that do the work for me, so all I have to do is unplug various D&D standard options and replace them with some others. I've done it with relatively few changes (only two or three) and with a fairly significant overhaul both, but in neither case was it much work. Kinda like going out to eat at a buffet place. Sure, it's more work to have to actually stand up, walk over to the buffet tables and look around, spooning onto your plate exactly what you want, but it's not like I had to cook my dinner myself.

 

[DMH]

So, the story of St. George and the Dragon isn't a suitable source for the game?

He didn't kill the dragon, it killed itself on his spiked armor. How many D&D charaters have you seen win a fight against a dragon because of spiked armor?

 

[The Shaman]

Excuse me, I was looking for the "What don't you like about D&D?" thread, but it appears I've wandered into the, "Tell me what you don't like about D&D so I can tell you you're WRONG!" thread by mistake.

Please pardon the interruption.

 

[sniffles]

the stigma.

What he said.

 

[Desdichado]

Excuse me, I was looking for the "What don't you like about D&D?" thread, but it appears I've wandered into the, "Tell me what you don't like about D&D so I can tell you you're WRONG!" thread by mistake.

And now it's the "Passive Aggressive snide remarks" thread apparently. Thanks, buddy.

I didn't start this thread so I could just get folks to list things, I posted it to have a discussion. That means a back and forth dialogue. Besides, Gothmog and I have been e-pals for years, assuming he recognizes me under this new username, and we have both recognized in each other someone who has a lot of similarities in taste and in what we are hoping to get out of gaming, and we've discussed at length in various threads over a long period of time some of the things that dissatisfy us with D&D and how to deal with them.

Here's a free clue for you: this little side discussion we're having doesn't concern you in the least and if it bothers Gothmog, you don't need to white knight him; he's perfectly capable to telling me so himself.

 

[The Shaman]

And now it's the "Passive Aggressive snide remarks" thread apparently. Thanks, buddy.

Any time, pal.

I didn't start this thread so I could just get folks to list things....

So you cleverly started it off with a list of things? Color me confused.

...I posted it to have a discussion. That means a back and forth dialogue.

A discussion that consists of, "But you're playing it WRONG it that way! Now I'll set you straight," yes?

Here's a free clue for you: this little side discussion we're having doesn't concern you in the least....

Here's a free clue back: Then perhaps a public Intreweb bulletin board isn't the place for it. If you expect some sort of privacy, try private messaging, or e-mail, or get a (chat) room or something.

To bring the thread back to its original topic, I don't like "Vancian" magic. Fire-and-forget spells, memorization/preparation, spell slots per day - yeech. I understand the game mechanic reasons for doing it that way, but I don't like it, and never did (which is one of the reasons I so rarely played a magic-user when we played AD&D).

 

[Jürgen Hubert]

My biggest beef is that it takes too much time to create NPCs.

I mean, I created the d20 NPCs Wiki to help with that, but even it doesn't have NPCs for every opportunity.

 

[JoeGKushner]

1. Random hit points.
2. Turning mechanic.
3. Cover and Concealment Mechanics
4. Death at -10 hit points.
5. Class and levels with so many mechanics around them that it's in essence a point buy system without the flexibility of a point buy system.
6. Too many competing variant abilities/monsters/feats from the offiical source with variant powers/payoffs.
7. Hit dice by class. Everything else in the game system gets hit dice by type/race but hey, players are special right?
8. XP mechanic of CR vs player level.
9. ECL as a balancing factor.

Many of these problems don't necessarily exist in a point buy system. For example, the whole concept of ECL would be laughed at. "Uh, you get a -20 point build for selecting a powerful race." and randomlly rolled hits points?

As more mechanics like Tricks and Reserve Feats come into play, the few differences between the defense that D&D needs to be a class level system because it helps to balance things, continue to fade. As Tricks are not mandatory and cost skill points, they continue to add complexity and benefits to those that take them giving such characters a potential edge. For Reserve Feats, the ability to blast away all day, even at a cost of a high spell slot, is very appealing and if not for the whole Vance magic system in the first place, would be unnecesary.

 

[Crothian]

As to Crothian's comment, I still have the opposite reaction. Playing in other games always shows how bad DND (d20) handles things to me. First of all, I still cringe at the thought of using d20 for modern or future games.

It's fine to disagree, but it seems you read more then I posted. I said I come back to D&D, not d20 modern or future. For all my sci fi and modern needs I have other games that are not D&D.

 

[evildmguy]

It's fine to disagree, but it seems you read more then I posted. I said I come back to D&D, not d20 modern or future. For all my sci fi and modern needs I have other games that are not D&D.

Ooops. You are correct sir. I did take it too far.

Sorry about that.

Have a good one! Take care!

edg