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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Jaeger" data-source="post: 8439816" data-attributes="member: 27996">You're probably right to want to keep the D&D flavor.Something like this:[URL unfurl="true"]https://purplelizardman.com/5e-heroic/[/URL]An E6 mod for 5e fills the ticket I think. I'd dial it back a touch to a 5th level cap. And I'd rule you only get new HD every 3 levels after 5th. (I would roll what inspiration does into HD - Make the PC's have to make a choice to roll well now vs. ability to heal later...)It would make for a bit more 'heroic' game, but I think not into the full blown superheroic level.I'd still take a pair of scissors and a sharpie pen to the spell list...I largely agree with this. I think it is the ultimate legacy of the OGL.In my opinion: The spillover is not what it was in the mid 90's when Vampire/WoD was the solid number 2 RPG. The hobby really benefitted from that; because people noticed the top alternative not only had a different system to D&D, but an entirely different play premise as well. There were also popular standbys like Shadowrun, CP2020, Deadlands, L5R, and the evergreen CoC, with Palladium games still being in the conversation - not to mention GURPS which was a Big mainstay until the early 2000's.Whereas now the top two RPGs are D&D, and D&D's clone...With the flavor of the quarter making up the number 3-5 spots.IMHO, The RPG industry was more varied and interesting pre-OGL.The OGL was just a brilliant move by Dancy.Once WotC learned their lesson with 4e: It has turned D&D from the 800lb gorilla in the hobby, into the 80,000lb King Kong of the hobby. The professional corporate marketing did its part as well.Also D&D got a bit of help by all virtually the other popular RPG IPs of the 90's mismanaging themselves into a perennial has-been status.Which was Not D&D or WotC's fault.Only CoC has really stood the test of time - largely due to being the first mover in it's market niche.I believe it.Many of the D&D Next survey's asked the question : "Is it/this fun?" in many different ways...This effect is well known in the videogame industry:[URL unfurl="true"]https://www.polygon.com/2017/10/11/16458690/how-games-protect-the-players-from-themselves[/URL]"Players will often try to find the most efficient or even safest way to play a game, making sure they methodically crunch through an area or level so that no mistakes are made or no items are left behind."The video: "How Game Designers Protect Players From Themselves"[MEDIA=youtube]7L8vAGGitr8[/MEDIA]And this: "Given the Opportunity, Players Will Optimize Fun Out of a Game."[MEDIA=youtube]0Q3ezaoqIRM[/MEDIA]Not all of it is directly applicable to RPGs, but most of the general ideas hold true in my opinion.I think that a lot of the ways new players approach RPG's has been affected more by CRPG's more than we all might be willing to admit. (Fantasy CRPG's are very high power fantasy ...)This ties in to some of the issues I have with the direction 5e went; in terms of less GM procedural tools than B/X, combined with many Player abilities and spells that function as 'skip" buttons to most of the alleged "pillars of play" WotC says 5e supports.This has a lot to do with how they culled and used survey information to drive the games design. I do not think that they sufficiently weighed the survey information to account for the GM side, (The people who have to actually run the game)  as opposed to how much they leaned into "making it fun" for players.D&D should absolutely be fun to play. (Or any RPG for that matter. It's kinda the point of the entire RPG hobby...)But IMHO there is a difference between making a fun game, and making the game "fun" by letting the inmates run the asylum...</blockquote>

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