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Author Topic: Games: D&D 5th Ed?  (Read 6423 times)

MadZealot

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D&D 5th Ed?
« on: September 08, 2014, 10:38:48 pm »
About 15 pages into the new Player's Handbook, and my first impression is that it looks and feels like classic D&D, far much so than 4e or 3e.  I'm in the character creation section right now: there's the usual stat block and then a whole bunch of info on alignment, creating a backstory, your characters likes/dislikes, strengths and flaws.  One whole side of the pre-generated character sheet, found in the back of the book, is reserved for this info.

Reviews on Amazon are pretty positive.  I'm going to read some more.
« Last Edit: May 07, 2019, 10:45:20 am by RandallS »
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stephyjh

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Re: D&D 5th Ed?
« Reply #1 on: September 09, 2014, 12:10:41 am »
Quote from: MadZealot;158436
About 15 pages into the new Player's Handbook, and my first impression is that it looks and feels like classic D&D, far much so than 4e or 3e.  I'm in the character creation section right now: there's the usual stat block and then a whole bunch of info on alignment, creating a backstory, your characters likes/dislikes, strengths and flaws.  One whole side of the pre-generated character sheet, found in the back of the book, is reserved for this info.

Reviews on Amazon are pretty positive.  I'm going to read some more.

 
It had better be more like the original than 4e. To my mind 4e DID NOT HAPPEN.
A heretic blast has been blown in the west,
That what is no sense must be nonsense.

-Robert Burns

MadZealot

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Re: D&D 5th Ed?
« Reply #2 on: September 09, 2014, 12:49:48 am »
Quote from: stephyjh;158446
It had better be more like the original than 4e. To my mind 4e DID NOT HAPPEN.

 
4e was... interesting.  Didn't look or feel at all like D&D, though.  Too much of a departure.
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RandallS

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Re: D&D 5th Ed?
« Reply #3 on: September 09, 2014, 08:41:37 am »
Quote from: MadZealot;158436
About 15 pages into the new Player's Handbook, and my first impression is that it looks and feels like classic D&D, far much so than 4e or 3e.  I'm in the character creation section right now: there's the usual stat block and then a whole bunch of info on alignment, creating a backstory, your characters likes/dislikes, strengths and flaws.  One whole side of the pre-generated character sheet, found in the back of the book, is reserved for this info.

It still too complex for me, but I'd unlike 3.x and (shudder) 4e, I'd be willing to play it if someone else was running it.

I prefer very fast character generation (say 10 minutes for someone familiar with the system, and 20 minutes for someone unfamiliar with the system who has help from someone who is familar with it). 5e has too many options for players to pick between for this -- especially with the type of causal players in my games -- players who have no interest in reading the books (and seldom even buy them). I've seen too many online discussions where GMs are saying that their players felt they needed to buy books to generate characters.

Given the above and that I have thousands of pages of homebrew material designed for TSR-era D&D that would not work with 5e (mainly do to the nerfing of spells like sleep) and the super-fast healing, I'll stick with TSR-era D&D or retroclones that are closer to TSR era D&D than 5e is for running games.
Randall
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stephyjh

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Re: D&D 5th Ed?
« Reply #4 on: September 09, 2014, 10:15:32 am »
Quote from: RandallS;158467
It still too complex for me, but I'd unlike 3.x and (shudder) 4e, I'd be willing to play it if someone else was running it.

I prefer very fast character generation (say 10 minutes for someone familiar with the system, and 20 minutes for someone unfamiliar with the system who has help from someone who is familar with it). 5e has too many options for players to pick between for this -- especially with the type of causal players in my games -- players who have no interest in reading the books (and seldom even buy them). I've seen too many online discussions where GMs are saying that their players felt they needed to buy books to generate characters.

Given the above and that I have thousands of pages of homebrew material designed for TSR-era D&D that would not work with 5e (mainly do to the nerfing of spells like sleep) and the super-fast healing, I'll stick with TSR-era D&D or retroclones that are closer to TSR era D&D than 5e is for running games.


 
See, I love complex chargen. It's one of the things I like about GURPS.
A heretic blast has been blown in the west,
That what is no sense must be nonsense.

-Robert Burns

RandallS

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Re: D&D 5th Ed?
« Reply #5 on: September 09, 2014, 06:21:03 pm »
Quote from: stephyjh;158475
See, I love complex chargen. It's one of the things I like about GURPS.

Lots of people do -- I'm just not one of them (especially in D&D). There are probably several reasons why I'm not:

1) Most of the people I've played with over the last 35+ years have been what would today be called causal players. They want to play, not buy and reads long rulebooks. Complex character generation system tend to require players who are willing to buy the rulebooks and read them.  Heck, 3.x really requires people to just just read them but study them like they were preparing for the SAT or the GRE. I never have players with the time and interest to do this.

2) I started playing D&D in 1975 -- that's the original D&D in the brown box, the 3rd printing of the original rules before they changed to the white box that most people who even know of the original rules think of. I started with fast character generation and very fast combat and that's what I expect from anything with D&D on the label. Super-detailed character generation and long tactical combats did not really start until the mid-1990s and by then I was very set in my ways.

3) I don't like the main side-effect of complex character generation in later editions of D&D: character optimization and pre-planned builds.
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HeartShadow

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Re: D&D 5th Ed?
« Reply #6 on: September 09, 2014, 09:27:29 pm »
Quote from: RandallS;158516


 
For me, it depends on what I'm doing.

When I'm trying to figure out a character in my fiction, the more complex the better.  It gives me more places to tweak, to get a handle on what's going on.

When planning long campaigns, it helps to keep things balanced, because I ADORE epic backstory, but without something to balance it the whole thing tilts out of control.

If I just want to PLAY ... yeah, it can get old fast.  Heck, I usually just get a summary of what someone WANTS from their character ahead of time and do the gen myself.

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Re: D&D 5th Ed?
« Reply #7 on: September 10, 2014, 11:37:16 pm »
Quote from: HeartShadow;158532
For me, it depends on what I'm doing.



If I just want to PLAY ... yeah, it can get old fast.  Heck, I usually just get a summary of what someone WANTS from their character ahead of time and do the gen myself.

 
This.

All our games include people who refuse to read the rules.  We let whoever is leading our campaign figure that out for us.

But we're all ages 20-30...so rules tend to get in the way of the epic, obviously.  :)

I like 5th better than 3 or 4 so far.  It feels less like a rule-prison to me, I suppose.

stephyjh

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Re: D&D 5th Ed?
« Reply #8 on: September 11, 2014, 02:33:08 am »
Quote from: Demifate;158678
This.

All our games include people who refuse to read the rules.  We let whoever is leading our campaign figure that out for us.

But we're all ages 20-30...so rules tend to get in the way of the epic, obviously.  :)

I like 5th better than 3 or 4 so far.  It feels less like a rule-prison to me, I suppose.

 
Just using this as a convenient place to hang something. http://www.funnyjunk.com/funny_pictures/4717192/how+groups+squads+end+up+in+general
A heretic blast has been blown in the west,
That what is no sense must be nonsense.

-Robert Burns

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Re: D&D 5th Ed?
« Reply #9 on: September 11, 2014, 07:23:00 am »
Quote from: stephyjh;158686
Just using this as a convenient place to hang something. http://www.funnyjunk.com/funny_pictures/4717192/how+groups+squads+end+up+in+general

LOL. And so true.
Randall
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Hieronymus

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Re: D&D 5th Ed?
« Reply #10 on: April 28, 2015, 09:41:18 am »
Quote from: RandallS;158690
LOL. And so true.

 
I've been going through major withdrawal. I moved to a small town and know no one who plays. I started with 2nd ed, moved to 3 and finally 3.5. I'd be willing to give 5 a shot, but I do love my 3.5. 4th is like that relative you never speak of and pretend they don't exist. :P

Anyone know some good sites to meet up with local roleplayers? Aside from meetup or craigslist (I don't want to die)
The greatest deception men suffer is from their own opinions.
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Jabberwocky

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Re: D&D 5th Ed?
« Reply #11 on: April 28, 2015, 10:01:43 am »
Quote from: Hieronymus;174389
I've been going through major withdrawal. I moved to a small town and know no one who plays. I started with 2nd ed, moved to 3 and finally 3.5. I'd be willing to give 5 a shot, but I do love my 3.5. 4th is like that relative you never speak of and pretend they don't exist. :P

Anyone know some good sites to meet up with local roleplayers? Aside from meetup or craigslist (I don't want to die)

 
You could try asking over on RPGGeek.  Alternatively, do you have a games store in reasonable distance?  That tends to be my first port of call in a new town.

Meetup can be fine.  Just look for an established group rather than individuals.

I would invite you to my gaming club, but I suspect Yorkshire is probably a bit far for you.  ;)
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Hieronymus

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Re: D&D 5th Ed?
« Reply #12 on: April 28, 2015, 10:08:12 am »
Quote from: Jabberwocky;174391
You could try asking over on RPGGeek.  Alternatively, do you have a games store in reasonable distance?  That tends to be my first port of call in a new town.

Meetup can be fine.  Just look for an established group rather than individuals.

I would invite you to my gaming club, but I suspect Yorkshire is probably a bit far for you.  ;)

 
I'll give that a try, thanks. As much as that would be a great excuse to get back over to England someday, it would be a tough sell to the girl. lol :)
The greatest deception men suffer is from their own opinions.
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Re: D&D 5th Ed?
« Reply #13 on: April 28, 2015, 11:28:30 am »
Quote from: stephyjh;158446
It had better be more like the original than 4e. To my mind 4e DID NOT HAPPEN.

 
WTF is 4e? D&D stopped at 3.5, then went sideways. Everyone knows this.

It is known.

Eet ees known.
"This is a sorrow-spider. Which end do you hold it by? TRICK QUESTION!"

Jabberwocky

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Re: D&D 5th Ed?
« Reply #14 on: April 28, 2015, 12:20:43 pm »
Quote from: Cuthwin Crowe;174394
WTF is 4e? D&D stopped at 3.5, then went sideways. Everyone knows this.

It is known.

Eet ees known.

 
Wait, there was D&D after 2e?
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