Thursday, May 30, 2013

Old School Dislikes

So what are some of the features of different Old School Games and their clones that you dislike and why? 

DO you have a house rule  against the disliked feature? 

How many of you use a miss-mash of many rulebooks and systems? 

What is your final system or lack thereof like? 

What is an RPG game breaker that you cannot tolerate? 


4 comments:

  1. I dislike racial maximums. They seem silly to me.

    I have also abandoned THACO and refer a progressive AC system.

    I do like some rudimentary skill system.

    We generally hand wave these except for skills which I use a simple system for.

    While I try to use a single set of rules, I learned RPGs borrowing from many versions of D&D and the assorted supplements made by different companies.

    Haven't run into a deal breaker.

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  2. So what are some of the features of different Old School Games and their clones that you dislike and why?

    Too many classes rather than give the basics more choices, long winded monster stats, cluttered rule books, fixing stuff that aint broke for cash cow editions

    DO you have a house rule against the disliked feature? I stole a few things from post 2nd ed but i try to use stat rolls for everything possible and NWPs and kits rather than too many classes and to many sub systems later skill systems wit points and seperate systems for thieves skills is really bad


    How many of you use a miss-mash of many rulebooks and systems? Cyclopedia edition for core rules ADnD NWP and martial arts from OA, stole some skill ideas from later feats - castles and crusades a inspiration but went a different direction

    What is your final system or lack thereof like? Most DnD gamers step in fine and find simpler but i admit my skill lists intimidating so i provide lots of "kits" as examples and quick to play helpers

    What is an RPG game breaker that you cannot tolerate? unpleasant to the touch paperstock, hardcoverbooks with big fonts and fat borders to pad out text, fake textured paper in rule books mostly bad, needless editions, too many mini systems

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  3. Straight B/X D&D is just fine with me. I try to play by the exact rules, though I do some thing playground style-- that is, I house rule by omission.

    The rules cover only a fraction of what we do in play. Instead of striving for complete rules and perfect balance, I extend the setting the the number of adventure options until some sort of equilibrium is reached.

    I believe that most gamers expect things from rulesets that they cannot provide. Most things that appear "broken" can be addressed either by following the rules to be begin with or else by adjusting the scenario.

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  4. So what are some of the features of different Old School Games and their clones that you dislike and why?

    I dislike to hit tables and THACO, so I use the d20 base to hit that's found in Castles and Crusades.

    I hate NWP as the worst possible implementation of skills/talents/feats. By defining something as an ability you deprive others of it and then allow too few opportunities to acquire the abilities. I prefer free form stunts and try to encourage players with them.

    I also confess to liking maps and miniatures. It's part habit from DMing too many years of 3.x and part reaction from an old school DM that couldn't keep player positions in his head and had very misleading sketches and descriptions and a tendency to "gotcha".


    DO you have a house rule against the disliked feature?

    With the variety of different old school rule sets, I've been able to choose one that more fits my style.

    However, I do dislike some aspects of C&C: encumbrance and surprise/perception checks. I have houseruled in modifications of other systems (Lamentations-style encumbrance and 52-pages surprise.)

    How many of you use a miss-mash of many rulebooks and systems?

    See above. I'd steal bits from DCC and Hackmaster too if I could get my co-DM to agree to it.

    What is your final system or lack thereof like?

    My ideal system would allow the DM to seamlessly dial detail in and out: from a mapless free form system all the way to a Hackmaster second by second combat resolution depending upon the nature and level of the challenge. If it's primarily an exploration or negotiation challenge, a grid is imagination-draining and time consuming without benefit. Same for a few goblins to a mid-level party - nothing dangerous or interesting in that combat. But a "boss" fight? A detailed combat system can be fun then. My ideal system would help the DM present different challenges in different ways (allowing the players to choose their method of course.)

    What is an RPG game breaker that you cannot tolerate?

    I dislike disassociated mechanics and intense character building. However, a good DM and a good group could still draw me into playing 3.x or 4th edition.

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