Comments on: Play Old-School Rules-Light D&D

By: JM

JM — Fri, 19 Mar 2010 11:16:08 +0000

Tetsubo is a perfect example of high intelligence and low wisdom.

By: Tavis Allison

Tavis Allison — Sun, 27 Sep 2009 21:07:37 +0000

I’m playing in an online Searchers of the Unknown game at the OD&D 74 proboards – clicking my name above should link to that subforum specifically. I find it to be enormously fun and particularly well-suited to play-by-post, since conflict can be resolved so quickly. In general I find this fast resolution the greatest thing about old-school systems; I am happiest when the process of gathering intelligence on potential foes, planning how to attack them, and dealing with the consequences thereof takes a bigger chunk of play-time than the fight itself.

By: Geordie Racer

Geordie Racer — Sun, 27 Sep 2009 21:01:01 +0000

I’m currently playing in an online play-by-post game using SOTU and loving it:

http://odd74.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=burkesearcher

Check it out !

By: Friday Links for September 25, 2009 | Moebius Adventures

Friday Links for September 25, 2009 | Moebius Adventures — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 15:09:18 +0000

[...] Play Old-School Rules-Light D&D from Jonathan Drain’s D20 Source: Dungeons & Dragons B… (d20source.com) [...]

By: Tetsubo

Tetsubo — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 19:53:14 +0000

But you risk tossing consistency out the window. Will you make that same call the same way you made it the first time? The twelfth time? I would rather just flip to the pertinent page and have the game mechanics deal with it. You also risk that each game will handle the same rule judgment differently from table to table. Moving from GM to GM may mean having to essentially relearn the game each time.

Example: Cars pretty much function the same from vehicle to vehicle. If each one was custom built driving each one would be an entirely new experience. Interesting? Yes. Vastly annoying? Also yes.

I just want to get in, turn the key and drive.

By: DR

DR — Sun, 20 Sep 2009 20:13:02 +0000

Rules light does not mean you have to adjudicate every action. In many ways by having a rules heavy system you do just as much if not more so, because now there is a “rulebook” now you have to play the part of rule enforcer. Rules light system, if it sounds good go with it! If it propels the story forward, go with it. Rules heavy system… can bog the story down.

By: Tetsubo

Tetsubo — Sun, 20 Sep 2009 07:26:02 +0000

Oddly, while hitting some yard sales yesterday, I found a copy of the D&D Rules Cyclopedia. For $1. So maybe I’ll enjoy reading a single book version of D&D.

By: Alex SchrÃ¶der

Alex SchrÃ¶der — Sat, 19 Sep 2009 11:05:32 +0000

In 2006 I started gaming again after a ten year hiatus. I started with M20.

By: Tetsubo

Tetsubo — Sat, 19 Sep 2009 09:30:35 +0000

I want a rules system to handle everything that isn’t my story. I want a turn key mechanics system. If I need to know how a certain widget works, I just want to turn to the correct page and read the answer. I don’t want to spend every game adjudicating every interaction of the players and the world they live in. Not to mention consistency. You aren’t judging similar situations in different ways over time. So why I can understand the attraction of a ‘rules light’ system, it isn’t something I am interested in.

By: Olan Suddeth

Olan Suddeth — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 21:14:18 +0000

No doubt, there is a lot to be said for old school gaming. I love the skill system in d20, and 4e offers some amazing combat enhancments… but I find myself always going back to houseruled 2nd edition for the bulk of my D&D gaming.

Then again, I may just be an old codger.